No.1547196, Gunner, Alwyn Denis Bert THOMPSON
Aged 26
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Born on 12th January 1916 Bury St.Edmunds 4a:2685 , son of Bertie William and Henrietta Elizabeth THOMPSON (née BALDRY). His mother died in 1936. In the
1939 register, a mattress and bedding maker, he was at 123 Southgate Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his father [23-10-1888] a grocer's assistant. He married Mabel Janet Ellen UNWIN at Leek, Staffs in 1942. |
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He appears to have been aboard the SS Benalbanach. On the 7th January 1943 she was sunk NW of Algiers when the convoy KMS-6 she was part of was attacked by
a single enemy aircraft. She was carrying 389 Infantry and Royal Artillery men and a crew of 74 from the Clyde to Bone, North Africa. This was her second
trip to the Allied landing area conveying troops and equipment. The BENALBANACH was hit by two torpedoes launched from the aircraft about 150 miles from Algiers.
The ship caught fire, blew up and sank almost immediately taking the lives of 57 crew members and 353 service personnel.
The majority of the casualties are on the Mdejez-el Bab Memorial (110 names for 7-1-1943), all the support and Corps troops (223 names for 7-1-1943) are on the Brookwood Memorial
photo C.W.G.C. click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
