SS Effna

[Ian Hodges]

Hi there
My uncle, Ronald Leslie DAY has the second Radio Officer on SS Effna, he was eighteen years old, The Effna was reported to have been sunk by a torpedo from U108 south of Iceland on 28/2/41, with the lost of its entire crew of 32. This is a common belief via the web, of all the sites that I have visited and my mothers account of the loss of her older brother. However I have rescently purchased scans of a photo album taken by a crew member, Willy Wilke, that served on U108. Several of the photos show a frieghter sinking and its crew being supplied with food and water to their life boat, there are 14, and possibly 17 survivors. This photos are labled 'Effna sunk with cannon', 'Effna crew' etc. If these photos are real, then the history books may need to be re-written. I am trying to locate someone with the necessary skill that could positively identify the ship in the photos as the SS Effna and or any of the surviving crew members aboard the life boat and raft.The Effna was built by Skinner & Eddy Corporation, USSB Design #1105. I also have a side on photo of Effna. Please contact me if you can help me with this problem.

Regards

Ian Hodges

[DeepSea]

It was not uncommon for men to survive a sinking and be questioned by the German's before the U-boat would depart, leaving the survivors to their eventual fate. The Effna was lost South-East of Iceland in winter time, where survival time in an open boat could be measured in just a few hours. If there had been any survivors a survivors report of the sinking would of been recorded. There is no such record for the Effna, which would suggest she was lost with all hands, which is what is recoreded by the CWGC. The thirty-three crew are recorded on Tower HillMemorial, for all those with no grave but the sea.

Panel 37

ARTHUR, Chief Engineer Officer, LAURENCE KEITH BRUCE, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 28. Son of Laurence and Jane Ellen Arthur; husband of Ellen Mason Arthur, of South Shields. Co. Durham.

BANKS, Cook, JOSEPH, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 31. Son of George and Grace Banks; husband of Bertha Evelyn Banks, of Percy Main, North Shields, Northumberland.

BELL, Fireman, WILLIAM ATKINSON, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 23.

BRADY, Donkeyman, THOMAS, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 41.

BURDON, Able Seaman, JOSEPH ARCHIBALD, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 21. Son of Joseph and Mary Ann Burdon, of Tynemouth, Northumberland.

CHARLTON, Chief Officer, JOHN THOMAS, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 32.

DAVIDSON, Boatswain (Bosun), JAMES, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 36.

DAY, Second Radio Officer, RONALD LESLIE, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 18. Son of Tom and Mary Elizebeth Day, of Stoneferry, Hull.

DIXON, Cabin Boy, WILLIAM CREIGHTON, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 19. Son of William C. and H. Dixon, of North Shields, Northumberland.

FORD, Able Seaman, THOMAS, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 36.

FROMHOLD, Fireman, FREDERICK WILLIAM, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 20. Hus-band of Gladys Fromhold, of Jarrow, Co. Durham.

GILCHRIST, Fireman, JAMES B., S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 32.

HART, Ordinary Seaman, EDWARD JANMART, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 21. Son of William and Mary Annie Hart, of North Shields, Northumberland.

HAXBY, Donkeyman, ALFRED, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 50. Husband of Mary Haxby, of South Shields, Co. Durham.

HENIGHAN, Able Seaman, ALBERT, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 25.

HIND, Able Seaman, HERBERT, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 30. Husband of Lily Agnes Hind, of Sunderland, Co. Durham.

JARWICK, Steward, ANDREW CAMPBELL RICHARDSON, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 19. Son of J. W. and Isabella Jarwick, of North Shields, Northumberland.

MILLS, Fireman, EDWARD YELLUP, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 52.

MILNE, Assistant Cook, EDWARD, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 23. Son of William and Isabella Milne, of South Shields, Co. Durham. His brother Charles also fell.

MOAT, Chief Steward, WILLIAM, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 39. Son of William and Mary Ann Moat; husband of Jane Smith Moat, of North Shields, Northumberland.

PEARSON, First Radio Officer, JAMES OWEN, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 30. Son of James and Gladys Jane Pearson; husband of Muriel Pearson, of Horwich, Lancashire.

PETRIE, Fourth Engineer Officer, GORDON, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 20. Son of William and Isabella Petrie, of Sunderland, Co. Durham.

PRINGLE, Able Seaman, JOHN, S.S. Effna . Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 26. Son of Lilian Jane Pringle, of South Shields, Co. Durham.

PURVIS, Fireman, JOHN STEWART, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 50.

ROBERTSON, Master, ROBERT PENNEY, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 39. Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Robertson, of West Barns, East Lothian; husband of Elizabeth Robertson, of Edinburgh.

SINCLAIR, Second Officer, GIDEON HENRY, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 24. Son of Captain Harry Sinclair and Jane Sinclair, of South Shields, Co. Durham; husband of Elsie May Sinclair, of Cleadon, South Shields.

SMITH, Second Engineer Officer, CHARLES BLAKEY, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 36. Son of George and Catherine Blakey Smith.

SMITH, Donkeyman, WILLIAM HAY, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 33. Son of Jonathan and Sarah Smith.

STEWART, Ordinary Seaman, JOHN WILLIAM, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 20. Son of John William and Jane Ann Stewart, of Jarrow, Co. Durham.

WATSON, Third Officer, RONALD PARKER, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 25. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Ralph Close Watson, of South Shields, Co. Durham.

