SS Barbara Marie (Newcastle on Tyne), Merchant Navy.
Former Unit(s):
Place Enlisted:
Place of Residence:
Woodside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Home Address:
Woodside Lane, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Previous Address:
Civilian Employment:
How Died:
Lost at sea.
Date of Death:
Wednesday 12th June 1940
Place of Death:
Atlantic Ocean
Battle/Campaign:
Locally Commemorated:
-
UK Commemorated:
Tower Hill Memorial, London.
Overseas Commemorated:
-
Buried:
No known grave.
Decoration and Medals:
1939-45 Star. Atlantic Star. War Medal.
Photographs:
0
Service Records:
No
Death Notice/Obituary:
Family Details:
Son of William Kennedy Macdonald, and Caroline Mary Macdonald of Woodside Lane, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Notes :
William Snr. was to receive the Order of the British Empire (OBE Omega répliques de montres) on the second anniversary of his son's death.
SS Barbara Marie was a 4,223 Merchant Steamer. She was owned by J Morrison and Son, and her home port was Newcastle upon Tyne. The ship was sailing from Pepel, the Atlantic seaport of Western Sierra Leone, to Workington, Cumberland, carrying iron ore. She was part of convoy LS 34. At 19.38 hours the convoy was attacked, approximately 220 West North West of Finisterre (the westernmost point of Spain). The German U-Boat U 46 fired a torpedo at the convoy and hit the Barbara Marie. She broke in two and sank with the loss of her master and thirty one of her crew. Five crew members were rescued by the British Motor Merchant, Swedru. The SS Willowbank was also lost carrying a cargo of maize. Fifty one crew were rescued and no loss of life.
Sources Used:
Commonwealth War Graves Debt of Honour Register.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 10th June 1942.
