Honouring the Men who gave their lives whilst serving in the Merchant Navy
and whose names are on the Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

S.S. IRON CHIEFTAN (Melbourne)  -  WW2

En route on the night of 3 June 1942 from Newcastle to Whyalla, Iron Chieftain was torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese submarine I.24. Her Master and Chief Engineer were among the twelve crew lost. The thirty-seven survivors were rescued, some from a raft, by HMAS “Bingera”, and others from a lifeboat washed onto the beach at The Entrance, New South Wales.

Fourth Engineer Officer Harold Henry BENNETT
Born: Waverley, Sydney, N.S.W.
Died:3-6-1942 at Sea, aged 43years
Son of Thomas Joseph and Elizabeth Bennett
Husband of Eileen Elizabeth Bennett, of Katoomba, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

Boatswain Thomas CLARKE
Born: Cessnock, N.S.W.
Died: 3-6-1942 aged 33years
Son of William and Josephine Jeanette Clarke, of Surry Hills, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 9
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

Able Seaman Thomas GLOSSOP
Died: 3-6-1942 at Sea, aged 23years
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Glossop, of Careel Bay, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 9
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

Chief Engineer Officer Marcus GUNN
Born: Kirkwell, Orkney Islands
Died 3-6-1942 at Sea, aged 49years
Son of George and Janet Gunn
Husband of Margaret Forbes Gunn, of Neutral Bay, New South Wales
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

 

Newcastle Morning Herald & Miner's Advocate (N.S.W.) 6-6-1942
Marcus Gunn, Chief Engineer, brought out as chief engineer the first of the large ore-carrying steamers built on the Clyde for Australia.
He was formerly Chief Engineer on the Jervis Bay, with 13 engineers under him. He was decorated by King George V. in the last war for bravery while engaged with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. He later served in the Atlantic as Chief Engineer of the Cadillac, one of the largest tankers ever built. A man of recognised technical ability, he was developing and had almost perfected a machine for pulverising coal. It was to be applied to some Australian steamers to fire them automatically. The machine went down with the ship.
His wife and two daughters live in Parkway-avenue., Bar Beach.

Master Lionel HADDELSEY
Born: Caistor, Lincolnshire, England
Mentioned in Despatches
Formerly 2nd Lieut. I.W.T. 1914-1918 war.
Died 3-6-1942 at Sea, aged 47 years
Son of William and Fanny Haddelsey
Husband of Olive Myrtle Haddelsey, of Thornleigh, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

 

Newcastle Morning Herald & Miner's Advocate (N.S.W.) 6-6-1942
Captain Haddelsey lived at Gow street, Hamilton North, until recently, when he shifted to Newcastle. He was married.

Third Officer Archibald Cook KENNEDY
Born: Troon, Scotland
Died: 3-6-1942 at Sea, aged 63years
Son of Samuel Crawford & Catherine Kennedy
Husband of Sarah Kennedy, of Stockton, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

Fireman John Lander KERR
Died 3-6-1942 at Sea, aged 23years
Son of John William and Agnes Corbett Kerr
Husband of Olive Mildred Kerr, of Stockton, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

 

 

Newcastle Morning Herald & Miner's Advocate (N.S.W.) 6-6-1942
John Lauder Kerr, 24, a native of Stockton, was married only two months ago to Miss Olive Cox of Carrington. His father, John William Kerr, was also a fireman for many years on Australian coastal vessels. "I gave the game up when the Iron Monarch got piled up on the rocks, and I was in her," he said last night.

Deck Boy John Welblund LINDEMANN

Born: Newcastle, N.S.W.
Died 3-6-1942 at Sea, aged 17years
Son of Margaret Lindemann, of Newcastle, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 9
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

Fireman Sydney Henry SARGENT
Born: England
Occupation: Munition Worker
Died 3-6-1942, at Sea aged 29years
Son of Trevor Tom and Annie Louise Sargent
Husband of Isaline Edith Sargent, of Newcastle, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

 

 

Newcastle Morning Herald & Miner's Advocate (N.S.W.) 6-6-1942
Sidney Henry Sargent, of MiIton-street, Hamilton, married a Stockton girl, Miss Isaline Peters, nine years ago, and they have one son. Sargent's father was in the English Navy and was killed at the Battle of Jutland, the anniversary of which occurred last Sunday.

Radio Officer Sidney Francis STAFFORD
Born: Wanganui, New Zealand
Died 3-6-1942, aged 50years
Son of Sidney Herbert and Ellen Stafford
Husband of Annie Isabel Stafford, of Devonport, Tasmania.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

Fireman George Winchester STRONACH
Died 3-6-1942 at Sea, aged 26years
Son of George and Mary Stronach
Husband of Madeline Agnes Stronach, of Stockton, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

 

 

Newcastle Morning Herald & Miner's Advocate (N.S.W.) 6-6-1942
George W. Stronach, 26, of Mitchell-street, Stockton was married two years ago to Miss Hickey, of Gunnedahl . He comes of a well known Nerwcastle seafaring family
His grandfather, Captain George Stronach, was a master mariner, and sailed out of this port regularly 50 years ago. He was killed in an accident in Mauritius. His father, also George, sailed before the mast for many years, but now works at the B.H.P.

Fifth Engineer Officer George Sutherland SWAINSON
Born: Broken Hill, N.S.W.
Occupation: Mechanical Engineer
Died 3-6-1942, at Sea aged 30years
Son of John Sutherland Swainson and Bertha Amelia Swainson
Husband of Edna May Swainson, of Newcastle, New South Wales.
Honoured Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll

 

Newcastle Morning Herald & Miner's Advocate (N.S.W.) 6-6-1942
George Swainson, the fifth engineer, is the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Swainson, of Woy .Woy.
Before his retirement, Mr. Swainson, who lived at Hayfield, was for many years Works Secretary of the B.H.P. Company's Newcastle Steel Works. George Swainson lives at David-street. Georgetown, with his wife, who, before her marriage, was Miss Edna Swan. They have an infant daughter.