Relatives of men who died when a Plymouth-based minesweeper was
attacked during World War Two are being urged to contact an author
writing a book on the ship. HMS Bramble was accompanying a supply
convoy to North Russian ports in December 1942 when a German
destroyer and cruiser fired on it in the
Barents Sea. All 121 crew were lost and the wreckage was
never found, although it is believed the ship and its courageous
company 'went down fighting'. The heroic tale of the ship fired the
imagination of Bristol-based naval enthusiast David Griffiths, whose
father, Petty Officer Morgan Griffiths, was a chef on board.
He has already made contact with dozens of families, but there are
still many he wants to trace from
Plymouth,
where the ship was built in 1937 and commissioned in 1939. Its first
crew came from HMS Drake.
Backing Mr Griffiths' search are Robert and Michael Brown, whose
grandfather, William (Bill) Thomas Brown, was a member of Bramble's
crew and narrowly escaped death due to a twist of fate. He was due to
rejoin the ship before it began its ill-fated voyage to Russia but a
German Blitz raid on Bristol made him miss his train to the docks. He
never made it to the ship on time - but the delay saved his life and
he lived until 1994, when he died aged 90.
Mr Griffiths' search began four years ago with a photograph of
Bramble's football team, and he is desperate to trace more relatives
of the Bramble's heroic crew.
Today he said: "My father was a chef on board the Bramble but left
the ship just 10 days before it sailed to take up another posting. He
survived the war but he never let me forget that ship and those
men."
An HMS Bramble reunion was held three years ago and attended by 20
people, but Mr Griffiths hopes more can be traced. He is
particularly keen to trace relatives of the following:
Norman George Elliot: husband of Angela, son of Frank and Evelyn of
Milehouse.
Jeffery Britton, husband of Lilly, father of Joan and Pauline.
Cyril Douglas Copp, son of Richard and Jesse Copp.
Samuel Hilborn, son of Samuel John and Majorie Hilborn.
Leslie Richards, husband of Alice, father of Derek, son of Ron and
Hilda Richards, son-in-law of Mr and Mrs Stacey.
Bill Wachley, husband of Gladys, father of Joan and Shirley, brother
of Ted, sister-in-law of Ethel.
Ernest Weeks, husband of Kathleen (known as Kit), father of Olive
and Margaret, son of John and Rose Weeks.
Clarence Tucker, whose wife
Doris
moved to Plymouth from Shebbear in Devon but died in 2000. Contact
with his grandson Jack Horne had been established but it was lost.
If you can help Mr Griffiths, write to him at 15 Rock Lane, Stoke
Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8PF, or ring 0117 975 9651.
You can also write to Robert Brown, Hazelhurst, Pill Road, Abbots
Leigh, Bristol, BS8 3RG, or email
hazelhurst@waitrose.com
Source:
http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=138204&command=displayContent&sourceNode=138203&contentPK=9509877
