The Scottish War Memorials Project

spoons · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:26 pm Post subject: Portpatrick

UKNIWM Ref: 44450

Located at a road junction at entrance to Portpatrick at OS Map Ref NX 004 548

Note that UKNIWM states there are 10 WW2 names whereas there are 11. Either this was a miscount or the last named (Maj Robson) was added later. Difficult to see from the memorial as he is the last alphabetically as well.

One of those named caught my eye.

Name: McCRACKEN, ALEXANDER
Initials: A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Stoker
Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Patrol Service
Unit Text: H.M.S. Southern Flower.
Age: 25
Date of Death: 03/03/1945
Service No: LT/KX 112278
Additional information: Son of Alexander and Elizabeth McCracken, of Portpatrick, Wigtownshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 17, Column 2.
Memorial: LOWESTOFT NAVAL MEMORIAL

U-1022 left Bergen under the command of Hans-Joachim Ernst on 12th Feb 1945 and returned nearly seven weeks later to Bergen on 1st Apr 1945.
Hans-Joachim Ernst hit two ships on this patrol, one was from convoy UR-155.
· On 28th Feb 1945 he sank the Panamanian 1,392 ton Alcedo, sailing with convoy UR-155.
· On 3rd Mar 1945 he sank the British 328 ton HMS Southern Flower.

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:22 pm Post subject:

Spoons

Did you notice that one of the Great War names Stoker John Smith was lost on HMS 'Cressy' in 1914 at the Broad Fourteens when U-9 sank three cruisers in one morning.

This means Portpatrick with just a few names has U-boat casualties from the outbreak of the First World War and the dying days of the Second World War.

SMITH, JOHN
Rank: Stoker 1st Class
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. "Cressy."
Age: 23
Date of Death: 22/09/1914
Service No: K/13677
Additional information: Son of James and Minnie Ann Smith, of 8, Hill St., Port Patrick, Wigtownshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 4.
Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

john burnett · Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 479 Location: Fife

In Burntisland on the War Memorial is William Hearn age 26 killed 22/09/1914. He was Leading Stoker on H.M.S. Cressy. ( He is Hern on CWGC website). The Aboukir, Hogue, and Cressy were sunk in the North Sea by U-9. with the loss of 1459 men.The patrol of these elderly ships was much criticised, they were too old and slow with inexperienced crews to put up a decent fight against modern German ships. They were nicknamed "Live Bait".
Also Hugh Hopps, surgeon, Burntisland was killed on the Aboukir.

Adam Brown · Posted: Fri May 01, 2009 9:00 pm Post subject:

Looking again at one of the Naval names shows quite an unusual rank

MUIR, HUGH
Rank: Rigger's Mate
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.S. 'Tonbridge'
Age: 36
Date of Death: 22/08/1941
Service No: R/JX 219480
Additional information: Son of Thomas and Jessie Muir, of Portpatrick, Wigtownshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 52, Column 1.
Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

Adam
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Scottish Monuments & Memorials