Cecil Hedley Yallop

A Leading Sick Berth Attendant with H.M.S. Niger, Cecil died on 6th of July 1942 at the age of 22. 

Cecil was born at Lowestoft on 18 September 1919, a son of William Cornelius and Emma Priscilla Yallop. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft, on 9 October 1919 and his family lived at the Old Market Inn, Saint Peters Street, where his father was the publican. Later his family lived at 13 Winnipeg Road.

Cecil served on the minesweeper, H.M.S. Niger. On 27 June 1942 the Niger left Murmansk as the lead ship of a convoy consisting of several merchant ships: convoy QP 13. Heavy fog, and a navigation error, on 5 July meant that the Niger mistook an iceberg for land and sailed into an allied minefield off Iceland. The ship struck a mine and sank, as did four of the ships following, while two others were damaged. All of the 148 men on board the Niger were lost.