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TOWER
HILL MEMORIAL
Compiled
and Copyright © Martin Edwards 2003
The
Tower Hill Memorial commemorates men and women of the Merchant Navy
and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have no known
grave. It stands on the south side of the garden of Trinity Square,
London, close to The Tower of London.
In the First World War, the civilian navy's duty was to be the supply
service of the Royal Navy, to transport troops and supplies to the armies,
to transport raw materials to overseas munitions factories and munitions
from those factories, to maintain, on a reduced scale, the ordinary
import and export trade, to supply food to the home country and - in
spite of greatly enlarged risks and responsibilities - to provide both
personnel and ships to supplement the existing resources of the Royal
Navy. Losses of vessels were high from the outset, but had peaked in
1917 when in January the German government announced the adoption of
"unrestricted submarine warfare". The subsequent preventative
measures introduced by the Ministry of Shipping - including the setting
up of the convoy system where warships were used to escort merchant
vessels - led to a decrease in losses but by the end of the war, 3,305
merchant ships had been lost with a total of 17,000 lives. In the Second
World War, losses were again considerable in the early years, reaching
a peak in 1942. The heaviest losses were suffered in the Atlantic, but
convoys making their way to Russia around the North Cape, and those
supplying Malta in the Mediterranean were also particularly vulnerable
to attack. In all, 4,786 merchant ships were lost during the war with
a total of 32,000 lives. More than one quarter of this total were lost
in home waters. The First World War section of the Tower Hill Memorial
commemorates almost 12,000 Mercantile Marine casualties who have no
grave but the sea. The memorial was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens with
sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick. It was unveiled by Queen Mary on
12 December 1928. The Second World War extension, designed by Sir Edward
Maufe, with sculpture by Charles Wheeler, commemorates almost 24,000
names.
[Detail
from the Commonwealth
War Graves Commission website]
1914-1918
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND TO THE HONOUR OF
TWELVE THOUSAND
OF THE MERCHANT NAVY
AND FISHING FLEETS
WHO HAVE NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA
| |
| Photographs
Copyright © Martin Edwards 2010 |
|
| |
1939
- 1945
THE TWENTY FOUR THOUSAND OF THE MERCHANT NAVY AND FISHING FLEETS
WHOSE NAMES ARE HONOURED ON THE WALLS OF THIS GARDEN
GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY
AND HAVE NO GRAVE BUT THE SEA |
| |
|
|
|
IN
MEMORY
OF
THOSE MERCHANT SEAFARERS
WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
TO SECURE THE FREEDOM
OF
THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
1982 |
|
| HAILWOOD |
Christopher
F |
3rd Engineering Officer, Sir Galahad (London), Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Died when his ship was bombed at Fitzroy 8 June 1982. Aged 26. Resident
Farnborough, Hampshire. |
| HENRY,
GC |
Paul
A |
2nd
Engineering Officer, Sir Galahad (London), Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Died when his ship was bombed at Fitzroy 8 June 1982. Aged 34. Resident
Berwick-Upon-Tweed. Awarded the George Cross (GC). |
| LEUNG |
Chau
Dis |
Electrical Fitter, Sir Galahad (London), Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Died when his ship was bombed at Fitzroy 8 June 1982. Aged 51. Resident
Kowloon, Hong Kong. |
| MORRIS |
Andrew
J |
3rd Engineering Officer, Sir Galahad (London), Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Died when his ship was bombed at Fitzroy 8 June 1982. Aged 25. Resident
Poole, Dorset. |
| SUNG |
Yuk
Fai Dis |
Butcher,
Sir Galahad (London), Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Died when his ship
was bombed at Fitzroy 8 June 1982. Aged 51. Resident Kowloon, Hong
Kong. |
|
FRASER |
William
S |
Quartermaster,
Fort Grange (London), Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Died on board. No further
information currently available |
| YEUNG |
Swi
Kami |
Seaman,
Sir Tristram (London), Merchant Navy. Died when his ship was bombed
at Fitzroy 8 June 1982. Aged 43. Resident Cheung Chan Island, New
Territories, Hong Kong. |
| YU |
Sik
Chee |
Bosun,
Sir Tristram (London), Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Died when his ship
was bombed at Fitzroy 8 June 1982. Aged 60. Resident Kowloon, Hong
Kong. |
| NORTH,
DSC |
Ian
Harry |
Master,
SS Atlantic Conveyor (Liverpool), Merchant Navy. Died when Atlantic
Conveyor was hit by an Exocet Missile 25 May 1982. Awarded the Distinguished
Service Cross (DSC). Resident Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
DSC
(Distinguished Service Cross) [London Gazette 8 October 1982 Page
4]
Captain
Ian Harry NORTH, Merchant Navy.
