On the Tower Hill Memorial is the name of Steward William Tampin serving on SS Knitsley with the Merchant Navy who died 12/12/1942.

William Tampin was born on the 26th March 1920, the eldest son of four children? to a William Carle Tampin, born 18th April 1900 at 174 Palmerston Street, South Shields, baptised 30th May 1900 at St Hilda’s Church, South Shields, died 9th August 1947, and his wife Ada nee French Tampin, born 11th February 1898, died 1973. They were married in 1919.

The other children were: –

• Joan Tampin, born 8th October 1926. She died in 2006 in Lilydaie, Victoria Australia. In 1939, she was residing at 132 Taylor Street, South Shields still at school. She married  John Thomas Maddison, born 1923, died 1988, on the 29th June 1943 and they had one child Eric Maddison, born 23rd December 1951, died 30th May 2011. They emigrated to Australia probably as a result of the Ten Pound Poms scheme.
• Ada Tampin, born 1933, married John A. Simpson in 1952. In 1939, residing at 132 Taylor Street, South Shields. Ada took pianoforte examinations  in December 1946, Junior Grade, First Class,  then 1st May 1948, receiving a First Class in the Primary Grade under the auspices of the London College of Music. North East Section.
• James Arthur Tampin, born 30th January 1923, died 2000. In 1939 he was a Plasterer lad, residing at 132 Taylor Street, South Shields.

In 1901, the father William Carle Tampin, was the youngest son of 9 children of Arthur and Harriet Tampin, now residing at 193 Eldon Street, South Shields.

William Carle Tampin worked for Palmers Shipbuilding at Jarrow as a Caulker.

Ada nee French, was the daughter of Henry French and Sarah Jane nee Chapman.

William Tampin, the son, was born at 33 Corstophine Town, South Shields in 1920. He attended Westoe Boys School. William then worked at Mr Sharps Coal Merchant. At the age of 16, he joined the Merchant Navy as a Boy. He was a Galley boy onboard the SS Hendrick. He had grey eyes, dark brown hair with a fair complexion. In 1939, he was residing at 132 Taylor Street, South Shields.

From the 16th November 1937, William was serving on the SS Blairberg, then renamed Fellside, ship number 139197, until the 22nd January 1938. From the 25th March 1939, he was serving on SS Gogovale, ship number 160182. 27th July 1939, William was on the SS Wentworth, ship number 142836. 5th April 1940, William was now serving on the SS Jedmoor, ship number 160507 operated by the Moor Line limited Company, Moor Buildings, Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne.
26th May 1941, William was onboard the SS Gallois, renamed Tynemouth, ship number 133590. He was next on the SS Knitsley, ship number 148098, from the 17th August 1942. Owned by the Consett Iron Co, Managed by Frederick A. George, Proctor House, Side, Newcastle upon Tyne.

William was the Steward 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 at the start of the Blitz on London.

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, May 6th 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 Frank Greagg was also onboard.

However, the Board of Trade registers throw some doubt that William Tampin was on-board.
Board of Trade Registers and Crew List.
He signed on to the SS Knitsley on the 17th August 1942 at Newcastle – as seen in the last entry of Knitsley Red Copy page 1. In relation to Tampin failing to re-join the Knitsley on the 9th September 1942 at Dunston the Captain writes: “The 1st Mate failed to send this man a telegram for sailing time. However, one was sent from Dunston around 3.00pm instructing him to join with the pilot cutter of Sth Shields at once.” See Entry page 2.

In the full compliment of documentation there is no mention of Tampin re-joining the Knitsley on or after 9th September 1942. He was one of two Stewards on board and appears to have not been replaced. In fact, the reconciliation list Knitsley Assembled Total Crew List page 1 states this clearly “9/9/42 Dun/Tyne Failed to join” (see last entry). However, William Tampin’s name is then appended to the end of the same list Knitsley Assembled Total Crew List page 3, which states incorrectly that he joined the Knitsley on the 9th September 1942.

Source Details from a now defunct website www.missingmerchants.com dated 2016. Special thanks to David R Anderson for the above information.

Sources: British Newspaper Archive; National Archives;  Merchant Navy Database; Missing Merchants;

William Tamplin is remembered at South Shields on S86.037, panel 19,  at Westoe in W101.08, page 84, and in our List of Ships’ Crews.