Photo: Peter Holt

S.S. Royal Crown, ship number 149440, a Newcastle steamer, was attacked by a German aeroplane which first machine gunned the vessel and then dropped incendiary bombs on her 15 miles south of Smith Knoll Light on the 30th January 1940. The Eastern Daily Press reported on the 3rd February 1940 that as 'the crew of 37 crowded into her two undamaged boats they were machine gunned.' Four men died in the initial attack. Of the two lifeboats launched from the burning S. S. Royal Crown only one lifeboat, carrying 22 men, made it to the shore. However, this lifeboat overturned resulting in seven of the men drowning. The second lifeboat disappeared without trace though some bodies of the crew soon washed up on the beaches. The S. S. Royal Crown ran aground in flames at Covehithe on the 2nd February 1940.

Acknowledgments: Barney Rice

Ronald George Agar is remembered at Sunderland on S140.12 and S140.159, also on our List of Ships’ crews.

The sinking of S.S. Royal Crown
The CWGC entry for Able Seaman Agar