Samuel Keag

Steward Samuel Keag of Belfast, Co. Antrim died on board HMS Mahratta when the Destroyer went down after a torpedo attack by U-990 on 25th February 1944.

Steward

Samuel Keag

D/LX 25821

Steward Samuel Keag served in the Royal Navy on HMS Mahratta when the British Destroyer went down under attack from U-990.

Steward Samuel Keag (D/LX 25821) served in the Royal Navy during World War Two. Born on 14th March 1923, he was the son of David Keag and Annie Keag of 22 Gafikin Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim.

He died on 25th February 1944 aged 20 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 Keag has no known grave. His name is on Panel 91, Column 2 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth, Devon.

References
  1. Ancestry
  2. British Newspaper Archive
  3. Commonwealth War Graves
  4. HMS Mahratta
  5. Naval History
  6. Naval History
  7. Remembrance NI
  8. U-Boat

Royal Navy