John Graham Bentham
Memorial: Thornbury & District Museum: 6th Maritime Regiment Memorial
Regiment: 6th Maritime Regiment
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Lance Bombardier
Parents: Mathias and Margaret Bentham
Home address: Southport, Lancashire
Date of birth: 1921
Date of death: 28/11/1942
Buried/Commemorated at: Died at sea and commemorated on Chatham Naval Memorial and the Maritime Memorial Thornbury
Age: 21
Further information:
John joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers before volunteering for the 6th Maritime Regiment.
On the day of his death, John was serving aboard the unescorted British Steam Merchant Empire Cromwell which was on route from Trinidad to New York carrying a cargo of 1000 tons of chrome ore. At 02.17 hours the vessel was torpedoed and sunk by U-boat U-508 about 160 miles southeast of Galeota Point, Trinidad. The master, 20 crew members and three gunners, including John, were lost. The 25 survivors were picked up 2 days later and landed at Port of Spain, Trinidad.
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.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2475.html