War casualties in Bonfire Hill Cemetery

NAVAL CASUALTIES BURIED IN BONFIRE HILL CEMETERY, SALCOMBE

The deaths of these men were registered at Kingsbridge. This means that certificates of death exist from which the cause of death can be known. The numbers of these Register entries are printed at the end of each entry. There is more than one entry per page so more than one man will have the same number.

Killed in the sinking of HM Trawler Pierre Descelliers: The Navy employed a large fleet of trawlers during both World Wars. These little vessels with crews of around a dozen were used for mine-sweeping, carrying stores around harbours and other anti-submarine tasks. The Pierre Descelliers was used to defend the boom stretched across the mouth of the Kingsbridge Estuary at Salcombe. She was bombed during a German raid on Salcombe on 13 August 1942. Three crew members were killed and are buried in the Bonfire Hill Cemetery at Salcombe. Elizabeth Chadder-Blank of Salcombe was also killed and is commemorated on the Salcombe memorial. She was visiting the trawler, delivering fresh water ,when the raiders struck.
W. CONE	r/jx 243580 Able Seaman William Cone, Royal Navy, HM Trawler Pierre Descelliers. Son of Thomas and Winifred Cone; husband of Rose Cone of Keighly, Yorkshire. Born in Bramham, Yorkshire in 1907. Died 13 August 1942 aged 35. Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 279
J. T. DEAN	R/JX 268864 Ordinary Seaman John Thomas Den of the Royal Navy, HM Trawler Pierre Descelliers. Husband of Dorothy Mary Dean of Birmingham. Born in 1907. Died 13 August 1942 aged 34. Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b278
L. REED	R/JX 213322 Able Seaman Leonard Reed of the Royal Navy, HM Trawler, Pierre Descelliers. Born in 1918. Died 13 August 1942 aged 24. Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 278

Killed in the sinking of HMS Penylan: During the night of December 2nd/3rd 1941, HMS Penylan was sailing close to the harbour entrance at Salcombe, on escort duty, bringing a coastal convoy up the Channel. As they neared Start Point, Penylan was attacked by a German submarine and sank. Six men whose bodies were brought ashore are buried in the Bonfire Hill Cemetery at Salcombe.
D. COUGHLAN	D/M 38695 Chief Petty Officer Cook Dennis J. Coughlan, of the Royal Navy, HMS Penylan. Son of Dennis and Catherine Coughlan of Skibbereen, Co. Cork. Bon in Ireland in 1907. Died 3 December 1942 aged 38. Reginstration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 279
W.HAMILTON	20287 Leading Seman William Hamilton of the Royal Navy, HMS Penylan. Son of Thomas and Bessie Hamilton of Parkhead, Glasgow. Born in Scotland in 1918. Died 3 December 1942 aged 24. Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 288
J.HANNA	C/NX 1477 Canteen Manager, John Hanna, the Royal Navy Canteen Service, HMS Penylan. Son of John and Jane Hanna; husband of Florence Hanna of Barnston, Cheshire. Died 3 December 1942 aged 31. Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 289
R.LOVETT	D/JX 348061 Ordinary Seaman Roy Lovett, of the Royal Navy, HMS Penylan. Son of Charles and Ethel Lovett of Burton-on-Trent. Born in Burton-on-Trent in the March Quarter of 1923. Died 3 December 1942 aged 19. Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 286
W.M.SYMINGTON	D/KX 118229 Stoker 1st Class William McClean Symington of the Royal Navy, HMS Penylan. Son of William and Jessie Symington of Edinburgh. Born in Scotland in 1921. Died 3 December 1942 aged 21 . Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 287
F.WATKINS	D/JX 129362 Petty officer Telegraphist Frederick Watkins, HMS Penylan. Son of Frederick and Agnes Watkins; husband of Gertrude Watrkins of Pilning, Gloucestershire, Born in1911. Died 3 December 1942 aged 31. He swallowed so much oil that he died while being brought ashore. Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 187
T.WELLS-GARRETT	D/X 129243 Stoker 1st Class Thomas Wells-Garett of the Royal Navy, HMS Penylan. Son of Arthur and Ellen Wells-Garrett of London; husband of Daisy Wells-Garrett of Southwark. Born in 1912. Died 3 December 1942 aged 30. Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 286.

The sinking of HM Trawler Jasper:

These two men were rescued and brought ashore when HMS Jasper was sunk by an E-boat in the Channel just south of Bolt Head. Sadly, they did not survive. HMS Jasper was formerly known as Balthasar, and was purchased for anti-submarine duties in 1935. These were the only two survivors from a crew of 11.

B. EWIN

Lieutenant Berwick Ewin of the Royal Navy, HM Trawler Jasper. Son of Henry Hamilton and Maisie Ewin. Born in Hendon in the March Quarter of 1914. Died 1 December 1942 aged 28.

Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 289

G. F. RUSLING

LT/x 308 Engineman George Frank Rusling of the Royal Naval Reserve (Patrol Service) HM Trawler Jasper Born in Caistor, Lincolnshire in 1892, Died 1 December 1942 aged 50.

Registration entry: KINGSBRIDGE 5b 285