Thread: Big Help - information about crew of the Arthur F. Corwin, destroyed in 1941

Dear Ancestry Aid Big Help! This is a big help with a difference and you may feel that it is not suitable for this forum. I have become quite obsessed with the crew of the Arthur F Corwin. This was a merchant ship who was blown up by torpedoes from U-boats in 1941. My grandfather was on board (he was Reginald Horace Phillips, Second Radio Officer) and everyone onboard sadly died- they were carrying aviation fuel. I have researched the ship and have found out about many of its voyages and I have a list of crew members. This was taken from a photo of the Tower Hill Memorial that my dad has and then I used online records to list any details about the crew members, such as close family members.

The captain of the ship was a John Lawrence Gant. GANT One Name Study :: Lest We Forget

Over the last few weeks I have been seeing if I can get in touch with any family members who may still be living. I managed to contact the nephew of Martin Maguire, a seaman. His nephew, also Martin ,so grateful that I had information for him about the Corwin. He is right now, getting a photo of Martin for me. We have been sharing memories and I have sent him loads of photos etc. It just seems to me that there must be other family members out there who would also be interested in sharing memories. I have set up a website on found my past and if you click on the top link you can see some of the research that I have put together.

What do I want from Big Help? Well, I just thought that as a group we may stand a chance of finding out more about some of the crew members. The older ones should be on currently published census records and there is always the chance that they are on family trees that have already been published.

I am particularly interested in Harold Sydney Tate. My gran died in the mid 80s but apparently she was regularly in touch with Harold's wife Gwendoline. Harold was Reginald's best mate on ship, being one of the other 3 Radio Officers.

If anyone could add any information at all to the table below it would really help me in my mission.

Thanks for reading this, Neil.

(I have posted the list separately as my post is too large! The names are on foundmypast )

All replies post 1920 PM please, and post number of entry you have reviewed for others to see
Looking for a crew member please quote number of entry
surferneil will update the list so you are able to see what is happening etc

0) Captain John Lawrence Gant being researched

1) McNeill George able seaman 21 1920

2) West James F boatswain 49 1892

3) Dyas Bertram Richard boy 18 1923 joined MV Rugeley at Liverpool 1938 / joined SS Coultain at Birkenhead 1940

4) Bateson Ronald George boy 1919 ( 03/1922 Brentford registerd as WARWICK and BATESON) 22 son of Charles Bateson and Lilian Bateson (nee Warwick) ward of W.Collins of Petersham Surrey

5) Halliday Iain cabin boy 1919 22

5a) Griffiths Llewellyn Glyn carpenter 21 1920 son of Llewelyn and Annie Griffiths of Liverpool

6) Campbell George chief cook 39 1902

7) Searson Danielcook 21 1920 Son of Thomas G Searson and Catherine Searson (nee O’Brien) of Liverpool.being researched

8) Flanagan William donkeyman 55 1886 husband of Charlotte Flanagan of Glasgow

9) Miller, Thomas Lightley engineer officer (chief) 38 1903 husband of Mavis Miller of Tichmond Surrey. M.I.Mar.E being researched EMAIL RECEIVED FROM RELATIVE!
10) Thompson Jack Hurtley engineer officer (fifth)19 1922 From Cononley, Kildwick Parish, Yorkshire EMAIL RECEIVED FROM RELATIVE!

11) Beckett William Smith engineer officer (fifth) 26 1914 Scotstoun & Yoker Glasgow city Lanarkshire

12) Nation William Frederick engineer officer (fifth) 25 1916 son of George Frederick and Henrietta Nation EMAIL RECEIVED FROM RELATIVE!

13) Ibbetson Frank engineer officer (fourth) 27 1914 being researched

14) French Horace Frederick, engineer officer (second) 33 1908 son of Arthur H. and Hannah E. French of Grays Essex. see #16 DISTANT CONTACT MADE

15) Hann James Percival engineer officer (third) 281913 Son of Percival and Frances Agnes Hann of Norwood, South Australia. being researched

16) Atherton Vincent fireman 46 1895 being researched

17) Hughes Leslie fireman 21 1920

18) MacTavish Charles fireman19 1922

19) Riley Thomas fireman 18 1923

20) Ross Harry Johnsonfireman 22 1919

21) McCafferty John fireman 28 1913 son of Patrick McCafferty & Eleanor McCafferty of Glasgow.

22) Houston Robert fireman 27 1914 son of Sarah Ann Houston of Liverpool,

23) Gough James greaser 42 1899

24) McMurray James Smith officer (chief) 32 1909 son of Andrew & Alice S McMurray of Shawlands, Glasgow,

25) Newbery Frederickofficer (second) 24 1917 son of William Alfred and Ethel Ruth Newberybeing researched

26) Legg John Edgar Rema officer (third) 23 1918 Born Swansea, mother Lewis. Father could be George Legg and Margaret Lewis.being researched LETTER SENT!

27) Widdowson James Henry ordinary seaman 21 1920 son of Walter William and Eveline Mary Widdowson (nee Davies) of New Ferry Cheshire.being researched CONTACT MADE! Phone call from relative.

28) Draper William ordinary seaman 19 1922

29) Carmichael Daniel ordinary seaman 21 1920 son of James and Janet Carmichael of Glasgow, husband of Mary Carmichael of Glasgow being researched CONTACT MADE!

30) Elliott George Philip Doidge pumpman 53 1888 son of Henry Manning Elliot and Jemima Elliot.being researched

31) Tate Harold Sydneyradio officer (first)271914 Son of Henry Arthur and Rosetta Maud Tate, of Palmer's Green, Middlesex; husband of Gwendoline A. Tate, of Bitterne, Southampton being researched

32) Phillips Reginald Horace radio officer (second) 35 1905Husband of Hilda (nee Hinwood) youngest son of Alfred Arthur and Alice Phillips of Reading. researched (NEIL'S GRAND DAD).

33) Barnes Sidney Cowan radio officer (third) 23 1918

34) Maguire Martin sailor 21 1920 son of Mr & Mrs Charles & Maggie Maguire, Isle of Whithorn, Wigtownshire. Sister Peggy died 1972 aged 64 researched CONTACT MADE!

35) Tindle Sidney Herbert sailor 28 1913 son of Alfred and Phyllis Ethel Tindle being researched LETTER SENT TO RELATIVE.


35a) McNaughton Thomas Hugh sailor 32 1909 being researched

36) Murray James Christopher sailor 18 1923

37) Brown Albert Thomas Percy sailor 24 1917 son George E & Elizabeth of Westcliff-On-Sea.being researched

38) Brenton, Thomas Henrysailor 21 1920 son of Henry and Helen Brenton of Bulls Cove Newfoundland.Arrived UK May 1940 on Duchess of York
CONTACT MADE !

39) Patterson Victor George steward 21 1920 son of George Henry and Florence Emmeline Patterson
being researched

40) Craig Walter steward 23 1918 son of Walter Craig and Georgina Craig of Aberdeen


41) McManus Harold Sutton steward (chief) 38 1903 husband of Ethel May MacManus of Liverpool.being researched CONTACT MADE!

42) Cohen Morris storekeeper 35 1906 son of Mr and Mrs Harris Cohen husband of Ethel.B.(Goldstone)Cohen of Higher Broughton, Salford, Lancashire.

Am looking at no 16 Vincent Atherton