In Memoriam
The following two pages detail those 103 passengers and crew on the SS City of Cairo who were lost either at the time of the sinking or as a result of the journeys in open boats. This figure also includes the 9 who died after rescue and the two Lascars who died aboard ss CLAN ALPINE on the morning of their rescue. Their individual names are not known but they will be amongst those named on my "In Memoriam" pages.
ss CITY OF CAIRO's plaque, Tower Hill Memorial.
Photo courtesy of Billy McGee - MN Day 2007
I have tried to ensure the accuracy of the dates of death of the passengers and crew-members recorded here. I have used many sources in my work. It is clear to me that some of the dates recorded in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission are incorrect. For example, most Lascar seamen's dates of death are given as the 6th November 1942, when, in fact, only one Lascar seaman from CITY OF CAIRO was killed on that day. Some Europeans dates are also obviously incorrect. I base this on factual information from survivors' reports, crew lists and from Ralph Barker's book: "Goodnight Sorry for Sinking you".
Herbert Shenton, Lawrence McGaffney, Sultan Khan and Ranoo Panna are all buried on the island of St Helena (St Paul's Cathedral Cemetary). All the others named below have no grave but the sea.
Courtesy of Colin Kendall
Picture courtesy of the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
In Memoriam - Herbert Shenton
Courtesy of Billy McGee
Herbert Shenton - St Paul's Cathedral Cemetary
Courtesy of Billy McGee
My thanks to Colin Kendall and Billy McGee for the photos of the last resting place of Herbert Shenton and Lawrence McGaffney in St Helena.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to Merchant Navy veteran, Second Radio Officer, George V. Monk for his help with the lists below. George was torpedoed while serving on the ss AUDITOR on 4th July 1941. Please see Acknowledgements page.
My thanks also to Mr Peter Bird who also kindly helped with the list.
You may note in the text below the term distressed British seaman (DBS)
One who is left without a berth, ill or without funds in a foreign port. Typically a DBS would be a seaman who was travelling after having his ship torpedoed or lost through other forms of enemy action.
| Name | Position | Fate |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Peever | Chief Radio Officer | Died 6 November 1942 |
| Rev. Lachlan McLean | Passenger | Died 6 November 1942 |
| Wilfred B. Tingle | Passenger - Master, (B.I.Co) | Died 6 November 1942 |
| Crawford Gordon | Passenger | Died 6 November 1942 |
| Francis Marr | Passenger | Died 6 November 1942 |
| Ghulam Rasul Nawabjan | Barman | Died 6 November 1942 |
| Died after rescue (9) | ||
| Diana Jarman | Passenger | Died 17 December 1942 (ss RHAKOTIS) |
| James A. Whyte | Third Officer | Died 3 March 1943 (ss CITY OF PRETORIA) |
| Herbert Shenton | Passenger - Engineer Officer, (B.I.Co) | Died 20 December 1942 (St Helena) |
| Lewis Scaife | Passenger - Chief Engineer, M.N. | Died 19 November 1942 (ss BENDORAN) |
| Lawrence McGaffney | Passenger | Died 20 November 1942 (St Helena) |
| Sultan Khan | Second Baker | Died 7 February 1943 (St Helena) |
| Ranoo Panna | Topass | Died 20 November 1942 (St Helena) |
| Unknown | Lascar | Died 19 November 1942 ss CLAN ALPINE buried (St Helena) |
| Unknown | Lascar | Died 19 November 1942 ss CLAN ALPINE buried (St Helena) |
| Europeans lost in the period after the sinking (28) | ||
| Sidney E.D.Britt | Chief Officer | Died at sea, 19 November 1942 |
| Tom A.V Humphries | Second Radio Officer | Died at sea, 18 December 1942 |
| William T. Pirrie | Third Engineer | Died at sea, 20 December 1942 |
| David D. Noble | Fifth Engineer | Died at sea, 19 November 1942 |
| Francis B. McQuone | Purser | Died at sea, 18 November 1942 |
| Robert Ironside | Quartermaster | Died at sea, 19 November 1942 |
| Albert R.C. Dobson | Quartermaster | Died at sea, 14 November 1942 |
| Frank Stobbart | Engine Room Storeman | Died at sea, 19 November 1942 |
| George E. Napier | Passenger - Chief Steward, (B.I.Co) | Died at sea, 14 November 1942 |
| Ada Taggart | Stewardess | Died at sea, 17 November 1942 |
| Annie Couch | Stewardess | Died at sea, 19 November 1942 |
| Sydney H. Barnes | Steward | Died at sea, 14 November 1942 |
| John Nuttal | Butcher | Died at sea, 14 November 1942 |
| John Tagg (DBS) | Passenger - 2nd Mate - ex "INDUSTRIA" | Died at sea, 12 December 1942 |
| Capt. Thomas McCall | Passenger - Master Mariner, M.N. | Died at sea, 21 November 1942 |
| Dr. Ronald Tasker | Passenger | Died at sea 12 November 1942 |
| Robert Watts | Passenger | Died at sea, 19 November 1942 |
| Basil Watkins-Ball | Passenger | Died at sea, 17 November 1942 |
| John T. (Jack) Oakley | Passenger | Died at sea, 6 December 1942 |
| Robert Little | Passenger | Died at sea, 6 December 1942 |
| James (Joe) Green | Passenger | Died at sea, 18 November 1942 |
| Marshall Crichton | Passenger | Died at sea, 20 November 1942 |
| Harry Lane | Passenger | Died at sea between 14/11 and 12/12 1942 |
| William McGregor | Third Engineer | Died at sea, 28 November 1942 |
| Fred Powell | Passenger - Third Engineer, (B.I.Co) | Died at sea, 26 November 1942 |
| William C. Soloman | Passenger | Died at sea, 4 December 1942 |
| Kate Richardson | Passenger | Died at sea, 12 November 1942 |
| Daniel McNeil | Passenger | Died at sea, 9 November 1942 |
"Nimrod" © Edward Gold
Page two in remembrance of the Lascar crew who lost their lives.
