Walter Joseph East
Memorial: Thornbury & District Museum: 6th Maritime Regiment Memorial
Regiment: 6th Maritime Regiment
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Gunner
Parents: George Robert and Florrie Annie East
Home address: 27 New Street, Gravesend, Kent
Date of birth: 12/05/1921
Date of death: 31/10/1942
Age: 21
Further information:
Walter was the 2nd youngest of 7 children. His father George worked as a coal bargeman and also fought in WW1. Walter was born between wars, when his father was working as a general labourer.
On the 31st October 1942, Walter was one of 12 gunners serving aboard the British Motor Merchant vessel ‘Aldington Court’. The ship had originally been part of convoy TRIN-16 but the convoy had dispersed 2 weeks previously. The now unescorted vessel was travelling from Trinidad to South Africa on route to Alexandria, carrying a cargo of 6614 tons of government stores and general cargo, including coal, tractors, fuel and beer. The ship was hit by 2 torpedoes from U-172 about 1000 miles west of Port Nolloth, South West Africa. After 10 minutes, the vessel rolled over and sank but 38 survivors (from a complement of 44) managed to abandon ship successfully. 28 boarded a lifeboat and 10 a Jolly boat. Both boats made for land but became separated and the lifeboat was never seen again. The 10 survivors from the Jolly boat were rescued by another ship on the 13th November. Walter however was one of the 34 fatalities.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2333.html