In Blyth Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of:

J. Potts
Boatswain
S.S. Stanburn
29th January 1940 age 33

Husband of Hilda
of Alberta, Canada

SS Stanburn was also called the Hebburn, renamed Stanburn in 1938. Ship number 148075.

Built as the Hebburn for the Hebburn S.S. Co. Ltd & managed by W. A. Souter & Co. Ltd.; Yard No 234; Launched 5th May 1924. Is renamed 1938 Stanburn. On the 29th January 1940, the Stanburn was bombed and sunk by German aircraft, also reports of machine gun fire on the survivors in the ships lifeboats. 22 of the 25 crew died in this incident, including the Captain. The three survivors where picked up by the steamer Gripfast which itself had survived an aircraft attack. Ten other survivors had been sighted on a raft sometime earlier, but could not be relocated. The vessel was not in convoy. Bodies washed ashore, 4 bodies were washed ashore and later identified as members of the crew of S.S. ‘Stanburn’. Later, the Gripfast was to strike the piers at Bridlington, and went ashore after failing to enter the harbour.

John Potts is remembered at  Blyth on B42.23 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.