William Robert Edward Burch
A Sailor with S.S. Wallsend (Newcastle-on-Tyne), William died on 3rd of December 1942 aged 19.
William was born at Lowestoft on 2 June 1923, a son of William Henry and Margaret Caroline Burch. Throughout his life William’s family lived at 37 Alma Road.
In December 1942 William was serving on the S. S. Wallsend. In the early hours of 3 December, the ship dispersed from Convoy ON-146 and was hit by a torpedo fired by German submarine U-552 and the submarine then fired another two torpedoes which hit the ship. The ship sank north of the Cape Verde islands. Four of the crew, including William, were killed, but 37 were rescued.
We are grateful for the following detail from John Wright whose father was the Chief Officer of the S.S. Wallsend.
When the ship was torpedoed one of the lifeboats was destroyed. William and three other men were missing and the survivors searched for them but they could not be found. The survivors then sailed their lifeboat over 200 miles to the Cape Verde Islands.
William Burch
37
Alma Road
Lowestoft
United Kingdom
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