RANGER, Charles Frederick

Plymouth Naval Memorial, UKCredit: CWGC

Gunner
7th Battery Maritime Regiment
Royal Artillery

Charles was born on the 24th of November 1910 in Newport to Samuel Robert & Ellen Mary (nee NEWLAND) RANGER who were living at 36 Hearn Street in Newport around the time of Charles’ death. The family had previously lived at 15 Field Place (1911) also in Newport.

Charles, aged 31, was part of a RA detachment aboard the Dutch Steamship Tanker Mamura as Force Protection gun crew. At 1913 on the 26th of February 1942 the unescorted Mamura was hit on starboard side by two G7e torpedoes from U-504 about 230 miles east-northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida. One torpedo struck the engine room & the other detonated in the bow. The tanker was immediately ablaze & broke in two when the cargo exploded. None of the crew of 52 & four gunners, 34 of them Chinese, survived.

Charles is commemorated by the Commision upon the Plymouth Naval Memorial together with 15,932 of his Second World War shipmates.

Charles is also remembered on the Newport Borough War Memorial.

CWGC Casualty Record

Cemetary

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.

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