S.S. Ceramic left Liverpool on the 23rd November
1942, under the command of Captain Herbert Charles ELFORD, bound for Australia
via St. Helena and Cape Town. She carried 655 crew, military personnel and fare
paying passengers. The ship sailed in convoy until the 2nd December when she
left the convoy. On the 6th December, at about 8 p.m., west of the Azores, she
was hit by the first of three torpedoes fired from the German sub U-515. The
crew and passengers were able to launch about eight lifeboats into the rough sea.
Just before midnight U-515 fired another two torpedoes, breaking the S.S. Ceramic in two. The next morning saw a storm
and lifeboats were capsized. By noon, the U-515 returned to the scene. Two
Germans threw a rope out to the nearest man, A. Eric MUNDAY of the Royal
Engineers, and took him aboard U-515 for interrogation. The rest of the
survivors were left to perish.
Eric
was sent to Stalag 8B in Upper Silesia, where he stayed until he was liberated.
In 1994, he was living in Surrey, England. On the 9th April 1944, the U515 was
sunk by four US destroyers & three aircraft from U.S.S. Guadalcanal. Forty-four crew, including the
captain Werner HENKE, were taken prisoner. They were held at Camp Fort George
G. Meade in Maryland, USA. HENKE was either shot dead during an escape attempt
or committed suicide in June 1944.
Although
quite a number of passengers had Cape Town and Durban as their destination,
most of them were only going there en-route to other destinations. Amongst the S.S. Ceramic passengers with Southern African
connections were the following (mostly civilians):
Jacqueline
Elizabeth AURET — Death notice MHG 1634/46. Nurse, 28 years old, of
Johannesburg. Daughter of L. AURET and the late Captain Ben AURET. Born 07 Jul
1914 in Johannesburg.
Dr.
Izak Nahum BLUSGER — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10586 ref. 89755. Was 32 years old,
a surgeon of Black Notley Emergency Hospital,
Braintree, Essex. Son of Solomon and Sarah BLUSGER of 34 Kloof Nek, Cape Town.
Solomon applied for naturalisation at the Cape in 1910 (CO 8675 ref. 22), he
died on the 17th Oct 1943 (death notice MOOC 6/9/10442 ref. 88580) and was
buried at Pinelands Cemetery. He arrived at the Cape aboard the Guelph in 1909.
Sarah died on the 20th Aug 1968 at the age of 90 and was buried at Pinelands
Cemetery.
Dr.
Roland Deligne BRAWN — 22 or 24 years old, a doctor of 20 Kensington Gardens
Square, Bayswater, London. Son of James Essington Oswell BRAWN and Florence
Vida BRAWN (maiden name WILSON, died in 1967, death notice MHG 8719/67) of 22
Scanlon Street, Uitenhage.
Charles
BROUGHTON — 20 years old, a labourer in the Royal Navy, of 28 Wardlebourne
Road, Granton, Edinburgh. Son of Alice Rosina BROUGHTON of 11 Evans Road,
Milner Estate, East London, Cape, and the late William BROUGHTON.
Dr.
Herbert Wilford BUNN — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10529 ref. 89320. Was 28 years
old, son of John Henry and Nellie BUNN, of Grosvenor Court, Summerstrand, Port
Elizabeth. John died in 1947 (death notice MOOC 6/9/13874 ref. 1958/47) and
Nellie (maiden name WILFORD) died in 1954 (death notice MOOC 6/9/23447 ref.
6756/54)
Thomas
Ralph BURKE — Born 02 Nov 1923 at Armthorpe, Doncaster. Flight Sergeant
(A.T.C.) of 31 Crescent Green, Kendal, Westmorland. Son of Mr. and Mrs. M.
BURKE of 14 3rd Street, Ventersdorp.
Lucy
Winifred CHARLES — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10599 ref. 89837. Was 60 years old, of
The Halt, Alexandra Road, Kenilworth, Cape Town. Born in Peckham, London. Wife
of the late A.L. CHARLES.
William
Evan CLARK — 32 years old, born 30 Nov 1910 in Durban. Second Officer in the
Merchant Navy. Son of William and Eleanor Evelyn CLARK. Husband of Norah Evelyn
CLARK of Durban.
Mary
Stephine Doreen CROAD — 26 years old. Daughter of Mr and Mrs. WOOLLARD of Manor
House, Swaffan Prior, Cambridgeshire. Wife of Paul Harry Cedric CROAD.
Paul
Harry Cedric CROAD — Death notice MSCE 1013/1948. Was 25 years old,
aeronautical engineer. Son of Harry CROAD (born in England, died in 1957, death
notice MSCE 1823/1957) and Beatrice Ann CROAD (maiden name BEHRENS, died in
1948, death notice MSCE 1013/1948) of 394 Ridge Road, Durban.
