On Tower Hill Memorial, Trinity Square, London is the name of Master John Thomas Nelson serving on S.S. Empire Nomad (Sunderland) with the Merchant Navy who died 13/10/1942.

Christine Davison has submitted the following:

John Thomas Nelson was the husband of Flora Jamette Lancaster Marshall,  I have been unable to find anything about John’s parents.

According to the 1921 census and his naval service cards, he was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, on 18th August 1881.

By 1903, he had passed his first mate’s examination at South Shields. In 1907, he married at South Shields. Flora was born at Backworth, Northumberland, on 27th July 1885. Her parents were Alexander and Mary Jane Marshall, by 1891; she is down on the census as Flora Pimlott, living with her mother and her stepfather in Manchester.

According to records, John served in the First World War in the Merchant Navy. After their marriage, they were living in South Shields, the 1911 census showed Flora living with her two children, Alexander and John Alfred, at 87 Wouldhave Street. By the time of the 1921 census, the family were living in Langholm Road, East Boldon, but it doesn’t give a number.

The two elder sons were born in South Shields, but Roy was born in East Boldon. He was three years old, so they had been living in the village since at least 1918.

The 1939 register gave their address as 25 St Bede’s; there are three more children, Hazel, Maurice, and Winifred. John stated that he was the master of S.S. Akenside.

Sometime after this register was compiled. John and Flora and the younger children moved to Winder House, Orton near Penrith, Westmorland. This is the address given on his record of his ship and also on the probate listing.

John died on 13th October 1942 and was the Master of S.S. Empire Nomad. The report says “at 13.37 hours, the unescorted ship was hit between the bunker and the boiler room by one torpedo from U-159, while zig-zagging at 10 knots about 230 miles south of Cape Point, Cape Colony. The ship stopped immediately without power because the engine room was flooded, but was missed by two further torpedoes. She even remained afloat with only a slight list after being hit on the starboard side under the bridge by the final torpedo at 14.08 hours. One of the lifeboats had been damaged by the first explosion, so the crew of 45 men and 8 gunners began to abandon ship in the three remaining boats with some difficulties due to rough seas.

The Master and both wireless operators remained behind to send a radio message on the emergency wireless set, and these three men, along with three crew members, were lost when the ship sank by the bow after being hit on the port side by a third torpedo at 14.16.

John was given a posthumous King’s commendation on 27th April 1943.

This was the third ship that he had been Master of that had been attacked by U-boats.

At least one of his sons remained locally, so that may be why his name is on the East Boldon War Memorial.

John Thomas Nelson is remembered at East Boldon on E46.01 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.