Newspaper photo Shields News Scrap Book

S.S. Troilus

Douglas Weldon Clouston was born in South Shields in 1922.

He was a crew member on-board the S.S. Troilus when it was torpedoed by an U-Boat U-859, commanded by Johann Jebsen and sunk about 300 miles northeast of Socotra Island. She was on route from Columbo-Aden-Liverpool with 2700 tons of coconut oil, 2300 tons of tea, 2000 tons of copra and mail.

The unescorted S. S. Troilus [Master Evan Williams] was a Steam merchant 7,422 tons, completed in September 1921 by Scott´s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Greenock. The owner was Alfred Holt & Co, Liverpool. Homeport Liverpool.

Four crew members and two passengers were lost. The master, 66 crew members, 12 gunners and 16 passengers were picked up by the River class frigates, HMS Nadder (K 392), [built Smiths Dock Co., Ltd. South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.] (T/A/LtCdr P.E. Kitto, RNR) and HMS Taff (K 637) [Charles Hill & Sons Ltd. (Bristol, U.K.) : Bellis & Morcom], (Cdr G.A.G. Ormsby, DSO, DSC, RN) after being sighted by a Dutch Catalina aircraft (321 Sqdn RAF) and landed at Aden on the 10th September.

In June 1942 the Troilus was the leading ship in the convoy Harpoon to Malta.

Source:U Boat net with thanks.

The Shields Daily News 15/09/1944 reports:

“Two Shields brothers lost.

Engineer victim of Nazis.

Mr. and Mrs. W. Clouston, formerly of South Shields and now living at 7 Highbury Place, North Shields, have been notified that their second son, Douglas Wheldon Clouston, aged 22 years, serving in the Merchant Navy as a fourth engineer, has been lost at sea as the result of enemy action.

Born at South Shields, he moved to North Shields with his parents about ten years ago. He was educated at Mortimer Road School and the Ralph Gardner School, North Shields.

He served his apprenticeship with Smith’s Dock Co. Ltd., North Shields, and then joined the Blue Funnel Line of Messrs. Alfred Holt and Co., Liverpool, as a junior engineer.

In a letter which the parents have received from the owners, Messrs. Alfred Holt and Co. write: "Mr. Douglas W. Clouston had served the company well since he joined us in 1942 and his continuing service in the same ship testifies to the good reports that he received from his seniors. We looked upon him as a promising engineer who would have done well in the profession and we are indeed very sorry to lose his services. Please be assured of our sincere sympathy with you and other relatives in your great loss."

D.W. Clouston’s elder brother, Angus Dixon Clouston, was presumed lost at sea in December, 1940, while serving with the Merchant Navy.

Douglas Weldon Clouston is remembered in Westoe in W101.08 page 18, and on our List of Ships’ crews

U Boat Net
Ships crews who lost their lives
Family tree for Clouston
The CWGC entry for 4th Engineer Clouston