I have this old press photo in my collection of shipwrecks in the Thames Estuary taken in july 1945, looking for info on the 7 ships lost from a single convoy. Keith
I think this may be the incident mentioned – from CAB 66/14/17. Enemy Minelaying, British Minesweeping. ... No casualties were caused by mines during the week until the 17th December [1940], when seven ships were mined early in the day off Southend. The mines, which had been laid three or four nights previously, were delay action and must have become active just about the time the ships were passing, as these waters had been swept during the night without result, the sweeping being completed about two hours before the first ship was mined. Five vessels mined 17/12/40 are listed: Malrix 703 tons 4 survivors, 1 wounded, 8 missing. Beneficent 2,944 tons 15 survivors, 6 missing. M/V Aqueity 370 tons 2 survivors, 1 wounded, 3 dead. Inver 1,543 tons 2 survivors. Belvedere 869 tons 1 dead, 4 missing, 9 wounded landed. Belvedere is reported as “Partly submerged. There is prospect of her being floated and brought in.”
From Tower Hill WW2 Memorial Fishing Vessels Bromelia to Compaganus Trawler Carry On, 93 tons, 6 dead. This is an excellent site for information regarding the Tower Hill Memorial and provides details of those lost with the vessels.
Just need to find and ID the last of the 7 ships that was mined on that day. There are 390 + known wrecks in the Thames i was told. Thanks you for your help.
Keith Ancestry has a database UK, Merchant Seamen Deaths, 1939 -1953 which holds their 'cards' and searching for that date (worldwide) there are 47 results some are noted as 'Thames Estuary' some as 'Off Southend' but I would suggest that they are in the main part all connected to this event. I will go through them and check out the vessel names, but if you want a list of them or their cards let me know As an example: Name: John Osbon Ambrose Age: 61 Birth Date: abt 1879 Birth Place: Hartlepool, England Death Date: 17 Dec 1940 Death Place: Off Souttend (if you think this spelling is bad wait until you see some of the others) TD Spelling errors - how about this one "Death Place: Thomas Esmary"
THOMAS CONNOLLY OTHER SHIPS SUNK IN THE GERMAN MINING OFFENSIVE OF THE NIGHT OF THE 12 DECEMBER 1940 Thomas Connolly, Royal Navy, Dec 17 1940, 17 crew lost Carry On, Royal Navy, Dec 17 1940, 7 crew lost Aquiety, Dec 17 1940, 6 crew lost Belvedere, Dec 17 1940, 4 crew lost Beneficient, Dec 17 1940, 6 crew lost Inver, Dec 17 1940, 17 crew lost Malrix, Dec 17 1940, 8 crew lost Arinia, Dec 19 1940, 60 crew lost. Sun IX, Tug. Dec 21 1940, 3 crew lost Tic 12, Dec 21 1940. All crew saved River Thames Dec 21 1940 3 crew lost Araby, Dec 27 1940, 6 crew lost Kinnaird head, Dec 27 1940, 6 crew lost Attendant 88, Jan 1 1940 Pinewood, Jan 3 1941, 6 crew lost Lion, Royal Navy Jan 6 1941 All crew lost The ones I have marked in RED above are the ones that also appear in the database UK, Merchant Seamen Deaths, 1939 -1953 Its an informative web site TD
Some more information from Lloyd’s War Losses. It confirms that the Carry On and the Thomas Connolly were both commissioned (as balloon drifters), hence their omission from the return given to the Cabinet (post 3). It also provides further details about casualties, locations, and war-time salvage activity.