William Kirby and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Martin was born April 30th 1910 at Sunderland. He was the son of James and Sarah Ann (nee Wilson). The couple married at Sunderland on 1June 16th 1909. His siblings were James, Florence and Mary.
Martin married Nora Patterson in 1933. Unfortunately Nora died in 1940 aged only 25 years.1939 register shows Martin living with his wife and young son, James who was born in 1939. Their home was at 21 Bloomfield Street Sunderland. Martin’s job at that time was given as Foreman Barge Hopperman.
Martin joined the Merchant Navy and served on the S.S. White Crest (Newcastle).
At 08.35 hours on the 24th February 1942 the unescorted White Crest (Master Gordon Joures), a straggler from convoy ONS-67 due to a heavy gale on the 19th February, was hit by two torpedoes from U-162 and sank capsizing after eight minutes southeast of St. John’s Newfoundland. The ship had been spotted at 02.30 hours and was hit by two torpedoes at 04.45 hours. The master, 40 crew members and six gunners were lost.
The White Crest was en route to Buenos Aires (via Cardiff 12 Feb then Belfast Lough 15 Feb) with a cargo of coal and coke.
The U162’s commander was Justin Wattenberg who was a particularly successful naval officer. It was on his first patrol that he met and sank the White Crest. Later in the war Wattenberg and his U boat was in turn sunk and he became a prisoner of war in the United States.
Martin Taylor is remembered in Newcastle on NUT231 and at Sunderland in S140.159
