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

IRON CROWN  (Sydney)  -  WW2

On 4 June 1942, Iron Crown , laden with iron ore, was off Cape Howe, near the Victoria/New South Wales border. Torpedoed by the Japanese submarine I.27, she sank quickly. Of her crew of forty-two, thirty-eight perished.

A - K


Able Seaman Alvar ANDERSON
Born: Sweden
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 19-6-1939 - Antwerp
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 55years
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 9
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Greaser Sidney Edward BARTLETT
Born: Greta, N.S.W.
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 5-8-1941 - Sydney, N.S.W.
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 45years
Son of Sidney Edward and Ruth Bartlett, of Greta, New South Wales.
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Able Seaman Reginald BENNETT
Born: Bowen, Sth. Aust.
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 30-8-1939 - Port Adelaide, Sth Aust
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 33years
Son of Ellen Webb, 31 Swigg St., Birkenhead, Sth Aust.
Husband of Lilian Ida Bennett
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 9
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Chief Officer Bernard Walsingham BOKENHAM
Born: Norfolk, England
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 6-4-1939 - Newcastle
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 61years
Son of George and Katie Bokenham
Husband of Edith Bokenham, of Waitara, New South Wales.
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


2nd Cook David BURNS
Born: Liverpool, England
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 6-4-1939 - Newcastle
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 62years
Son of George and Marion Burns
Husband of Lilian Burns, of Fremantle, Western Australia.
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 9
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Fireman Frank George CHAMMINGS
Born: Bristol, England
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 19-5-1939 - Newcastle
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 59years
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Fireman Edward James CONWAY
Born: Mayfield, New South Wales
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 19-5-1939 - Newcastle
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 24years
Son of Edward James & Bertha Conway, of Carrington, New South Wales
Husband of Laurel Conway, of Carrington.
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Second Engineer Officer Roy A. Costa
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 20-7-1939 - Newcastle
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 47years
Son of Antonio and Jesse Costa
Husband of Vera Costa, of Adamstown, New South Wales
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Fireman Joseph DARRAGH
Born: Grangetown, Yorkshire, England
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 38years
Son of James and Bridget Darragh, of Grange Town, Yorkshire, England
Husband of Mabel Darragh.
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Able Seaman John William DAVIES
Born: Wavertree, Liverpool
Australian Merchant Navy
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 43years
Son of George and Sarah Elizabeth Davies, of Liverpool, England.
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 9
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


3rd Engineer Peter FERGUSON
Born: Greenock, Scotland
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 25-6-1939 Sydney, N.S.W.
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 60years
Son of Peter and Isabella Ferguson
Husband of Ellen Mary Ferguson, of Stanmore, New South Wales.
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Chief Engineer Officer Herbert Henry GILES
Born: Wellington, New Zealand
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 27-6-1939, Newcastle
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 56years
Son of William and Clara Giles
Husband of Ada Louisa Giles, of Newcastle, New South Wales.
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Trimmer Edward John GRIFFITHS
Born: Birkenhead, England
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 18-10-1940 Adelaide, Sth. Aust.
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 48years
Husband of Uzella Alice Griffiths, of Everton, South Australia.
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Fireman John HAND
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 7-11-1941
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 34years
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Chief Steward George John INNELL
Born: Kent, England
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 13-5-1939 Newcastle
Husband of Lily Innell.
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 71years
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Fireman John JAMES
Born: England
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 6-4-1939 Newcastle
Son of Thomas and Sarah James
Husband of Victoria May James, of Newcastle, New South Wales.
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 40years
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 10
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Wireless Operator Alan Cyril JOBSON
Born: Newburn, Northumberland, England
Australian Merchant Navy
Son of George Alan and Beatrice Collingwood Jobson, of Kew, Victoria.
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 18years
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Second Officer Kostaa Wilhelm KANERVA
Born: Finland
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 1-12-1939, Sydney, N.S.W.
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 47years
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll


Trimmer Michael G. KARAVAS
Born: Greece
Australian Merchant Navy
Date of Engagement 30-5-1939 Port Pirie, Sth. Aust.
Died 4-6-1942 at Sea (Gabo Island, Victoria, Australia) aged 34years
Son of Michael G Karavas
Husband of Eugenie M. Karavas
Honoured: Sydney Memorial, Rookwood, Sydney, New South Wales  - Panel 8
Honoured Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll