Hi Everyone, Can anyone tell me about the above Royal Navy Vessel please, I am researching :- ABLE SEAMAN WILLIAM SAMUEL WILLIAMS Service Number: C/JX 217109 Regiment & Unit/Ship - Royal Navy - H.M.L.C.M. 139 Date of Death - Died 20 November 1942 Age 21 years old Buried or commemorated at CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL 57, 1. United Kingdom Country of Service - United Kingdom Additional Info - Son of Annie Williams, of Saltney, Flintshire. I know that he was lost overboard on the 20th November 1942 from the Registers of of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings Williams N - Z - this tells us that it was in the Vicinity of Kenayis,Mediterranean. I cannot find any newspaper reports of his loss, or anything that would tell us what the ship was doing there. Any help to tell his story would be apprciated. Many thanks in advance. Mavis Williams.
November 20 - Landing craft mechanised (MkI) LCM No.139 (30-37t), lost through heavy weather in Middle East. British naval vessels lost at sea in World War 2 - 1942-1943 LCM.139, lost overboard WILLIAMS, William S, Able Seaman, D/JX 217108, MPK Royal Navy casualties, killed and died, November 1942 Around that time, the British Navy was involved in Operation Torch, amphibious landings around Algiers. I’ll see if I can determine if his LCM was off of one of the ships involved during the Landings and in support afterwards
I don't have LCM139 as being carried onboard any of the initial Torch ships. As the loss was on the 20th it could have arrived in a follow up convoy, but as the loss is given as being the in 'Middle East', rather than 'Algiers' as most of the Torch losses are, I think it more likely that the LCM was lost further east. Regards Steve
The location's full name appears to be Ras al Kanais, a cape on the Egyptian coast between El Alamein and Marsa / Mersa Matruh; adjacent to the Gulf of Kenayis. See: Ras al Kanais I note another loss the same day of a much larger LCT, with no location though and no trace on CWGC for deaths to a RN vessel that day: From: British naval vessels lost at sea in World War 2 - 1942-1943 During the war there was an airfield in use just inland at Bir Kenayis, Landing Ground LG-43. Could it have been involved in supplying this? From: List of North African airfields during World War II - Wikipedia
From: Mediterranean Fleet, Admiralty War Diary 1942, including North African Landings Admiralty War Diaries Mediterranean Fleet. 19 Nov 42 - 4. Gale weather all along the coast delayed the unloading of ships in Bardia and Mersa Matruh. 20 Nov 42 - 4. L.C.M. 139 was stranded and became a total loss at Ras Kanayis in longitude 27-48E. One rating lost his life. Tim
Wow! Thank you so much everyone, I never expected that! This will be so much help, to make sure William Samuel is not forgotten. Regards, Mavis
