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Introduction

On 2 November 1942 the Merchant Navy vessel S.S. Empire Leopard (London) was sunk by enemy action in the North Atlantic and virtually all the crew were lost. Among those who died as a result of this action were four seamen from Whitehaven, Cumberland (now Cumbria). This article focuses on two of these four seamen: brothers George and Billy Acton.

I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Mrs Enid McConnell (née Acton), a niece of George and Billy, and her son Dale McConnell for allowing me access to family information and photographs, thereby enabling me to write this article. In addition, I would like to thank ‘The Whitehaven News’ for permission to use an extract from editions of the newspaper published in 1942. I checked these copies of the newspaper at the Cumbria Archives Office in Whitehaven to cross check some of the events.

The Acton family has been a well-known sea-faring family in the Whitehaven area and the Isle of Man for generations. George, Billy and another brother John were following this sea-faring tradition by serving in the Merchant Navy before the war. However, the best known member of the Acton family was Private Abraham Acton, a cousin of George and Billy. Abe Acton who was awarded the Victoria Cross during World War One. This article is dedicated to the memory of the Acton family during World War Two, especially to George and Billy who died in the course of their duty in the Merchant Navy.

Some of the Acton Family in 1942

This section gives a little background information about the branch of the Acton family that George and Billy belonged to in 1942, the year this article largely deals with. George and Billy Acton's parents were John and Evelyn Acton and they lived at 93 George Street, Whitehaven. George and Billy's other siblings were John, Joseph (known as Joe), and Evelyn.

John Acton was married to Wilhelmina (known as 'Minnie') the daughter of James and Isabelle Ritson. They had one daughter, Enid, and lived at The Gardens, Coach Road with Isabelle. Minnie's brother Stanley was away serving in the Army during the war. James and Isabelle were my father's uncle and aunt.

Joe Acton was married to Isabel, known as 'Belle' and Evelyn was married to Robert Wilson. All the Acton brothers had been in the Merchant Navy early in the war, although Joe had returned to Whitehaven to work at the docks after sustaining an injury. Billy became engaged to Mary Nulty of Church Street and the wedding was arranged for August 1942.

For the little group of people mentioned in this section, events that took place during the second half of 1942 turned out to have a significant impact on all of them. As with many families who lived through World War Two, there are some happy events and some tragic events to remember.

Wartime wedding

A couple of weeks before George and Billy left home to join the S.S. Empire Leopard, the Acton family was able to share in a happy and proud family event. On Monday 10 August 1942, Billy married his sweetheart Mary Nulty at St Nicholas C of E Church, Lowther Street, Whitehaven. The Best Man was Billy’s brother Joseph Acton and the bridesmaids were Mary’s sister Vera Nulty, her cousin Marjorie Noble and a friend Elizabeth Walsh.

The family inserted a wedding announcement appeared in the local newspaper, ‘The Whitehaven News’ on Thursday 13 August 1942. In addition, the newspaper had a short report about the wedding. This is given below, courtesy of ‘The Whitehaven News’:

LOCAL WEDDINGS

Acton - Nulty
A pretty wedding took place at St Nicholas’ Church, Whitehaven, on Monday between William Henry, third son of Mr and Mrs Acton, George Street, Whitehaven, and Mary, second daughter of Mr and Mrs Nulty, Church Street, Whitehaven. The Rev. C.E. Nurse officiated and Mr Rodham was the organist.

The bride, who was given away by her brother-in-law, Mr W. Fisher, was gowned in white organdie lace over taffeta cut on Elizabethan lines with full-length veil held in place by a coronet of orange blossom. She carried a bouquet of pink carnations and maidenhair fern. In attendance were her sister, Vera, her cousin, Marjorie Noble, and her friend Elizabeth Walsh. They were attired in lavender poult taffeta cut on Tudor lines with headdresses and shoes to tone and carried bouquets of pink roses and maidenhair fern, gifts from the bridegroom. Mr J. Acton, brother of the groom, was the best man.

