| SS EMPIRE WHALE | |
At 22.50 hours on March 29, 1943, SS Empire Whale (formerly the American SS Winona County) was sailing to the Tyne with a cargo of Pepel Ore when she was torpedoed and sunk by U-662. The position was 46.44N, 16.38W (425 miles NW of Cape Finisterre). Seven crew members, one DEMS gunner and two RAF personnel were rescued by HMS Spey and landed at Londonderry. The master (James Thompson Davitt), forty-one crew members, four DEMS gunners and one RAF personnel were lost. The crew members are commemorated on Tower Hill, Panel 47 and the Canadian Halifax Memorial.
AITKENHEAD , Second Engineer Officer, ALEXANDER, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 27th March 1943. Age 25.
BRODIE , Fourth Engineer Officer, JAMES PARK, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 22.
BURNELL , Able Seaman, JAMES CHARLES, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 32.
CHANNING , Ordinary Seaman, JOHN, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 25.
COAD , Assistant Steward, SYDNEY JAMES THEOPHILUS, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 34. Son of Ernest and Elizabeth Coad; husband of Caroline Coad, of Newport, Monmouthshire.
DAVIS , Sailor, ALBERT EDWARD, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 19. Son of Jessie Davis, of Bitterne, Southampton.
DAVITT , Master, JAMES THOMPSON, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 42. Son of Arthur and Annie Davitt; husband of Ruby Moore Davitt, of Clarkston, Renfrewshire. King's Commendation for Brave Conduct.
DOWNS , Second Officer, JOHN KERR MACKAY, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 29.
DOYLE , Cook, JAMES, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 20
ERICKSON , Fireman and Trimmer, RICHARD WILLIAM, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 24. Son of William and Elizebeth Erickson; husband of Netta Erickson, of Canton, Cardiff.
FRAME , Fireman and Trimmer, WILLIAM, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 22.
GOUGH , Donkeyman, WILLIAM JOHN, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 26. Son of William John and Winifred Mary Gough, of Newport, Monmouthshire.
HANNAH , Chief Officer, JOHN, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 31.
HENNAH , Fireman and Trimmer, JOSEPH PHILLIP, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 26.
HOURIHANE , Storekeeper, JOHN MICHAEL, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 25. Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Hourihane, of Newport, Monmouthshire.
HOWARD , First Radio Officer, WILLIAM HERBERT, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 39. Son of William M. and Annie Howard.
KILTIE , Steward, ALEXANDER MCDERMID, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 26. Son of James and Jessie Kiltie; husband of Catherine Kiltie, of Glasgow.
LAMPORT , Ordinary Seaman, JAMES, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 17. Son of James and Alice Lamport, of Simonside, South Shields, Co. Durham.
LAW , Sailor, GEORGE PRINGLE, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 29. Son of William and Flora Law; husband of Gertrude Lilian Law, of Swaythling, Southampton.
LETTON , Fireman and Trimmer, THOMAS MICHAEL, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 23. Son of Jack and Johanna Letton; husband of Rose Letton, of Riverside, Cardiff.
LIPSCOMBE , Able Seaman, ALFRED BERTRAM, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 28. Husband of Doris Lipscombe, of Postcombe, Oxfordshire.
LITINSKY , Fireman and Trimmer, MICHAEL, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943.
LUCROFT , Able Seaman, HAROLD MARTIN, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 26. Husband of E. Lucroft, of Southampton.
MACAULAY , Fireman and Trimmer, ANGUS, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 19. Son of John and Catherine Macaulay, of Ruchill, Glasgow.
MARSH , Donkeyman, IVOR JOHN, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 27.
MARTIN , Fireman and Trimmer, FREDERICK, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 43.
MITCHELL , Second Radio Officer, DAVID, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 22. Son of John Mitchell, and of Jean Gray Mitchell, of Balmullo, Fife.
McCULLOCH , Fifth Engineer Officer, GEORGE WILLIAM, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 23.
McNAUGHT , Chief Steward, JAMES, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 30. Son of Jean McNaught; husband of Jessie McNaught, of Bridgeton, Glasgow.
NIGHTINGALE , Boatswain, HUBERT SPENCER, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 46.
O'DONNELL , Chief Cook, JAMES, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 29. Son of James and Jessie O'Donnell; husband of Annie O'Donnell, of West Kilbride, Ayrshire.
PHILLIPS , Fireman and Trimmer, WILLIAM JOHN, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 19. Son of Albert George Phillips, and of Leah Phillips, of Blaenavon, Monmouthshire.
PREWITT , Able Seaman, HENRY GEORGE, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 24. Son of Henry George and Charlotte Prewitt, of Itchen, Hampshire.
PRICE , Ordinary Seaman, LEONARD JOHN, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 19. Son of Reuben and Clarice Edna Price, of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire.
PRICE , Fireman and Trimmer, WILFRED, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 31. Son of Edwin John and Agnes Price.
RUSSELL , Chief Engineer Officer, WILLIAM, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 43.
SEXTON , Fireman and Trimmer, CHRISTOPHER JAMES, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 24. Son of James and Martha Sexton, of Cathays, Glamorgan.
SLATTERY , Fireman and Trimmer, ANDREW, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 26. Son of Andrew Slattery and of Ellen Elizabeth Slattery, of Newport, Monmouthshire.
SPIROZIANIS , Donkeyman, VASILIS, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 58.
THOMAS , Fireman and Trimmer, DAVID JAMES, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 52.
WHELTON , Fireman and Trimmer, WILLIAM, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943. Age 54. Son of William and Annie Whelton; husband of Edith Annie Whelton, of Llanhilleth, Monmouthshire.
CLARKE , Petty Officer, JAMES, D/JX 176085. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. lost in S.S. Empire Whale. 29th March 1943.
MILES , Able Seaman, FREDERICK JOHN, P/JX 334914. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. (lost in S.S. Empire Whale). 29th March 1943. Son of Mrs. W. E. G. Miles, of Urchfont, Wiltshire.
RUSSELL , Able Seaman, JAMES HENRY, C/JX 267991. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. lost in S.S. Empire Whale. 29th March 1943. Husband of Mrs. Russell, of Northfleet, Kent.
SMITH , Able Seaman, ALBERT FREDERICK, C/JX 290765. H.M.S. President III. Royal Navy. lost in S.S. Empire Whale. 29th March 1943. Age 27. Son of William and Margaret Smith, of Bromley-by-Bow, London.
MCINTYRE . Third Officer, IAN GORDON, S.S. Empire Whale (London). Merchant Navy. 29th March 1943.
Commemorative data kindly provided by Billy McGee: http://www.british-merchant-navy.co.uk/.