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Introduction

This article gives some information about the SS Empire Leopard (London) and four seamen who lost their lives when it was sunk by a German torpedo on 2 November 1942. It complements two previous articles I have written for the ´óÏó´«Ã½ "People's War" website (A4268243 and A4288052).

I have researched a few details about the SS Empire Leopard for this article. Anyone wishing to obtain further information should check the National Archives, or a reference book about Merchant Vessels. I have tried to ensure the information in this article is correct. If anyone has any more details about the SS Empire Leopard or those seamen who were in its crew, it would be interesting to hear from them.

Of the four seamen referred to in this article who lost their lives when the Empire Leopard was sunk, two of them were brothers: George and William Acton. Two other seamen came from the same seaport as George and William, namely Whitehaven in Cumbria (then Cumberland). They were Thomas Cradduck and William Truett.

SS Empire Leopard (London)

The SS Empire Leopard was built during World War One in the United States (Seattle, Washington state). It had a gross tonnage of 5699 and was originally completed as the ‘West Haven'. During the last few months of World War One the vessel was used as a transport vessel by the United States Navy.

Between the two World Wars, the vessel had a number of name changes and sailed out of various West Coast USA ports. In 1940, it became the SS Empire Leopard managed by the Maritime Shipping and Trading Company. The SS Empire Leopard crossed the North Atlantic in convoys in an attempt to thwart German U-Boats who were prepared to attack Merchant Vessels as well as Royal Naval vessels in an attempt to hit Britain's war production.

On 2 November 1942, the SS Empire Leopard was on passage between St John's Newfoundland to Belfast and Avonmouth. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this article, I do not have details of the cargo she was carrying during that crossing. At the location 52.26N, 45.22W the SS Empire Leopard was torpedoed and sunk by German U-Boat 402. According a contemporary newspaper article (November 1942) there were at least two survivors. However, the newspaper article does not give the names of these seamen. During the war, many details were either not reported at all in the press, or only scant details were given. Further research in the archives may yield more information should time allow.

Four Whitehaven seamen lost

As previously explained, four of the seamen lost when the SS Empire Leopard was sunk came from Whitehaven, Cumberland (now Cumbria). The brothers George and William Acton (known as Billy) were two of the sons of John and Evelyn Acton. The family home was on George Street in the centre of town. Bill had only recently got married to Vera Nulty in August 1942, a mere two weeks before going off to sea, never to return. I have given more information about George and Billy in the other two articles I have referred to above.

George and Billy's family have always ensured their memory will live on. Evelyn Acton, George and Billy's mother always had a photograph of the two of them together on display in the family home. Although Evelyn has also long since passed away, it is still a precious photograph for the family. A copy of the photograph has been given to me by Mrs Enid McConnell (née Acton) a niece of George and Billy. It is this precious photograph of Evelyn's that is submitted to go with this article.

The third Whitehaven seaman who went down with the Empire Leopard was Thomas William Walters Cradduck, known as Tom. He was the husband of Mrs R. Cradduck and was 41 years old when he died. Tom and his wife had five children. One of their sons, Ronald Cradduck, known as Ronnie, was also in the Merchant Navy. At the time of Tom's death, Ronnie Cradduck was seriously ill in a hospital in India, and died shortly after his father. Hence Mrs Cradduck lost two of her immediate family members within a few days in November 1942, in the same way Mrs Evelyn Acton had lost two of her immediate family.

Unfortunately, I have been unable to obtain information about Tom and Ronnie Cradduck from any relatives. Tom Cradduck's name is recorded on the Tower Hill Memorial in London, but Ronnie Cradduck's name is not, even though he died while serving in the Merchant Navy. Possibly, this is because Ronnie seems to have died in a hospital from an illness rather than being lost at sea.

The fourth Whitehaven seaman lost on the SS Empire Leopard was William Scott Truett, known by his friends as 'Biff'. He was the son of William Beck Truett and Margaret Ellen Truett of Solway Road in the Arrowthwaite / Kells district of the town. According to a member of his family (see below), William Scott Truett was 22 years old when he died, although the Commonwealth War Graves Commission citation at the Tower Hill Memorial gives his age as 21.

In the Cumbria county Archives Office in Whitehaven, I found the following entries had been placed in 'The Whitehaven News' in November 1943, a year after their death:

"ROLL OF HONOUR

Cradduck - In loving memory of Tom W. Cradduck, lost at sea, November 1942; also Ronnie, his son, died in India, November 1942.
From Uncle David. aunt Barbara and Family, 6 Hamilton Lane."

Truett - In loving memory of our dearly loved son, William Scott, A.B., who was lost at sea through enemy action on November 2nd 1942, aged 22 years.

Our hearts are sad and lonely,
Our brightest dreams have fled,
Our hopes, like summer roses,
Are withered, crushed and dead.

Never one day forgotten, by his loving Mam and Dad, 27 Solway Road, Arrowthwaite."

[NB- Included with permission of 'The Whitehaven News'. I have previously quoted the 'Roll of Honour' entries by the Acton family in a previous article written about George and Billy]

Conclusion

I would especially like to thank Mrs Enid McConnell (née Acton) and her son Dale McConnell for their assistance in enabling me to write this article. The article is dedicated to the memory of all those who lost their lives while serving in the Merchant Navy during World War Two and in particular the four Cumbrian seamen who went down with the Empire Leopard.

Let us never forget the contribution of the Merchant Navy during World War Two!

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