BLAKE, Kenneth Richard Thomas

Tower Hill Merchant Navy Memorial, London UKCredit: Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Assistant Baker
MV Warwick Castle - Troop Ship
Merchant Navy

Kenneth was born 1920 in Cowes to Albert Benjamin BLAKE & Ruby May (nee BIDDLECOMBE) BLAKE.

At 0844 on the 14th of November 1942 the Warwick Castle, in convoy MKF-1X, was hit by one of 2 torpedoes from U-413 about 200 miles northwest of Cape Espichel, Portugal. The U-boat hit her again at 0857 & the ship sank about one hour later. The master, 61 crew members, including Kenneth, & 34 service personnel were lost. 201 crew members, 29 gunners, 5 naval personnel & 131 service personnel were picked up by HMS Achates, HMS Vansittart, HMCS Louisburg & the British motor merchant Leinster & landed at Greenock.

The Warwick Castle had been in convoy KMF-1 for Operation Torch & had landed her troops on the 10th of November.

Kenneth, aged 22, was never recovered from the sea & he is commemorated on the memorial with almost 24,000 of his Second World War shipmates.

Kenneth is also remembered on the Newport Borough War Memorial, although his connection is unclear.

CWGC Casualty Record

Cemetery

Sons & Daughters Commemorated Far From Home

Those from the Newport & Carisbrooke area who are buried or commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission outside of the area, both in the UK and in other countries.

‍

The image is of the Tyne Cot Military Cemetery & Memorial in Belgium.