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This data is related to World War 2
Chief Officer

William Thowless

Service number Unknown
Military unit MV Waimarama (Southampton) Merchant Navy
Address Unknown
Date of birth
Date of death 13 Aug 1942 (36 years old)
Place of birth Unknown
Employment, education or hobbies

He was a merchant navy master mariner.

Family history

He was the son of Albert and Margaret Anna Thowless. William Thowless and Margaret Mary Dolphin were married in 1941. Their daughter Jane was born in 1943 so, obviously, never knew her father. Margaret Thowless lived at West Bridgford Nottingham.

Military history

MS Waimarama was part of the fourteen ship convoy Operation Pedestal to the relief of the besieged island of Malta. The 'Operation Pedestal' convoy was the most bombarded convoy in the entire war. The Waimarama was sunk by German Junkers 88 dive bombers off Cape Bon. Direct hits by four bombs ignited aviation fuel stored in cans on her deck. The ship exploded in a sheet of flame and smoke. In less than five minutes Waimarama was gone. Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?37246

Extra information

Unknown

Photographs

No photos