On leaving the church, the bride was presented with silver horse-shoes by Jean Fisher, her niece, and Enid Acton, niece of the bridegroom.

After the reception at Batty’s Café, Mr and Mrs Acton left for a honeymoon at Fleetwood, the bride travelling in a checked costume with brown accessories to tone. The many presents included a reading lamp and unit set from the staff of Messrs. Lipton Ltd where the bride is employed.

William Fisher who gave away the bride was married to another of Mary's sisters, Nora, and Jean, one of the little girls who gave the bride a lucky horse-shoe, was their daughter. The second little girl who presented Mary with a horse-shoe, Enid still has the happy memory of handing this over. Vera Nulty who was one of the bridesmaids at this wedding, subsequently married James McConnell.

As was the case with all weddings of the period, the newspaper report largely concentrates on what the bride and bridesmaids were wearing. Nevertheless, it is evident from Billy and Mary's wedding photograph that it was a happy and proud day for both families. After returning from honeymoon, Billy went back to sea with his brother George and unfortunately never returned home.

Minnie Acton

After the happy wedding day of Billy and Mary at St Nicholas' Church in August 1942, the Acton family experienced two extremely sad events. Firstly, on 7 October at 17 The Gardens, Coach Road, Minnie, the beloved wife of John (and Enid's mother) passed away. The funeral service took place at Christ Church (C of E) on Preston Street the following Saturday afternoon.

In 1940, John had re-signed up with the Merchant Navy for a ten-year contract. With it being wartime, John had to continue serving with the Merchant Navy until 1950 while Enid continued to be brought up by her Grandma Ritson at her house at 17 The Gardens. John continued to live at The Gardens when he was able to get back home.

However, when John had only a little turn-round time between sailings from Liverpool, he sent word to Whitehaven so Enid could be taken there and spend some time with each other. In spite of everything, everyone was determined that family life would continue as normally as possible. These acts of love and devotion are part of what should be remembered about what happened during World War Two.

S.S. Empire Leopard (London)

During World War Two many people had to cope with one personal tragedy after another. A month after his darling wife Minnie passed away, John Acton lost two of his dear brothers. George and William Acton were on board the S.S. Empire Leopard (London) when a German submarine torpedoed it on 2 November 1942, in the middle of what became known as the 'Battle of the Atlantic'.

Many merchant vessels and seamen were lost during the war while bringing much needed supplies across the North Atlantic from North America to the British Isles. I checked the records to identify where this vessel was sunk and found it happened at 52.26N 45.22W on the passage from St John’s Newfoundland to Belfast and Avonmouth. The German submarine involved in torpedoing the Empire Leopard was designated U.402. This was about the time of the peak German submarine activity against supply ships.

There were actually four seamen from the seaport of Whitehaven who went down with the S.S. Empire Leopard. The other two were Thomas W. Cradduck, known as Tom, who lived on Marlborough Street near the harbour, and William Scott Truett, known as 'Biff', who lived on Solway Road in the Kells district of town. Tom was 41 years old and left a widow, Mrs R. Cradduck and five children. 'Biff' was aged about 22 years old when he was lost at sea and was the son of William Beck Truett and Margaret Ellen Truett. 'Biff' had previously survived two German torpedo attacks.

On 13 November 1942, this is how 'The Whitehaven News' reported the four men had been posted as missing (included by courtesy of 'The Whitehaven News'):

SHIP TORPEDOED
Four Whitehaven Men Missing

Four Whitehaven men serving in the Merchant Navy aboard a vessel recently sunk by enemy action are reported missing. Two of them, William H. Acton (27) and George Acton (22) are brothers. William was married as recently as August to Miss Mary Nulty, Church Street, Whitehaven, and George, when at home lived with his parents at George Street, Whitehaven. Both were in the Merchant navy before the war.

A third member of the crew, Thomas Cradduck, whose home is in Marlborough Street, is a member of a Whitehaven family which for generations has consisted of seafaring men. Aged 41, he has a wife and five children. One son, also in the Merchant Navy, is seriously ill in a hospital in India.

