On the Tower Hill Memorial is the name of the Chief Engineering Officer Frank Greagg, serving on SS Knitsley with the Merchant Navy who died 12/12/1942.

In Dumbarton Cemetery is a family Headstone which reads: –

In Memory of
George Watt
Who died 23rd October 1921
Aged 50 years
Beloved husband of Mary Clarke

The above Mary Clarke
Died 15th September 1947 Aged 81 years

George Watt Jr
Lost through enemy action
22nd December 1941

Frank Greagg O.B.E.,
Beloved husband of Annie Watt
Lost through enemy action
12th December 1942

The above Annie Watt
Died 20th Sept 1952 aged 59 years

Elizabeth Clarke
Died 6th Feby 1956 aged 80 years.

Frank Greagg was born on the 29th March 1891 at 170 Eldon Street, the second eldest child of four children to Francis Wardlaw [Wardle], Greagg, born 21st November 1861, baptised 15th December 1861 at St Hilda’s Church in South Shields, [Francis was the second eldest son of four children to Thomas and Jane Greagg], died 23rd May 1939, and his first wife Hannah Sarah nee Potts, Greagg, born 1865, died 7th March 1895, [youngest daughter of William and Elizabeth Potts]. They were married in the Holy Trinity church, South Shields on the 13th February 1887.

The other children were: –

• Edith Greagg, born 1890, died Thursday 12th May 1904 at 128 West Park Terrace, South Shields.
• Hannah Greagg, born 1893, died 1981.
• John Greagg, born 7th March 1895, died 8th September 1895.

In 1881, Hannah Sarah Potts was a general servant at 33 and 34 Nesham Square, Sunderland for the Watson family.

In 1881, the family were residing at 2 Joseph Terrace, South Shields, prior to this they were at Green Lane, Harton. By 1891, the family were now residing at 170 Eldon Street, South Shields. On Sunday, the 7th March 1895, Frank’s mother Hannah died at 18 Eldon Street, possibly died giving birth to John Greagg, Frank’s youngest brother.

Frank’s father married  Elizabeth Blakey, born September 1860, died 1941. They had one child, George Blakey Greagg, born and died in 1900. They were married on the 19th July 1898 at St Michael and All Angels, South Westoe, South Shields. In 1901, the family were residing at 128 Stanhope Road. In 1921, they were now residing at 28 Stanhope Road, South Shields. Francis was employed by the Furness Withy and Co Ship owners, based at Newcastle upon Tyne as a Marine Engineer. The father was awarded the Mercantile Marine Medal and the British War Medal for his service in WW1.

The father (Francis) in 1911, was an Engineer onboard the Thornley, ship number 124337, a 684 ton cargo ship, on route to the Regent Canal dock, Limehouse, London due to arrive on the 3rd April 1911. They were just off the coast at Dagenham.

On the 19th November 1904, Frank passed his Marine Engineers’ Examinations at North Shields where he got a 1st Class certificate.

In 1911, Frank was residing at 128 Stanhope Road, South Shields, with his step mother Elizabeth, and his sister Hannah. Frank was an apprentice ship fitter.

Then Frank Greagg attended the South Shields Marine School where he obtained his Second-Class Engineer’s certificate in 1913. He took his Board of Trade Engineer Examination at North Shields on the 4th April 1914 where he was awarded his 2nd Class certificates.

He was 5 feet 10 inches, with brown eyes, brown hair with a dark complexion. His index finger on his left hand been crushed at the end. He was awarded WW1 Medals also for his service in the Mercantile Marine in WW1, receiving his medals in 1927, residing at 30 Oxford Street, South Shields.

He joined the Hadrian Lodge of Freemasons, Lodge number 1970. at South Shields, initiated on the 7th March 1916.

Francis and Elizabeth Greagg between 1926 till the late 30s were residing at “Ivanhoe” 14 West Meadow Road, Cleadon, Whitburn. The father won a Prize from a whist drive held at the Marine Engineers’ Association, King Street, South Shields, on the 18th January 1933.

In 1939, his father died, and his effects of £592 were left to Frank Greagg. Frank was by this time married to Anne “Annie” Wotherspoon Hendry, nee Watt, born 28th March 1897, died at Ingham Infirmary, South Shields 20th September 1952. She left effects of £4531 19shilling 7 pence. She was residing at her death at “Belmar” 38 Central Avenue, South Shields.

Anne was involved with St Oswin’s Church as their Church Hall was located in Oxford Street, she was also a member of the Girl Guides, and she was raising funds for the Church building Fund of which about £5000 was required in 1935. She volunteered for this church and supported many events raising funds.

In 1939, Frank and Anne were residing at 30 Mortimer Road South Shields, Frank was then the Chief Engineer of the SS Knitsley, ship number 148098.

He had served on the SS Glenspean, ship number 133007, renamed as the Welsh Prince from January 1919, then the SS Elleric, ship number 106084, operated by the Lowlands Shipping Company, 1 the Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne from September 1919, then the SS Monnette, ship number 109462, from May 1920, operated by the London Transport Company, London at 4 Lloyds Avenue, London E.C., then from May 1921, he is now on board the SS Wartburg, ship number 143280, operated by the Shipping Controller, London, James Shearer of Lyle Shipping Company , at 124 St Vincent Street, Glasgow. From the 9th August 1924, he is serving on the SS Woron, ship number 143101, operated by the Shipping Controller, William Weir, of Andrew Weir and Co 21 Bury Street, London, EC3. From the 8th August 1933, he is aboard the SS Ebchester, later called Hillbrook, ship number 145734. Operated by William Dickinson and Co, Proctor House, Side. Newcastle upon Tyne. He is again on this vessel on the 5th June 1936.

