IVAN FRANK GARNHAM
From May through to September 2026, Andrew will be fulfilling his dream to hike the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats! You are all warmly invited to follow Andrew’s epic journey on his Facebook page, “Andrew Beal LEJOG”: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577588795730
As Andrew hikes the 1,300+ miles, he will raise funds for the Ipswich War Memorial Project to help finance our future exhibitions and research of the brave Ipswich men and women who lost their lives in conflict. If you would like to make a small donation, please click on the link: https://gofund.me/5d4a50570
Thank you for your love and support. Andrew & Helen – I.W.M.P.
Born: 15th July 1921, Ipswich.
Died: 30th December/1st January 1943; age: 21; MPK.
Residence: 7, Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich.
Rank: Engineman; Service Number: LT/KX 108994.
Regiment: Royal Naval Patrol Service, H.M.S. ‘Fidelity’
Memorial Reference:
Panel 12, Column 2.
Lowestoft,
Suffolk.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Barham & Susan Garnham, of Ipswich.
Father: Barham Garnham, born March 1893, Ipswich – died February 1940, at Borough General Hospital, of 7, Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich.
Mother: Susan Garnham (nee Cooke), born November 1893, Baston, Lincolnshire. Formerly a School Teacher.
ENGLAND & WALES REGISTER 1939
Ivan was living with his parents & brothers at their family home – 7, Humber Doucy Lane, Ipswich.
Barham, a Motor Engine Fitter – Charge Hand.
Susan, unpaid Domestic Duties.
Sydney Jordan Garnham, an Electrical Fitter – Trolley Bus, born March 1920, Ipswich.
Derrick Garnham, a ‘Boy’ Commercial Motor Engineers, born August 1925, Ipswich.
1st January 1943 – H.M.S. ‘Fidelity’
A second Ipswich man on board ALEXANDER FREDERICK HERD
H.M.S. ‘Fidelity’ was built in 1920 by H & C Grayston Ltd., Garston, Liverpool, Lancashire, for a French Merchant company in Marseilles and named “Le Rhin”. She was taken over by the British in June 1940 and converted to an S.S.V. (Special Service Vessel). In September 1941, she was re-named H.M.S. ‘Fidelity’ and armed with four 4-inch guns, four torpedo tubes, two Kingfisher seaplanes, two landing craft vehicles and a motor torpedo boat. On the 30th December 1942, Commander Claude Andre Michel Péri (Costa) and his crew had on board Royal Marines of ‘T’ Company and survivors from S.S. ‘Empire Shackleton’ (torpedoed and sunk on the 29th December). Their route from Cape Town to Colombo, India, to join the Eastern Fleet to carry out raids against the Japanese. At 16.38hrs, she was hit by two torpedoes from U-435 (Siegfried Strelow) and sank immediately off the Azores. 274 crew members, 51 Royal Marines and 43 survivors were lost. 10 survivors.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/20/a7804820.shtml
http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/2560.html
CWGC website gives the date of the sinking as January 1st, 1943.
Leave a Reply