In Memory Of

WOOD, JOHN ERSKINE RUDLAND

Service Details
Age:
 47
Date of Birth:
 -0001-11-30
Rank:
 Second Engineer Officer
Unit:
 S.S. River Afton (Glasgow)
Regiment:
 Merchant Navy
Date of Death:
 1942-07-05
Cause of Death:
 At 21.02 hours on 5 July 1942 the River Afton (Master Harold William Charlton), dispersed from convoy PQ-17, was torpedoed by U-703 northeast of Kola. She was the ship of convoy commodore John Charles Keith Dowding, CBE, DSO, RD, RNR. The vessel exploded, broke in two and sank after being hit by two coups de gr?ce at 21.05 and 21.22 hours. Twelve crew members, eight gunners, two naval staff members and one passenger were lost. The master, the commodore, 26 crew members, one gunner, three naval staff members and one passenger were picked up by HMS Lotus (K 93) (Lt H.J. Hall, RNR) and landed at Matochkin, Novaya Zemlya.
Commemoration
Grave Reference:
 Panel 87.
Cemetery:
 TOWER HILL MEMORIAL
Localitly:
 London
Country:
 United Kingdom
Additional Information
Decorations:
 King's Commendation for Brave Conduct
Citations:
 LG Sup 19 January 1943 pg. 394 - "Commended for brave conduct when their ships encountered enemy ships, submarines, aircraft or mines"
Son of Ernest Rudland Wood and Annie Ravina Wood; husband of Violet Eveline Wood, of Scriven, Knaresborough, Yorkshire. Born Barberton, Transvaal. Served as #41579 in Royal Engineers in WW1. ref. South African Roll of Honour 1939-45