On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of Able Seaman Robert Gordon, serving on M.V. Empire Dawn (Sunderland) with the Merchant Navy who died 14/09/1942.

In Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:

In
loving memory of
our dear sons
Alan Gordon
died 28th Jan 1922
aged 3 Years

Roy Gordon
killed In action at sea
14th Sept 1942
aged 20 Years

Also their dear mother
Mary Gordon
died 6th July 1975
aged 78 years

In the evening of September 11th 1942 in the Indian Ocean, German armed merchant cruiser Michel stopped British MV Empire Dawn (in ballast to Trinidad from Durban, South Africa) with a barrage of shellfire that continued despite signals that the crew was abandoning ship (22 killed, 22 survivors taken prisoner on Michel). WW2 website below.

The Shields Daily News 25/11/1942 reports:-
Shields Seaman Missing Official notification has been received by Mr and Mrs R. Gordon, of 16 Orlando Road, Balkwell, North Shields, that their 21-year-old son, Roy Gordon, is presumed missing at sea. Mr Gordon has been in the Merchant Navy for seven years —ever since he left the Queen Victoria School at the age at 14. He has a wife and one son’ who are living at Seaham Harbour.

The CWGC entry gives his first name as Robert.

Roy Gordon is remembered at Newcastle on NUT136 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.