John Michael Morgan
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: Michael and Ethel Morgan
Home address: 26 Russell Terrace, Birtley, Durham
Pre-war occupation: Miner
Date of birth: 30/03/1921
Place of birth: Birtley, Durham
Date of death: 31/10/1941
Buried/Commemorated at: Died at sea and commemorated on Chatham Naval Memorial and the Maritime Memorial Thornbury
Age: 20
Further information:
John was born and raised in Birtley Durham and was the eldest of 5 children. He was the son of a miner and became a miner himself.
On the day of his death, John was serving aboard the unescorted British Merchant Ship Rose Schiaffino which was on route from Wabana Canada to Cardiff carrying a cargo of 4200 tons of iron ore. At 09.03 hours, about 90 miles east-northeast of St. John’s, Newfoundland, the ship was hit on the port side by a torpedo fired by U-boat U-374. The vessel sank by the stern within 30 seconds. The master, 36 crew members and four gunners, including John were lost. There were no survivors.
His date of death is incorrectly recorded as 5th December 1941 on 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.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1190.html