Dr.
Cecilia Johanna DIPPENAAR — Death notice MHG 35737. Was 22 years old, doctor of
Royal Liverpool Childrren’s Hospital, Heswall, Cheshire. Daughter of Dr. D.
DIPPENAAR of Dewetsdorp, Orange Free State.
Adriaan
Foster DU PLESSIS — Death notice MHG 3899/43. Was 37 years old, civil servant
at South Africa House. Husband of Helen May DU PLESSIS (maiden name HUBBALL,
died in 1968, death notice MHG 6459/68) of Vaalbank, Colesburg.
Frederick
Harold GREEFF — 18 years old, trimmer in the Merchant Navy. Born in Cape Town.
Address: 5 Campbell Street, Observatory, Cape Town.
Lynda
Winifred HALSE — Death notice MHG 4435/44. Was 44 years old, of The Cottage,
Inanda, Johannesburg. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Edward McCONNELL of Belle
Vue, Main Road, Muizenburg. Wife of Lt. Col. Stanley Seward HALSE. Lynda was
previously married to George Gerald Thompson AINSLIE (divorced in 1929).
Stanley was previously married to Ethel Loveday SPOONER-LILLINGSTON (died in
1939, death notice MHG 3401/39). David Edward died in 1942 (death notice MOOC
6/9/9235 ref. 80237).
Joan
HILDICK-SMITH — Death notice MHG 108/44. Was 25 years old. Formerly of the
Women’s Transport Service, F.A.N.Y. (Ambulance Division). Daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. G. HILDICK-SMITH of Modder B. Gold Mine, East Rand.
Althena
Margaret HOWARD — 2 years old, daughter of Joan HOWARD.
Janet
Mary HOWARD — 1 year old, daughter of Joan HOWARD.
Joan
HOWARD — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10027 ref. 85502. Was 28 years old, daughter of
Edith BAGSHAW of Derwin, Sandown Road, Rondebosch, and the late Thomas Ponsonby
BAGSHAW (died in 1916, death notice MOOC 6/9/808 ref. 20). Edith (maiden name
DANIELS) died in 1947, death notice MOOC 6/9/13816 ref. 1526/47. Wife of the
late Wing Commander Alex HOWARD, Royal Canadian Air Force.
Benson
Leonard LEWIN — 28 years old. Son of Isadore Bernhardt and Rebecca LEWIN, of
Church Street, Oudtshoorn. Husband of Betty May LEWIN.
Betty
May LEWIN — 20 years old. Daughter of
Mrs. A. WALTERS of 35 Belle Vue Street, Swansea, Glamorgan. Wife of Benson
Leonard LEWIN.
Elizabeth
Fraser MACLEOD — 27 years old. Daughter of James and Christina MACDONALD of 17
George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. Wife of Rev. Gregor MACLEOD.
Reverend
Gregor MACLEOD — 32 years old. Son of Roderick MACLEOD of 2 Hartfield Street,
Tain, Ross-shire. Rev. Gregor and his wife Elizabeth were on their way to the
mission field in King William's Town. A small church in the area, Macleod
Memorial Church, was named after them.
Phyllis
Mildred MATHIAS — Death notice MSCE 1511/1946. Was 31 years old, of Lamphey
Court, Lamphey, Pembrokeshire. Daughter of Alice Mildred HENWOOD (maiden name
WHITE) of Entabeni, Vryheid, and the late Sidney Evelyn HENWOOD (died 1937,
Death notice MSCE 25068/1937). Wife of Wing Commander Lewis MATHIAS, R.A.F.,
they married at Caxton Hall on the 9th Oct 1942.
Austin
Godfrey MOLLETT — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10632 ref. 90071. Was 68 years old,
born 22 Oct 1874 in Port Elizabeth. Mining Engineer. Son of the late Reverend
Philip Richard MOLLETT of Port Elizabeth (died in 1909, death notice MOOC
6/9/620 ref. 2297)
Catherine
Adelaide MOLLETT — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10632 ref. 90072. Was 60 years old.
Born 12 Oct 1882 in Knoch, Ulster. Wife of Austin Godfrey MOLLETT and daughter
of Mr. TODD.
Joan
Leonore MOLLETT — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10633 ref. 90073. Was 28 years old.
Born 02 Mar 1914 in Bulawayo. Clerk. Daughter of Austin Godfrey and Catherine
Adelaide MOLLETT.
John
George MOSCOS — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10318 ref. 87669. Was 22 years old, South
African Naval Forces transferred to Royal Navy. Son of Mr. and Mrs. George John
MOSCOS of East London, Cape. George John died in 1947, death notice MOOC
6/9/13582 ref. 385/47.
