George William KIRKUP 1918 – 1941

C/SSX 29524 Able Seaman George William Kirkup RN HMS Candytuft died 10 September 1941 aged 23.  He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial [1]and Butterknowle War Memorial.

Family Details

George William Kirkup was born 8 September 1918,[2] the son of George William and Elizabeth Kirkup and brother to at least 8 siblings – William, Annie, Emily, Stephen, Simpson, Florence, Thomas and Lilian.  In 1901, George and Elizabeth worked Newsham Farm, Winston.[3]  By 1911, the farm was called Little Newsham Farm.[4]  Prior to enlisting into the Royal Navy, it seems likely that George lived with his brother Stephen and his wife Elizabeth at Wham Farm, Butterknowle although he was not recorded as living there in 1939.[5]

Service Details

The service details of Able Seaman George W. Kirkup has not been researched.  He served aboard HMS Candytuft, a Flower Class corvette [K09] built by Grangemouth Dry Dock Co. [Grangemouth, Scotland], launched in July 1940 and commissioned in October 1940.

8 July 1941: HMS Candytuft picked up 7 survivors from the Icelandic merchant “Hekla” which had been torpedoed and sunk 29 June, south of Cape Farewell, by German U-boat U-564.

9 September 1941: While in the North Atlantic, escorting HX 148, HMS Candytuft under the command of Lt. Cdr. F.B. Collinson RNR [retired], suffered a boiler explosion.  Eleven of the crew were killed in the incident and it must be assumed that Able Seaman George W. Kirkup was one.  He died the following day, 10 September 1941.[6]  HMS Candytuft was taken in tow.  Repairs were undertaken at New York in February 1942.

4 March 1942:  She was acquired by the US Navy and commissioned after a refit in June 1942. [7]

Commemoration [8]

Able Seaman George William Kirkup RN HMS Candytuft died 10 September 1941 aged 23.  He is commemorated at column 43 panel 1, the Chatham Naval Memorial.  The memorial commemorates over 10,000 Royal Navy personnel of the Second World War who were lost or buried at sea and more than 8,500 from the First World War.

REFERENCES

[1] Commonwealth War Graves Commission

[2] UK British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records 1730—1960 & England & Wales Birth Index 1916-2007 Vol.10a p.477 1918Q4 Teesdale

[3] 1901 census

[4] 1911 census Note: the 1911 census includes Clara aged 28 but she is not recorded on the 1901 census.

[5] England & Wales National Probate Calendar [Index of Wills and Administrations]1858-1995 & 1939 England & Wales Register

[6] England & Wales National Probate Calendar [Index of Wills and Administrations]1858-1995 states “died 10 September 1941 on war service” and UK British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records 1730—1960 states “at sea”.

[7] https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4731.html

[8] CWGC

Thanks to Karen Roberton for family details.