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| Casualty No.: |
|
Ranks: |
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class |
Initials: |
W |
Service No.: |
D/MX 70509 |
|
| Date of Birth : |
- |
Place of Birth : |
|
Age at Death: |
32 |
|
| Unit: |
HMS Hecia, Royal Navy. |
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| Place Enlisted: |
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| Place of Residence: |
Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. |
| Home Address: |
9 Green Grove, Woodside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. |
| Previous Address: |
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| Civilian Employment: |
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| How Died: |
Lost at sea. |
| Date of Death: |
Thursday 12th November 1942 |
| Place of Death: |
North Africa. |
| Battle/Campaign: |
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| Locally Commemorated: |
Ryton War Memorial, Station Bank, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Greenside War Memorial, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
St John's Church, Roll of Honour, Greenside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
|
| UK Commemorated: |
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon. |
| Overseas Commemorated: |
- |
| Buried: |
No known grave. |
| Decoration and Medals: |
1939-45 Star. Atlantic Star. War Medal. |
| Photographs: |
3 |
| Service Records: |
No |
| Death Notice/Obituary: |
|
| Family Details: |
Son of Henry and Mary Carr of 5 Monach Terrace, Blaydon on Tyne, Co. Durham. Husband of Lavinia Carr, 9 Green Grove, Woodside, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. Brother: Henry. |
| Notes : |
HMS Hecia was the fifth ship to be given the name. A Destroyer Depot Ship she was launched in March 1940. HMS Hecia was serving as a Hospital Ship believed to be sailing from the Cape, carrying doctors and nurses to care for the wounded from the Operation TORCH landings on the North African coast. The Red Cross was displayed prominently on all sides of the ship. She was torpedoed just after midnight off Gibraltar, by the German U-Boat U515, captained by Werner Henke. 279 souls lost their lives with 568 being rescued by two accompanying destroyers. The survivors were taken to Casablanca, Morocco, and to Gibraltar.
The U-Boat was later sunk by rockets from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft from the USS Escort Carrier, Guadalcanal, on the afternoon of 9th April 1944.
William's brother, Chief Petty Officer Henry Carr, who resided at the family home at 5 Monarch Terrace, Blaydon on Tyne, and had served on HMS Pembroke, was later killed in a train crash. Henry had been returning home from Chatham, Kent, after being demobbed and to have his banns read to marry his sweetheart, Miss Dorothy Hume, of Anfield Plain, within a fortnight. The Kings Cross to Newcastle express train crashed into some derailed trucks near Browney Junction, Co. Durham, killing a total of ten people and seriously injuring another sixteen.
Leading Aircraftsman Norman Wilson of Greenside, who was on the same train returning home on leave, was also killed in the crash.
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| Sources Used: |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle, January, 1946.
Hexham Courant, 14th August 1943.
Information from family member.
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