In South Shields (Harton) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of Mess Room Steward Lewis Armstrong serving with the Merchant Navy on S.S. Granta (Newcastle) who died 13/01/1940.

L. Armstrong
Mess Room Steward
S.S. ‘Granta’
12th January 1940 age 24

A family headstone in the cemetery reads:

In loving memory of
our dear father
John George
Armstrong
died 9th Dec. 1963
aged 79 years.

Our dear mother
Mary Jane
Armstrong
died 19th Jan. 1970
aged 81 years.

Also sons of the above
John William Armstrong
died 30th June 1923
aged 12 years.

Lewis Armstrong
died through enemy action
12th Jan. 1940, aged 24 years.

Loved and remembered.

Lewis Armstrong was born on the 1st March 1915 in South Shields, one of 9 children to father John George Armstrong, born 29th September 1884, baptised 25th October 1884 at St Hilda’s Church, died 9th December 1963, [son of William, born 1842, and Sarah Ann Armstrong, born 1844], and his wife Mary Jane nee Ogle, Armstrong, born 5th December 1888, died 19th January 1970. They were married on the 27th June 1906 at St Hilda’s Church, South Shields.

The other children were:-

• Margaret Ann Armstrong, born 28th April 1906, she married a Ronald Linney in 1932, he died 20th September 1932 at the Ingham Infirmary. In 1932, they were residing at 113 Victoria Road, South Shields. In 1939, she was residing at 53 Spohr Terrace, South Shields with a child born 23rd February 1938, called Ronald King, who died in 1993. and a redacted record. Possibly Mary Kay Linney, born 1941. [Margaret married a George J. Elliott on the 6th February 1951].
• Edith Armstrong, born 30th July 1908, died Yarmouth 1970, She married a Henry Bell Lackland, born 22nd April 1908,  died Yarmouth 1974, in 1928. Henry was a Motor Lorry Driver.
• John William Armstrong, born 1911, died 30th June 1923.
• Mary Alice Armstrong, born 29th December 1921, died 22nd June 2021, she married a William A. Pottinger, died 1950, in 1939 at South Shields. She was residing at 53 Spohr Terrace, South Shields Mary Alice remarried in 1951 a Cecil S. Tatum.
• Albert Armstrong, born 29th December 1921, died 4th October 1991. He was residing at 53 Spohr Terrace, South Shields in 1939. He had been just discharged from the SS Royston, Ship number 149488, as a Mess Steward. On the 9th May 1943, he arrived in Tampa, Florida from Port Morant, Jamaica. 5 feet five inches fair hair, grey/blue eyes, with a fair complexion, on the Colister, ship number 125439. He had resided in Kingston, Jamaica. He died at 92 Dean Road, South Shields. He was in the Merchant Navy in WW2.
• Lilian Armstrong, born 20th July 1924. She was residing at 53 Spohr Terrace, South Shields in 1939.
• Marjorie Armstrong, born 1927, she married a Stanley Harding in 1950 at South Shields. In 1939, she was residing at 53 Spohr Terrace, South Shields.
• Joyce Armstrong, born 3rd November 1930, died 22nd April 2009. She married a Kenneth Armitage, died 1995, in 1951 in South Shields. In 1939, she was residing at 53 Spohr Terrace, South Shields.

In 1891, John George Armstrong was residing with his parents William and Sarah Ann at 1 Percy Road, Back, Westoe, South Shields.

In 1891, Mary Jane Ogle was residing with her parents, Lewis Ogle, born 1856, died 1933, and Mary Jane [nee Berry], Ogle, born 1860 died 1909, at 2, Edward Street, Westoe, South Shields, and her father was a Packer at the Glassworks.  Mary Jane was their fourth child. Lewis and Mary jane were married in 1876.

In 1911, John George Armstrong, and his wife Mary Jane with three children were residing at 18 Clay Path Lane, South Shields.

