In Sunnybrow (St. John) Churchyard is the Commonwealth War Grave with a private headstone of Able Seaman Arthur Harland, serving on S.S. Empire Newcomen (West Hartlepool) with the Merchant Navy, who died 30/11/1941.

The headstone reads:-

Arthur (Jimmy) Harland
Merchant Navy
died at sea through enemy action
30th November 1941
aged 21 years

Also Capt. George Harland his father
died 10th February 1971 aged 84 years

also Eleanor wife of George Harland
died 3rd October 1974 aged 81 years

With Christ which is far better

Billy McGee has submitted the following:-
Cargo ship Empire Newcomen, 2,840grt, (MOWT, Martyn, Martyn & Co. Ltd) sailed in ballast from London bound for Sunderland and joined up with the 26 ship Convoy FN-565, which departed Southend on the 29th November 1941.

The following day the convoy was attacked 10 miles North-West of Cromer by German E-boats sinking three ships. The Empire Newcomen received a torpedo hit amidships and sank in thirty seconds killing nine crewmembers and one DEMS gunner. One survivor was found by the Norwegian Merchant ship D/S Lab, twelve men were found on a raft by the sloop HMS Shearwater and a further eleven were picked up by the rescue tug St. Mellons.

One crewmember, Able Seaman Arthur Harland died the same day on board one of the rescue vessels and was eventually buried ashore.

Arthur Harland is remembered at Willington on W120.02 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.