Junior Third Engineer Officer Thomas Frederick Magowan Chambers served with the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. Born in 1918, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. F.O. Chambers, of Belfast.
He was a Junior Third Engineer Officer on board M.V. Richmond Castle. The 7,768 ton vessel had been completed in Belfast’s Harland and Wolff shipyard in February 1939.
M.V Richmond Castle was completed in Belfast's Harland and Wolff Ltd shipyard in 1939. It was capsized by U-176 en route from Monetevideo, Uruguay to the UK in 1944. Fourteen men on board lost their lives. Copyright unknown.
Sinking of M.V. Richmond Castle
On 18th July 1942, M.V. Richmond Castle set off from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Avonmouth, England via Montevideo, Uruguay. The unescorted vessel was under the command of Master Thomas Goldstone and was transporting 5,250 tons of frozen meat.
U-Boat U-176, under the command of Reiner Dierksen, sank M.V. Richmond Castle at 1558hrs on 4th August 1942. The ship capsized in the Atlantic, southeast of Cape Farewell after being struck by 2 of 3 torpedos from the German submarine.
An Atlantic Rescue
The German U-Boat crew questioned the survivors before leaving the area where M.V. Richmond Castle went down. The Master and 14 survivors were picked up by the Irish Pine and landed at Kilrush, Co. Clare. The Chief Officer and 16 more were rescued after 12 days by H.M.S. Sunflower and brought back to Derry/Londonderry. The remaining 18 survivors landed at Liverpool, England on the British merchant ship Hororater.
Thomas died on 10th August 1942 aged 24 years old. He survived for 6 days after the attack but succumbed to exposure while awaiting rescue in a lifeboat. A total of 13 other crew members on M.V. Richmond Castle died as a result of the sinking.
Thomas Frederick Magowan Chambers has no known grave. His name is on Panel 87 of the Tower Hill Memorial, London, England.