Hector was born on the 27th April 1894, the son of Alexander and Jane Park Weir. He attended the Tynemouth Municipal High School.

He served in the Merchant Navy throughout the First World War and survived the sinking of the MV Abelia, ship number 139067, in 1915 to be awarded the British War and Mercantile Marine Medals.

Hector married Dorothy B. Burdick in Romford, Essex in 1922 and by 1931 he was employed as a Chief Engineer by the Port Line Ltd. He served throughout the Second World War as a Temporary Commander (E) in the Royal Naval Reserve and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

In 1958 Hector and Dorothy were living in Sanderstead, Surrey and Hector was still living there when he died on 22nd May 1985.

(Note : On N34.48 Hector is shown as serving on HM Australian Transport – this is not a specific vessel. It was applied to British and captured German ships which were chartered by the Australian Government to transport troops and supplies overseas. In addition to using their registered names they were numbered from 1 to 75.)

Sources: Colin Boyd;

Hector Norman Weir is remembered at North Shields in N34.48 page 23 and on our List of Ships’ crews.