Warlaby Technical Specification

Founded in 1874 by Robert Ropner, the company owned, managed & built ships.

Steamship Warlaby.

Master: 1941 Commodore Septimus Howard Murray.

In convoy SL-64S with a crew of 40  on a voyage from Alexandria to Oban with a cargo of cotton seed & oil Warlaby left Freetown on 30 January 1941 & was shelled by German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper & sank 200 miles SE of St Michaels, Azores on 12 February 1941. The chief officer was picked up the following day by the HMS Camito. 38 lives were lost including master.

Lives lost February 1941: Abdul Mohamed, fireman/trimmer, 44, India; Anderson, James Gerald, fireman/trimmer, 24; Bambro, George, 3^rd officer, 25, Whitley Bay, Northumberland; Batcheler, Charles, chief yeoman of signals; Black, Arthur, able seaman, 25; Blackbourn, Frederick, 2^nd officer, 28, Cleethorpes, Lincs.; Bowland, Joseph Patrick, steward, 27; Brannan, Thomas, fireman/trimmer, 26 (son of James & Charlotte); Bray, George Frederick, fireman/trimmer, 36, Halling, Yorks.; Brooks, J, donkeyman, 38; Brown, Robert, 2^nd engineer, 42; Copland, George, 3^rd engineer, 28, Northfield, Aberdeen; Davison, Ronald, 2^nd radio officer, 18, Chester, le, Street; Fearn, Charles, able seaman, 36 (son of Charles & Elizabeth); Fitzmaurice, Stanley Alan Robin, fireman/trimmer, 34, Sloane Square, London; Gillen, James, 4^th engineer, 41, Swinefleet, Yorks.; Gilmour, John, galley boy, 17, Barrow, in, Furness, Lancs.; Grace, George Samuel, signalman, (RNVR) aged 30, Liverpool; Gray, Vivian, sailor, 25; Hayes, Joseph, deck hand, 48; Hedditch, Francis Tom, mess room boy, 20, Port Mulgrave, Yorkshire; Holborow, Ulrick Ratcliffe, able seaman, 36; Hunter, Arthur, carpenter, 23; Jackson, Sydney, donkeyman, 26; Mitchelson, Storey, cabin boy, 18, North Shields; Murray, Septimus Howard, master, 35, Carrshields, Northumberland; Neville, George Arthur, deckboy, 18, Hornchurch, Essex; Nicholson, Stanley George, 1^st radio officer, 21 (son of George William & Florence May); Obad Mosseleh, fireman/trimmer, 47; Rawes, George James, deck boy, 17, King’s Cross, London; Roberts, John William Cowell, fireman/trimmer, 29; Rocha, John, able seaman, 53; Sahlman, Arthur, boatswain, 47, Wallsend, Northumberland; Sanderson, Percy George, chief engineer, 55, Middlesbrough; Smith, William, donkeyman, 47; Thompson, Frederick, fireman/trimmer, 32, Leeds, Yorks.; Wheatley, James Smith, deck boy, 20, North Shields; Yeardsley, Robert William, fireman/trimmer, 31.

Survivors February 1941: Evans, JD, chief officer; Sands, Eddie, seaman, 18, Redcar.

Warlaby Yardbook pages