Apolline
Sarah NIAY-DARROLL — Death notice MOOC 6/9/1624 ref. 319. Was 43 years old,
professor of music, of Northumberland Avenue, London. Daughter of George (died
in 1946, death notice MOOC 6/9/12616 ref. 223/46) and Apolline NIAY-DARROLL of
Cape Town. The Apolline Niay-Darroll Collection, at the University of Cape Town
Library, includes letters (1911-1917) and family photographs.
Barbara
PERY-KNOX-GORE — 27 years old. Maiden name STUART. Art teacher. Wife of Cullen
PERY-KNOX-GORE of St. Michael’s on Sea, South Coast, Natal.
Dr.
David Bruce RAY — Death notice MHG 799/45. Was 24 years old. Son of Dr. Robert
RAY (died in 1965, death notice MHG 5949/65) and Jeannie Bothia RAY of 8
Jubilee Road, Parktown, Johannesburg. Husband of Margaret McMillan RAY. Robert
possibly died in 1965 (possible death notice MHG 5949/65) and wife was possibly
Louisa Augusta RAY (maiden name HILL, died in 1971, possible death notice MHG
11058/71).
Margaret
McMillan RAY — 26 years old. Daughter of Mr. J. MUIR of 7 Slawanbar Road,
Avonbridge, Falkirk, Stirlingshire. Wife of Dr. David Bruce RAY.
Jessie
Miriam RAWSON — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10344 ref. 87874 and 87086. Was 24 years
old. Daughter of John GILLESPIE
of 18 Milner Road, Woodstock, Cape Town.
Moira
Alice RAWSON — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10344 ref. 87875. Was 1 year old, daughter
of Jessie Miriam RAWSON.
Carl
Thurman RHODES — Death notice MOOC 6/9/9894 ref. 84534. Was 50 years old. Born
12 Jun 1892 in Bedford. Engineer. Husband of Nellie RHODES of Spier, Lynedoch,
Cape.
Anthony
ROGERS — 25 years old, fireman in the Merchant Navy. Born in Cape Town.
Address: 137A Lower Main Road, Observatory, Cape Town.
Carol
Margaret RUSSELL — Death notice MSCE 361/1948. Was 23 years old, unmarried, of
79 Leinster Road, Pietermaritzburg. Daughter of the late William Allen Douglas
RUSSELL (died 1942, MSCE 35876/1942) and Eleanor Ethel Mariella RUSSELL (maiden
name COLUMBINE, death notice MSCE 9830).
Petrus
Johannes SCNETLER — Death notice MHG 4198/43. Was 32 years old. B.Com. Son of
Daniel Petrus van Huyssteen SCHNETLER (died in 1953, death notice MHG 6840/53)
and Anna Sophia SCHNETLER (maiden name DE VILLIERS, died in 1951, death notice
MHG 4412/51) of 130 Lunnon Road, Hillcrest, Pretoria.
Frederick
George SIMES — 24 years old, stoker in the Royal Navy. Born in South Africa,
son of Charles Edward and Annie Elizabeth SIMES.
Nevil
Haig TAYLER — Death notice MHG 5269/45. Was 26 years old. Son of C.T. and Mary
TAYLER of 8 Barnato Street, Berea, Johannesburg.
Era
Ellin VAN BREDA — 50 years old. Daughter of Mrs. L. E. WALLER of Pen Park
House, Charlton Common, Westbury-on-Trym, Gloucestershire. Wife of H.J. VAN
BREDA of Pumula, Umkomaas, Natal.
Florence
VAN HEERDEN-MALAN — Death notice MSCE 37199/1942. Was 22 years old. Daughter of
Herbert and Lucy DARLINGTON of 6 Manley Road, Sale, Cheshire. Wife of Carl VAN
HEERDEN-MALAN. She was on her way to South Africa to join him.
Genevieve
Clothilde WHITE — Death notice MOOC 6/9/10300 ref. 87517. Was 24 years old.
Wife of Lt. Eric WHITE of Wingfield, Cape Town.
Kurt
WICKERT — Death notice MHG 35826. Was 26 years old, dentist, son of W. and M.
WICKERT of 8 Milner Road, Bloemfontein.
For
a detailed account of the SS Ceramic, Clare HARDY has written SS Ceramic: The
Untold Story. This book is the result of six years of research. Clare is the
grand-daughter of Trevor WINSER, one of the those who died when the ship was
torpedoed. She used diaries, memoirs, letters, documents and photographs to
write this book. The sole survivor, Eric MUNDAY, tells his full story, from his
rescue by the U-boat and subsequent imprisonment as a POW. There are
testimonies from some of the crew of U-515. The 572-page paperback includes
over 200 photographs and illustrations, and a list of all the casualties.