Hugh Griffiths Evans

Memorial: Thornbury & District Museum: 6th Maritime Regiment Memorial

Regiment: 6th Maritime Regiment

Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945

Rank and number: Bombardier

Parents: Hugh John and Annie Evans

Marital status: Married

Home address: Holyhead, Anglesey

Date of birth: 29/10/1907

Date of death: 18/08/1944

Buried/Commemorated at: Died at sea and commemorated Plymouth Naval Memorial Devon and the Maritime Memorial Thornbury

Age: 36

Further information:

Hugh was the son of a seaman and he married Ellen Ellis in 1931.

On the day of his death, Hugh was serving aboard the unescorted British Steam Merchant the Nairung, which was travelling from Durban, South Africa to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania carrying a general cargo, including ammunition. At roughly a kilometre from north east Mozambique, the vessel was torpedoed by U-boat U-862. Such a violent explosion ensued that it showered the U-boat with debris and the U-boat commander was unable to locate any survivors. The master 82 crew members and eight gunners, including Hugh, were lost. It was not until 18 months later that Hugh’s status was changed from missing to presumed killed in action.

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/3321.html