During the Spanish Civil War, Frank, as 2nd Engineer, was aboard the SS Blackhill, ship number 143123, formerly the War Cherry, owned by the Consett Iron Company. The ship was fired upon by a Spanish Nationalist trawler on New Year’s Day, about 30 shots were fired. One of the seamen stated “that the marksmanship of the trawler was certainly bad. The shell that came nearest the Blackhill fell into the sea threequarters of a mile away”. The Blackhill escaped from the shelling after about an hour. The crew made light of their experience and laughed at the “bad shooting” when they arrived in Newcastle upon Tyne on the 13th January 1937.
The vessel was on passage in ballast from Bayonne to Santander to load iron ore for the Tyne when she was fired on by the trawler off Pasajes. No damage was done to the Blackhill, which increased her speed and escaped after an hour’s chase. The Blackhill contained 21 crew, all belonging to Tyneside and Sunderland. She berthed after arriving at 3.00am, and after entering Tyne Dock after a few hours she was berthed next to no 2 Warehouse to discharge her cargo of 4000 tons of iron ore.

Captain P. F. Ridley of St George’s Terrace, East Boldon, master of the Blackhill has been trading with Spain for years, and is well known on the Spanish coast. He emphatically denied that a report that the vessel was stopped and searched by the German cruiser. Konisberg, was not true. “We never saw the cruiser”. Another member of the crew stated “the vessel was steaming along about 14 miles off the coast when the shelling started”.
Sir Henry Chiton, the British Ambassador who is in touch with the Spanish Nationalists, was instructed to register a protest on behalf of the British government.

Frank was the then Chief Engineer of the SS Knitsley, ship number 148098, when she was sunk by torpedoes fired by an E Boat S-115, at a position 4 miles north of no 4 Buoy Lowestoft. She was in a Convoy FN. 889. She had been damaged previously whilst in the Port of London on Saturday the 7th September 1940.

She had also been involved in the Spanish Civil War, as she was owned by the Consett Iron Company. See Tyne and Wear archives.

Sunderland Echo, April 30th 1937, Knitsley … She has just recently been purchased by Consett Iron Company, and there are a number of Sunderland men aboard her, including Mr Cunliffe, a seaman, and Mr Dougherty, a messroom steward.

North Mail, 06/05/1937.
Master: Capt. Frederick Robinson, of 14 Hawarden Crescent, [Sunderland], 17 crew prosecuted June 17th South Shields courts for refusing to sail to Spain without additional payment: John George Wilson, Mitford Street, Fulwell, Sunderland; John Vivian Lloyd, Straker Terrace, Tyne Dock; Thomas Watson, Weir Street, Tyne Dock; and eight others from South Shields: John Robert Lawson, Quarry Lane; Jonathan Williamson, Stainton Street; Robert Duncan, Braeham Street; Thomas Watson Cunliff, Shortridge Street; John Pease, Hardwick Street; Hector McDonald Profit, Campbell Street; John Taylor, Slake Terrace, and Joseph McQuade, H.S. Edward Street.

Report from the Imperial War Museum reads as follows :-
Convoy F.N. 889 (38 ships) was attacked by at least 15 E-boats at 2035/12 about 20 miles N.E. of Lowestoft. At the time the convoy was strung out for five miles, and the C. in C., Nore, afterwards instructed N.C.S.O.’s to impress upon masters that no convoy could be protected adequately under such conditions.

Five ships were sunk by torpedo, four British, the Avonwood, ship number 160742, Lindisfarne, ship number 148127, Glen Tilt, ship number 134723, and Knitsley, and one Norwegian, the Marianne. The destroyer Wallace escorting ahead, turned down the seaward side of the convoy when the attack began, searching with starshells to seaward from 340 degrees to 160 degrees, but saw nothing.
At 2045 one torpedo crossed her bows on an easterly course, and another westerly. At 2054 she turned N.E., and engaged three E-boats on an easterly course until 2104, when she again turned N.E.
A minute later, two more E-boats were engaged by the Wallace and Meynell on an easterly course until 21.09, hits being claimed by the latter.
The Wallace then turned back, made sure that survivors were being rescued, and resumed her position at the head of the convoy at 2212.
After 2300, the weather deteriorated, and coastal forces, which had been augmented by M.G.Bs had to be recalled.

One of his crewmates William Tampin may not have been aboard the SS Knitsley, as he missed the vessel at Dunston.

Frank Greagg was awarded the OBE., in March 1942 from the King, along with three other South Shields men who were awarded the D.S.O., and two M.B.E’s., Gazette 01/01/1942. Volume number 35399, page 001.

Frank Greagg was presumed drown onboard the SS Knitsley, on the 12th December 1942.

Sources: The Imperial War Museum; The British Newspaper Archive; Tyne and Wear Archives; South Shields Local History; The National Archives; Merchant Navy casualty Database;

Frank Greagg is remembered at South Shields on S86.033 and S86.037, panel 8,  at Westoe in W101.08, page 30 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.