In 1921, Lewis Armstrong was residing with his parents John George and Mary Jane, at 113, Victoria Road, South Shields, and his father, John George, was a Miner on Shift Work at St. Hilda Colliery, for the Harton Coal Company. In 1939, Lewis was on leave from the SS Royston, he was residing at 53 Sophr Terrace, South Shields with his parents and Albert, Lilian, Joyce, Margaret. Also at this address was a Sidney Armstrong, born 5th April 1934, died 2000, he married a Sarah A Kennedy in 1971, and a Ronald Linney King, born 23rd February 1938. Also 2 redacted records.

Lewis joined the Merchant Navy, 5 feet four inches, Dark Complexion, Grey Eyes, Dark Hair, from 1936. From the 21st March 1936, Lewis was engaged on the SS S.S Greatend/em>, ship number 145476, until the 21st September 1936. He the joins the SS Tynebank, ship number 164039, from the 14th December 1936. 5th July 1938 he is with the British Mariner, ship number 146530. Then from the 23rd June 1939 he is back with the SS Royston. Discharged  In 1939, Lewis was residing at 53 Spohr Terrace, South Shields with his parents and 5 siblings. He had just been discharged from the SS Royston, ship number 145476, in the Tyne, as a Mess Steward. in September. Lewis then signs on with the SS Granta on the 12th January 1940 as a Mess Steward.

North East Diary Friday 12th January 1940. [D132]
Owing to the presence of enemy aircraft, AA guns were in action, some pieces of shrapnel fell in the streets of Southwick, a suburb of Sunderland. There were no casualties or damage. ‘SS Granta‘ (2,719t) steamer, London to Blyth was sunk by a mine off the Wash. Ten of her crew were lost.

On the 12th January 1940, the British cargo steamship Granta (2,719 GRT) struck a naval mine and sank in the North Sea. The vessel was traveling from London to Blyth when the explosion occurred, resulting in the tragic loss of between ten and twelve crew members. The Royal Navy sloop HMS Stork was among the vessels involved in the aftermath and operations in the area.

Cargo ship Granta, 2,719grt, (Witherington & Everett) sailed from London in ballast bound for Blyth and joined up with the 27 ship Methil bound Convoy FN-69, which departed Southend on the 11th January 1940. The following day, 17 nautical miles North of the Cromer Knoll light vessel the ship detonated a mine. The explosion occurred between number three and four hold collapsing the bulkhead into the ships stokehold, trapping the men who had been working there and the ship immediately began to sink, and in less than eight minutes disappeared in position 53’ 13N 01’ 21E, with the loss of twelve crewmembers. With no lifeboats or rafts left intact the nine survivors were forced to jump overboard into the freezing water and within forty-five minutes five survivors, suffering from severe exposure were rescued by the Merchant ship Fulham IV, having picked up their distress message. A further four men were rescued by the Polish Merchant ship Robur VIII and landed on the Tyne.
Source: The Sea is Their Grave Billy Mcgee.

There was a Memorial Service held on the 29th January 1940  at St Hilda’s Church for the victims of the Gratna sinking. Mr Thomas Scott, Fireman, 30 Laygate Place, Mr H Kershaw, Fireman, 7 Kensington Terrace, Mr F Rae, 2nd Engineer 53 Ashley Road, South Shields,.Able Seaman J.W. Forbes and R. Hood. Fireman G.  Hughes, M Pears and Donkeyman F. Kane were also lost alL from South Shields.  In the congregation, were relatives if the dead and missing. Over 500 people attended the Memorial Service.

Sources: The National Archives: The British Newspaper Archive; Merchant Navy Association; Jennifer Stephenson; 1939-45 North East Diary; Benjidog; Naval History Net; Billy McGee; Archivist Merchant Navy Association;

Lewis Armstrong is remembered at South Shields on S86.036 and S86.037, at Westoe on W101.08 and on our List of Ships’ Crews.