Byrom, J (John)

Byrom, J (John)

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Signalman John Byrom served on H.M.S. Broadwater[1] and was the son of William and Lily Byrom, of Golborne, Lancashire.

On the night of the 17th of September 1941 at about 1:30, U-Boat U558[2] fired a single torpedo, it struck W.C. Teagle[3] on the starboard side.[4] The ship immediately caught fire and within five minutes it suddenly sank by the stern[5]. Only ten men had escaped due the suddenness of the sinking.

The Norwegian ships Erviken[6] and Rym[7] came to pick up survivors. Erviken was also suddenly hit on the starboard side just in front of the bridge. The ship immediately broke in two and sank within 3 minutes. Only sixteen men could escape.

The Merchant ship Rym tried to escape the area but was also struck by a torpedo. It would be scuttled later by H.M.S. Veronica[8] after it had come to pick up survivors with H.M.S. Broadwater.

H.M.S. Broadwater rescued 9 sailors from W.C. Teagle and two from the Norwegian ship Erviken. They were billeted below deck in the bow area to allow them recovery time after their eventful night. It re-joined the convoy.

The following night at around 4.20 found U-Boat U101[9] following the convoy south of Iceland. It tried to overtake several times but was unsuccessful and in frustration fired four torpedoes. One hit H.M.S. Broadwater and blew her bow off. The 11 rescued sailors, 5 officers and 40 sailors lost their lives. The ship remained afloat.

It took almost twelve hours before H.M.T. St. Apollo,[10] H.M.T. Angle[11] and H.M.T. Cape Warwick[12] could rescue the surviving crew.[13] H.M.S. Broadwater was now starting to crack and fall apart so H.M.T. St. Apollo then scuttled the ship by gunfire.

Lieutenant Richard Sampson, Ordinary Signalman Llewellyn Sandrey and Signalman John Byrom, all of whom are buried in this cemetery were rescued from H.M.S. Broadwater, but unfortunately died from wounds on their way to the port in Londonderry onboard H.M.S. Cape Warwick.

Date of Death: 19/10/1941 (Aged 19)

Service: Signalman, Royal Navy, H.M.S. Broadwater.

Service Number: D/SSX33022

Burial Location: Londonderry (or Derry), City Cemetery, C. of E. Plot. Sec. F., Grave 15.


[1] HMS Broadwater was a Destroyer of the Town class and was launched on the 8th of Mar 1919. It was originally called USS Mason.

[2] U-Boat U558 was launched December 1940 and sunk during July 1943. 45 crewmen died and 5 survived.

[3] W.C. Teagle was a British Steam tanker and was launched during 1917. It was sunk with the loss of 35 crew. 10 survived, although 9 of them lost their lives when their rescuing ship (HMS Broadwater) was attacked.

[4] Starboard in the right-hand side of the ship when facing forward.

[5] The stern is the back of the ship.

[6] Erviken was a Norwegian Steam merchant ship that had been launched during 1921. It was sunk with the loss of 22 crew and 16 survivors, although 2 of them lost their lives when their rescuing ship (HMS Broadwater) was attacked.

[7] Rym was a Norwegian Steam merchant ship that had been launched during 1919. It was scuttled with no losses and 21 survivors.

[8] HMS Veronica was a Flower class Corvette and was launched on the October 1940. It would survive the war.

[9] U-Boat U101 was launched January 1940 and sunk during May 1945, no crewmen were onboard.

[10] HMT St. Apollo was an armed trawler and was launched on the 14th of Dec 1939. It was lost soon afterwards on the 22nd of Nov 1941 when involved in a collision with HMS Sardonyx.

[11] HMT Angle was an armed trawler and was launched on the 9th of Jun 1936. It would survive the war.

[12] HMT Cape Warwick was an armed trawler and was launched on the 16th of March 1937. It would survive the war.

[13] H.M.S. Broadwater: 85 crew were rescued.

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