On
14th April 1982 SS ATLANTIC CONVEYOR was laid up in Liverpool. On
the 25th April she deployed to the South Atlantic converted to operate
fixed and rotary wing aircraft and loaded with stores and equipment
for the Falkland's Task Force. This astonishing feat was largely
due to Captain North's innovation, leadership and inexhaustible
energy.
SS
ATLANTIC CONVEYOR joined the Carrier Battle Group on 19th May 1982
and was immediately treated as a warship in most respects. Almost
comparable in manoeuvrability, flexibility and response Captain
North and the ship came through with flying colours. When the ship
was hit on 25th May Captain North was a tower of strength during
the difficult period of damage assessment leading up to the decision
to abandon ship. He left the ship last with enormous dignity and
calm and his subsequent death was a blow to all.
A
brilliant seaman, brave in war, immensely revered and loved his
contribution to the Campaign was enormous and epitomised the great
spirit of the Merchant Service.
|
| CHAN |
Chai
Sing |
Seaman,
SS Atlantic Conveyor (Liverpool), Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Died when
Atlantic Conveyor was hit by an Exocet Missile 25 May 1982. Resident
Hong Kong. |
| DOBSON |
John
H |
Bosun,
SS Atlantic Conveyor (Liverpool), Merchant Navy. Died when Atlantic
Conveyor was hit by an Exocet Missile 25 May 1982. Resident Exmouth,
Devon. |
| FOULKES |
Frank |
Mechanic,
SS Atlantic Conveyor (Liverpool), Merchant Navy. Died when Atlantic
Conveyor was hit by an Exocet Missile 25 May 1982. Resident Great
Plumpton, near Kirkham, Lancashire. |
| HAWKINS |
David |
Steward,
SS Atlantic Conveyor (Liverpool), Merchant Navy. Died when Atlantic
Conveyor was hit by an Exocet Missile 25 May 1982. resident Newquay,
Cornwall. |
| HOOLE |
Ronald
R |
1st
Radio Officer, SS Atlantic Conveyor (Liverpool),
Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Died when Atlantic Conveyor was hit by an
Exocet Missile 25 May 1982. Resident Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. |
| HUGHES |
James |
Mechanic,
SS Atlantic Conveyor (Liverpool), Merchant Navy. Died when Atlantic
Conveyor was hit by an Exocet Missile 25 May 1982. Resident Gosport,
Hampshire. |
| NG |
Por |
Seaman,
SS Atlantic Conveyor (Liverpool), Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Died when
Atlantic Conveyor was hit by an Exocet Missile 25 May 1982. Resident
Hong Kong. |
| VICKERS |
Ernest
N |
Mechanic,
SS Atlantic Conveyor (Liverpool), Merchant Navy. Died when Atlantic
Conveyor was hit by an Exocet Missile 25 May 1982. Resident Middlesborough,
Cleveland. |
Not
on memorial |
| BIDDICK |
Brian |
Captain,
Uganda (Hospital Ship), Merchant Navy. Died after an emergency operation
on the voyage to the Falklands 12 May 1982. Aged 48. Resident St
columb, Cornwall. The Uganda was being a P & O Liner being used
as a hospital ship. |
|
KYE |
Bem
Kwo |
Laundryman,
HMS Coventry, Merchant Navy. Killed when his ship was bombed and
sunk while operating off the northern coast of West Falkland 25
May 1982. Resident Shaukiwan, Hong Kong. |
| LAI |
Chi
Keung |
Laundryman,
HMS Sheffield, Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Died when his ship was hit
by an Exocet missile 4 May; sank 10 May 1982. Aged 31. Resident
Hong Kong. |
Last
updated 8 April, 2010 |
