On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of Master James Brown, serving on M.V. Empire Statesman (Leith)  with the Merchant Navy who died  05/12/1940.

The son of James and Annie Jane Brown, of Amble, Northumberland.

In Amble West Cemetery is a headstone which reads:

In loving memory of
James
Dearly loved husband of
Annie J. Brown
Lost at sea enemy action
4th July 1943 aged 55 years.

Also Capt. James their son
Lost at sea enemy action
5th Dec. 1940 aged 34 years.

On the 10th June 1940, the Pellice was seized by Britain at Newcastle upon Tyne and renamed ‘Empire Statesman’ by Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

At 19.12 hours on the 11th  December 1940 the unescorted Empire Statesman (Master James Brown), a straggler from convoy SLS-56 due to engine troubles since the 21st November, was torpedoed and sunk by U-94 commanded by Kapitänleutnant  Herbert Kuppisch west of Ireland. The master, 30 crew members and one gunner were lost.

See his father James Brown

James Brown is remembered at Amble  on  A13.01 and A13.06,  at Alnwick on A11.17 and A11.53, at Newcastle in NUT136 page 20 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.