Samuel Edwin Jones

Ordinary Seaman Samuel Edwin Jones of Belfast, Co. Antrim died on board HMS Mahratta when the Destroyer went down north of Norway on 25th February 1944.

Ordinary Seaman

Samuel Edwin Jones

D/JX 649439

Ordinary Seaman Samuel Edwin Jones served in the Royal Navy on HMS Mahratta when the British Destroyer went down under attack from U-990.

Ordinary Seaman Samuel Edwin Jones (D/JX 649439) served in the Royal Navy during World War Two. Born on 3rd July 1924, he was the son of Samuel Edward Jones and Rebecca Amelia Jones of 17 Courtrai Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim.

He died on 25th February 1944 aged 19 years old on HMS Mahratta. At 2055hrs, Mahratta took a hit from GNAT (German Navy Acoustic Torpedo) while escorting Convoy JW-57.

HMS Mahratta

Imperial War Museum Photo: A 15579 (Part of the Admiralty Official Collection). British Destroyer HMS Mahratta underway at Greenock, Scotland on 24th March 1943. Photo taken by Lieutenant SJ Beadell.

The British Destroyer exploded and went down in minutes around 280 miles north of North Cape. HMS Wanderer picked up only 16 survivors from the icy waters. The Commanding Officer, 10 other Officers, and 209 Ratings died when Mahratta went down.

Samuel Edwin Jones has no known grave. His name is on Panel 88, Column 1 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth, Devon.