SADLER, James Frederick


No. C/JX 1690109, Able Seaman, James Frederick SADLER
Aged 20


H.M.S. "Arethusa", Royal Navy
Killed in Action on Wednesday,18th November 1942

James Frederick SADLER was born 1922 (Bury St.Edmunds Q3-1922 4A:1671), son of Alfred and Ellen SADLER (née COOK )

In the 1939 Register, his father Alfred [3-7-1877] widower carpenter's labourer was at 4 Stoney Lane, Thurston, with Florence RICKWOOD [11-5-1895] divorced, housekeeper. There is one closed record. His mother had died in 1937.


H.M.A. Arethusa was a light cruiser, the name ship of her Class, built at Chatham and commissioned on 21st May 1935. While on Operation Stoneage, a torpedo from an Italian aircraft struck Arethusa on 18 November 1942 and caused heavy casualties, one of the 156 was James Sadler. Operation Stone Age was the convoy of which 4 ships reached Malta, thus breaking the siege.

The Bury Free Press of 12th December 1942 reported
Thurston Sailor's Death

Mr.A.Sadler of 4 Stoney Lane, Thurston, has been officially informed of the death of his youngest son, Able Seaman, James Frederick Sadler, due to enemy action in the Mediterranean in November. He was 20 years old and had served in the Royal Navy since he was 15.






photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



James is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 56, col 1

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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