SS Knitsley

Lloyds 1942 Register entry

William Tampin Card

Tower Hill Memorial

William Tampin age 22, was a steward on the Cargo ship S.S. Knitsley of 2,272 tons, (ship number 148098), part of Convoy F.N. 889, which was attacked by at least 15 E-boats about 20 miles N E of Lowestoft. The S.S. Knitsley was sunk by a torpedo 1.5 miles north of No.4 Buoy, Lowestoft, by S-117.

Report from the Imperial War Museum reads as follows :-

"Convoy F.N. 889 (38 ships) was attacked by at least 15 E-boats at 2035/12 about 20 miles N.E. of Lowestoft. At the time the convoy was strung out for five miles, and the C. in C., Nore, afterwards instructed N.C.S.O.'s to impress upon masters that no convoy could be protected adequately under such conditions".

Five ships were sunk by torpedo, four British, the AVONWOOD, LINDISFARNE, GLEN TILT and KNITSLEY, and one Norwegian, the MARIANNE. The destroyer WALLACE escorting ahead, turned down the seaward side of the convoy when the attack began, searching with starshells to seaward from 340 degrees to 160 degrees, but saw nothing.

At 2045 one torpedo crossed her bows on an easterly course, and another westerly. At 2054 she turned N.E., and engaged three E-boats on an easterly course until 2104, when she again turned N.E.

A minute later, two more E-boats were engaged by the WALLACE and MEYNELL on an easterly course until 2109, hits being claimed by the latter.

The WALLACE then turned back, made sure that survivors were being rescued, and resumed her position at the head of the convoy at 2212.

After 2300, the weather deteriorated, and coastal forces, which had been augmented by M.G.B’s had to be recalled.

However, the Board of Trade registers throw some doubt that William Tampinwas on-board.

He signed on to the SS Knitsley on the 17th August 1942 at Newcastle - as seen in the last entry of Knitsley Red Copy page 1.

In relation to Tampin failing to re-join the Knitsley on the 9th September 1942 at Dunston the Captain writes:"The 1st Mate failed to send this man a telegram for sailing time. However one was sent from Dunston around 3.00pm instructing him to join with the pilot cutter of Sth Shields at once." See Entry page 2.

In the full compliment of documentation there is no mention of Tampin re-joining the Knitsley on or after 9th September 1942. He was one of two Stewards on board and appears to have not been replaced. In fact the reconciliation list Knitsley Assembled Total Crew List page 1 states this clearly "9/9/42 Dun/Tyne Failed to join" (see last entry) However William Tampin's name is then appended to the end of the same list Knitsley Assembled Total Crew List page 3 which states incorrectly that he joined the Knitsley on the 9th September 1942.

Special thanks to David R Anderson

William Tamplin is remembered at Westoe in W101.08 page 84 and on our List of Ships’ crews

SS Knitsley Missing Merchants
Missing Seaman
The CWGC entry for Steward Tampin