HMS St Briac

[KONDOA]

Today I was speaking with the niece of the following man:-

Name: NORFOLK, JOHN HENRY

Initials: J H

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

Unit Text: H.M.S. St. Briac.

Age: 41

Date of Death: 12/03/1942

Additional information: Son of John William Norfolk and of Rhoda Stephenson Norfolk (nee Suddaby); husband of Edith Marian Norfolk (nee Baxter), of Hessle, Yorkshire.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. C. Coll. grave 1238.

Cemetery: NEWMACHAR CEMETERY

My interest in this subject was that John Norfolk joined the RGA at Wenlock Barracks in Hull in 1914 and thus may have been in East Africa with the Heavy Battery.

I would be interested if any chum had a bit more detail on the sinking, I did a Google but not a comprehensive account was found. Also, whatis the availabilty of WW2 RNVR records.

Thanks for any help.

Roop

[kin47]

Hello

On the casualty side, 47 men were lost in ST BRIAC (2312 tons/1924) in March 1942. She was being used as an air target at that time.

5 RNVR officers, 19 ratings, and 23 T 124 X RNR ratings were killed when the ship on a mine off Aberdeen.

Only ten bodies, including Norfolk, were recovered for burial. I have the names if helpful.

All best

don

[KONDOA]

Thanks Don, that is a great help. Hopefully I will be talking with his son tommorrow.

Roop

[spithead]

Hello Roop

ST BRIAC

Southern Railway; 1924; W. Denny Bros.; 2,291 tons; 316X

41 X14; 20 knots; turbine engines.

The cross-channel packet St. Briac was taken over by the British

Admiralty during the Second World War for service as a mercantile

auxiliary. She struck a mine and sank off Aberdeen on March 12th,

1942, while serving as a Fleet Air Arm target vessel. Thirteen of her

crew were lost.

From 'Dictionary of Disasters at sea 1824 - 1962'

Regards

John

[KONDOA]

Again, many thanks John.