The fourth Whitehaven man aboard the ill-fated vessel was 22-year old William Truett, of Solway Road, Kells. In spite of his youth, 'Biff', as he is known to his many pals in Whitehaven, has spent several years at sea and has twice been a survivor from torpedoed vessels.

Whilst only two survivors from the vessel have so far been reported, the relatives of these four men are living in hopes that they have been picked up by another ship."

Notifying next of kin

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemorates George and William Acton, Thomas Cradduck and William Truett on the Tower Hill Memorial in London. At the time of writing this article (June 2005) the details for William Acton in the CWGC citation doess not mention the names of his parents or his wife Mary.

This is probably due in part to Billy having only recently married Mary before joining the S.S. Empire Leopard. I have a copy of the official letter notifying George Acton's parents about him being missing at sea, but I do not have a copy of the official letter that would have been sent about William. This was sent to George's mother Evelyn Acton by the Minister of War Transport Lord Leathers from Berkley Square House, London W1. It was posted on 23 May 1943, over six months after the vessel was sunk.

A similar letter must have been sent to the next of kin for the other two seamen from the town For William 'Biff' Truett his next of kin were his parents, William and Margaret Truett. In the case of Thomas Cradduck, known as Tom, it was his wife, Mrs R. Cradduck (unfortunately I do not know Mrs Cradduck's full first name). For all these families this letter would have been a bitter blow.

Remembering those who were lost

George and Billy Acton have been remembered by their family and friends over the years. Although those that knew them have inevitably got fewer in number over the passage of time, happy family memories about them have been passed on to the younger generations. While George and Billy's names are commemorated on the World War Two Memorial in St Nicholas' Church, Lowther Street, Whitehaven, it more important for those who knew them that their kind, loving, happy personalities and their smiles are remembered.

Each year, on the anniversary of their presumed death, George and Billy's family wrote out an article to be submitted to 'The Whitehaven News' "Roll of Honour" column. These words written by those that knew and loved them best can express how they felt about them, and how deep was the family's loss. This is what the family wrote out in November 1943 (used by courtesy of 'The Whitehaven News' and the Acton family):

ROLL OF HONOUR

Acton - In remembrance of my dear husband, William (Billy), who was reported missing, presumed drowned, November 2nd 1942 serving in the Merchant Navy.

If all the world were mine to give,
I'd give it yes and more,
To see the one I love
Come smiling through the door.

His loving wife Mary.

Acton - Treasured memories of dearly loved sons, George and Billy, presumed drowned, November 2nd 1942.

We are always thinking of those
Who were loving, kind and true,
Whose smiles were like the sunshine,
Dear sons, they were you.

From Mam, Dad, Brothers and Sisters, also from 8 Senhouse Street.

I should add that the families of Tom Cradduck and 'Biff' Truett also have a tribute to them in the 'Roll of Honour' column in the same edition of 'The Whitehaven News'.

Conclusion

I am indebted to Mrs Enid McConnell (née Acton) and Mr Dale McConnell, relatives of George and Billy Acton enabling me to write this article. Some years later, Mary Acton remarried but Billy has never been forgotten. Her sister Vera, one of her bridesmaids at the wedding to Billy married James McConnell, who was a kinsman of Enid’s husband Harry. Everyone hopes that George and Billy will be remembered long into the future.

At the time of writing this article (June 2005) George and Billy Acton's kinsman Abraham Acton V.C. is being honoured by his hometown by having a new housing development named after him (Acton Court). Inevitably, when people think of the term 'war hero' they initially think of those like Abe Acton who were decorated for great valour.

If there is such a thing as a 'war hero' then George and Billy Acton come into that category at least as much as their more celebrated cousin. During World War Two they manned the Atlantic convoys that kept Britain supplied with essential supplies to continue the war effort. Without their sacrifice the war may have been lost through lack of supplies.

I hope that this article goes some way towards preserving the memory of George, Billy and the rest of their family during World War Two. Let them always be honoured among the free citizens of their own land.

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