Posted by Billy McGee w.mcgee@ntlworld.com on October 12, 2001.

Does anyone know of a British merchant ship named Graveller lost on the 26th January 1942.I have a ship named Traveller, 3,963grt (T & J Harrison) lost on this date. The person I am helping says the Graveller is on the Commonwealth War Graves, is it possible there was such a ship which may of sunk due to bad weather so is not listed as a war loss.


RESPONSES:

Posted by Jan-Olof on October 12.

From 'Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam' by Hocking:

"The steamship Traveller, Capt. H. M. Fitzsimons, left Hampton Roads for Halifax and Liverpool on January 23rd, 1942, with general cargo including 600 tons of explosives. Nothing more was heard from of the ship or her crew of 56 until a German broadcast on September 30th, claimed that she had been torpedoed and sunk on January 26th, about 500 miles east of Philadelphia."

She was sunk by the German submarine U 106.

/Jan-Olof
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Posted by Bill Watt w.p.w@btinternet.com on October 12.

Billy, there appears to be a vessel name error on the CWGC site. The master of the Traveller was named Fitzsimons. On checking this site Harold Marr Fitzsimons is listed lost on Graveller 26 Jan. 42.

Regards,

Bill