John Longworth
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: Solomon and Harriet Longworth
Marital status: Married
Home address: 75 Park View, Huyton, Lancashire
Pre-war occupation: Stone Mason
Place of birth: Prescott, Lancashire
Date of death: 04/03/1943
Buried/Commemorated at: Died at sea and commemorated on Chatham Naval Memorial and the Maritime Memorial Thornbury
Age: 35
Further information:
On the day of his death John was serving aboard the unescorted steam merchant The City of Pretoria, on route from New York to Holyhead carrying 7032 tons of general cargo and explosives. At 06.09 hours on 4 March 1943, about 320 miles northwest of the Azores, the ship was hit by 2 torpedoes fired from U-boat U-172. The ship sank following a massive explosion and the master, 108 crew members, 24 gunners, including John, 6 passengers and 6 apprentices were all lost. There were no survivors.
John died on 4th March 1943 not 3rd March as on the Memorial.
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/2714.html