On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of Second Officer Charles William Elliott serving on S.S. Polzella (Penzance) with the Merchant Navy who died 13/01/1940.
Dennis Lendrem has submitted the following:-
Second Officer on board the SS Polenza, Charles William Elliott was the only son of Captain William Henry Elliott and Mary Smith of South Parade, West Hartlepool and was born in 1916. Charles did well at school. Following in his father’s footsteps he joined the merchant navy and quickly qualified for his master’s certificate.
It was only his second voyage on the Polzella when at 11.56 hours on 17 January 1940, U-25 spotted the Enid and the Polzella about 6-7 miles north of Muckle Flugga, Shetland Isles. One torpedo was fired at 12.35 hours missing the first ship, the Enid. 20 minutes later, another torpedo was fired at the second ship, the Polzella which was hit on the port side near the bridge and sank in 12 seconds with the loss of the master, 35 crew members and one gunner. The other ship went to her assistance and the order was given to lower the boats, but the U-boat surfaced and subsequently sank her. Seventeen Hartlepool’s men were lost.
The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 03/02/1940 reports:-
The second officer Charles William Elliott, is the only son of Capt. and Mrs. W. H. Elliot of 65 South Parade, West Hartlepool He attended West Hartlepool Secondary School and has made exceptionally good progress in his profession. Only this summer he qualified for his master’s certificate. Before joining the Polzella he served in the Ropner fleet. His father, who is now retired, was a master mariner for many years, and served in that capacity throughout the last war. This was Mr. Elliott’s second trip on the Polzella.
The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 26/02/1940 reports:-
HOPE GIVEN UP FOR THE POLZELLA
Hope for the safely of the crew the British steamer Polzella. which included 17 Hartlepools men has now been abandoned. In a letter to Capt. W. A Slater, of the West Hartlepool Missions to Seamen, the owners of the vessel, the Eclipse Shipping and Trading Co. Ltd., state “We have been advised by the Admiralty they believe the Polzella was lost on January 17. We very much regret having to advise you that in the circumstances we have written the relatives to-day to the effect that we cannot hold out any hope so far as the safety of the crew is concerned.”
The crew of the Polzella vessel of 4751 tons numbered 36, the local men among them being Second Officer C. W. Elliott (27) 65 South Parade West Hartlepool; Third Officer J. B Short (31) 3 Alma Street, Hartlepool; Third Engineer N. Tripp, Hartlepool; Fourth Engineer C. Ward, West Hartlepool; Carpenter Joseph Ash (43). 5 Thomas Street West Hartlepool; Bo’sun Daniel McKiver (38) 51 Durham Street West Hartlepool; Able Seamen G. H Jenson (3O) 10 Dent St.; P Cosgrove (36) 20 Hilda Street; George Porter (45) 12 Swainson Street; Thomas Clark (22) 100 Lynn Street West Hartlepool; Owen Geeney (40) 12 Malton Street; Steward J. J Brennan (32) Russell Street; mess room boy Cyril Hudson (16) Southburn Terrace; Leslie Evans (16) 22 Waldon Street, and W R. Collins West Hartlepool
A memorial service will be held at St. James’s Church on Tuesday, March 12. at 7 pm.
The Polzella was reported “missing, presumed lost” on February 2nd.
Charles William Elliott is remembered at West Hartlepool on W111.002 and W111.055 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