WEATHERSTONE, Able Seaman, EDWARD, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 26. Son of James Weatherstone, and of Elizabeth Weatherstone, of Tynemouth, Northumberland.

WHEATLEY, Carpenter, ALFRED EDWARD, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 32. Son of Laurence and Emma Wheatley; husband of Mary Wheatley, of Hebburn, Co. Durham.

YOUNG, Third Engineer Officer, JAMES, S.S. Effna. Merchant Navy. 1st March 1941. Age 37. Son of James and Hannah Beach Young, of South Shields, Co. Durham.

[Ian Hodges]

Thanks Deepsea for your reply

I agree that the crew may have survived the initial attack only to perish due to the weather as it is reported in one web site that severe weather went through the area around the time of the sinking. If in fact that photos are of the Effna crew then obviously they did all perish as you rightly say as there was no survivor report for Effna. It would still be of interest to me to confirm the authenticity of the photos, so do you think it is feasible that someone may be able to ID Effna in the photos?
I took my family and mum to Europe two years ago and we visited Tower Hill Memorial - quite an sombre time. We also visited the HMS Belfast which my dad served on during WW2.

Cheers

Ian Hodges

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Ian
i see you have supplied the Crew list to the folowing site! Good work thanks to Billy!
Cheers

http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/ships.cgi?boat=108;nr=2

PS I think that posting those Pics you are talking about will be a good idea Ian,as there are many here with a lot of knowledge on these sort of things!

Better to put them in the Gallery and just put the Link to them with your post!
Cheers

[Ian Hodges]

Hi there Caslteman,

Thanks for your suggestion, These photos that I purchased are covered by copyright, I have asked the owner if I can sent that images to anyone that may be able to ID Effna, buy I don't think it covers posting them in your Gallary! I will contact the owner and ask. I do have a photo that I have had for years so I will post that........I'm having trouble posting the image. Can you run me through it?

Cheers
Ian Hodges

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Ian
First Click on Gallery
Then Upload Photos

Next Select Category (up to you where you want it)

Then
Select the photos you wish to upload from your computer: Browse

After clicking this a new little Window will Open,from there Pick the Photo
Click on the Photo
Then Open

Then Enter a default title for the photo you are uploading.

Then

Enter a description for the photo

Then
Keywords

THEN

Upload and Submit

You will then see

Processing and uploading

Once this is done your Pic should appear as small Thumbnial

Now hit the Process Button!


All done

NB Max size allowable on site is 800X600

The other Pics you have that are Copyright make sure you get permission in writing that can be submitted here!

[Ian Hodges]

Thanks Caslteman

I have managed to stumble through it and I'll uploaded two photos, the one I had of Effna and one of panel 37 Tower Hill Memorial. I am waiting to hear back from the owner of the others prior to uploading them but I will keep in touch.

Cheers
Ian Hodges

[Alan Bland]

HI IAN
Hope you are having success on your search for info on ss EFFNA .My uncle ALBERT HENIGHAN aged 25 was also lost when she was torpeded by U108 (commanded by FREGATTENKIPITAN KLAUSE SCHOLTZ
knights cross }
i have some info i have dug up regarding U108 (I passed most of my info to your Mother Pauline a long while ago ,if you wish i could dig it out and send it to you again.
I see BILLY McGEE has come up trumps again a great bloke on MN info
Ihope your mother is well give her my regards
Best of luck with your search

Alan Bland (North Shields)

[Ian Hodges]

Hi Alan

Nothing has come to light that is already available on any or all of the usual sites, but I am going to be posting several photos today that are said to be of the sinking of the Effna by cannon fire???? also showing up to sixteen survivors in a lifeboat. My hope is that someone can ID the ship as the Effna or not! and or any of the survivors which may have met their fate due to the weather.
My mum is well, I took her and my family to London two years ago and visited Tower Hill Memorial. If you could resend what you have that well be great, my home email is hodgy01@bigpond.com

Cheers

Ian Hodges

[DeepSea]

Hello Ian,

Not sure how much information you have on the loss, but this is what I have.

Effna, 6,461grt, (MOWT, United SN Co. Ltd) had sailed from Baltimore with a cargo of steel and trucks for Newport, Monmouthshire and sailed to Halifax, Nova Scotia where she joined up with the Liverpool bound 38 ship Convoy HX-109, which departed 13th February 1941. During the crossing the convoy encountered a severe Atlantic storm, which forced a number of ships including the Effna to become a straggler from the main convoy. A number of other ships were diverted to Iceland with storm damage, while one other ship was forced to return to Halifax. On the 27th February an SOS was intercepted from the Empire Tiger, which had been part of the same convoy, stating "Position 62' 05N 19' 50W, badly down by the head shipping heavy seas, boats washed away" Nothing more was heard from the ship and she disappeared with all hands. The following day Effna in position 61' 30N 15' 45W, just 121 nautical miles East South-East of the Empire Tigers last message was intercepted by U-108 and torpedoed at 23.32 hours (CET).

It would suggest at the time of her loss, the Effna was still struggling in the same atrocious weather conditions as the Empire Tiger had been, which would of prevented a surfaced attack from the U-boats deck gun. The attack also is recorded by German sources as taking place late at night, again this would suggest her loss was by torpedo.

Hopefully once the photos are uploaded this may help determine other possibilities.

Rgds Billy