William Kirby and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
William Etherington was born to parents John William and Meggie (nee Guy) on 1st April 1906. He had 5 siblings Ivy, John G., Lizzie, Margaret and George.
John William Magee died of wounds 31st March 1916 aged 29 years.
William married Catherine Mitchell in September 1927 at Easington when he was 21 years old.
In 1939 they are living at 1 Alexandrina Street, Seaham. William was a Coal Trimmer at the Docks.
William joined the Merchant Navy as an Ordinary Seaman. He was serving on the merchant ship Fort Rampart which was carrying a cargo of Lumber and general cargo from Vancouver to Hull.
His ship was part of a convoy HX-233, attacked by torpedoes at 07.47 and 07.49 hours on the 17th April 1943. The U-boat U-628, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Hasenschar fired torpedoes at a convoy one of which hit the Fort Rampart which was damaged. It was observed one hit on each of 2 ships. The Fort Rampart was damaged but the American steam tanker Harrison Smith was missed. At 11.30 the same day U-628 hit the straggling Fort Rampart with a coup de grace but the vessel did not sink until 3.26 hours on the 18th April when U Boat U-226, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Rolf Borchers, finally sank the ship about 900 miles east-northeast of the Azores with a coup de grace and gunfire.
Of the 56 crew members 6 were killed including William. He died on 17 April 1943 and was buried at sea. Meanwhile the crew survivors were picked up by the HMCS Arvida and subsequently landed safely at Greenock.
William Etherington Magee is remembered at Seaham Harbour on S117.10 and S117.35