Stoker Wilfred Tubman, R.N. (HMMTB 602)
(Top): Stoker Wilfred Tubman, P/KX 137260.
[One of 7 crew of HMMTB 602 K.I.A. on 29 March 1944]
(Bottom): Wilfred Tubman's headstone
[Whitehaven Cemetery, Cumberland (now Cumbria)]
For additional information click on 'Comments' below
posted by ritsonvaljos at 3:23 pm
3 Comments:
Additional information
(a) Some biographical information
Stoker Wilfred Tubman was born in the Sedgefield district of Co Durham in 1922. He was the second son of William Tubman and Emma Tubman (nee Mitchell). His elder brother was John Tubman. Wilfred Tubman was raised by his aunt and uncle, Mr J. and Mrs Martha Oldfield, at Whitehaven, Cumberland (now Cumbria).
During WW2 the family home was at 6 West Row, Kells, Whitehaven. In the early part of the war Wilfred Tubman worked as an electrician "... at a Cumberland factory". This may have been one of the Ordnance Factories, such as Drigg R.O.F. In 1941 he joined a Royal Navy motor torpedo boat squadron, and was serving on HMMTB 602 when he was killed in action on 29 March 1944, aged 21. His death was the result of "... surface action with the enemy."
According to a local newspaper report of Stoker Tubman's death and funeral service "... in the service he was popular because of his keenness and cheerfulness ..." His aunt and uncle received a large number of letters of sympathy and many floral tributes. It was a sad day, if a proud one, for the loss of someone so well-liked.
Stoker Tubman's funeral took place at the Whitehaven Town Mission. This mission building overlooks Whitehaven harbour and the high seas beyond - fitting, perhaps, because he had given his life to keep land and sea free. After the funeral service Stoker Tubman was laid to rest in Whitehaven Cemetery (Grave Ref. 5 / E / 221).
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(b) CWGC citation
This is Stoker Wilfred Tubman's citation listed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Wilfred Tubman, Casualty Details
Name: TUBMAN, WILFRED
Initials: W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Stoker 1st Class
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.M.T.B. 602
Age: 21
Date of Death: 29/03/1944
Service No: P/KX 137260
Additional information: Son of William and Emma Tubman;
Nephew of Martha Oldfield, of Kells, Whitehaven.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Ward 5. Sec. E. New ground. Grave 221.
Cemetery: WHITEHAVEN CEMETERY, Cumberland
The epitaph on Wilfred Tubman's headstone, chosen by his family, reads as follows:
"For ever with the Lord".
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(c) Other HMMTB 602 casualties
(29 March 1944)
Below are the details of the other six crew members of HMMTB 602 who were KIA on 29 March 1944. Although they served together, lived on board together and died together their final resting places are far apart, close to their families. Here again, they can be found in one place.
1. Able Seaman Elijah BUCKINGHAM,
Service No: P/JX 324788
Buried: Stanley, Co Durham
2. Ordinary Seaman Andrew HOLMES,
Service No: P/JX 514085
Buried: Dalziel (Airbles) Cemetery, nr. Motherwell, Lanarkshire.
3. Able Seaman Kenneth Winston ODELL,
Service No: P/SSX 31186
Buried: Bitterne (Holy Saviour) Churchyard, Bitterne, nr Southampton, Hampshire.
4. Ordinary Seaman Walter Ernest SELBY,
Service No: C/JX 379838
Buried: Plumstead Cemetery, London
5. Acting Leading Seaman Ronald Symons,
Service No: D/SSX 24764
Buried: Newhaven Cemetery, Sussex.
6. Able Seaman Stanley TOWNDROW,
Service No: P/JX 313124
Buried: Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery, Lancashire.
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(d) CWGC details for six of the HMMTB 602 casualties of 29.03.1944:
1. Elijah Buckingham, Casualty Details;
Name: BUCKINGHAM, ELIJAH
Initials: E
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.M.T.B. 602.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 29/03/1944
Service No: P/JX324788
Additional information: Son of Alfred and Margaret Buckingham, of South Moor, Stanley.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 670.
Cemetery: SOUTH MOOR (ST. GEORGE) CHURCHYARD, Co Durham.
2. Andrew Holmes, Casualty Details:
Name: HOLMES, ANDREW
Initials: A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.M.T.B. 602
Age: 19
Date of Death: 29/03/1944
Service No: P/JX514085
Additional information: Son of Andrew and Emily Little Holmes, of Motherwell.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. C. Grave 502.
Cemetery: DALZIEL (AIRBLES) CEMETERY, Lanarkshire.
3. Kenneth Winston Odell, Casualty Details:
Name: ODELL, KENNETH WINSTON
Initials: K W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.M.T.B. 602
Age: 21
Date of Death: 29/03/1944
Service No: P/SSX 31186
Additional information: Son of William Samuel and Mary Jane Odell, of Bitterne, Southampton.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 4. Row 12. Grave 5.
Cemetery: BITTERNE (HOLY SAVIOUR) CHURCHYARD, Southampton, Hampshire
4. Walter Ernest Selby, Casualty Details:
Name: SELBY, WALTER ERNEST
Initials: W E
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.M.T.B. 602.
Age: 19
Date of Death: 29/03/1944
Service No: C/JX 379838
Additional information: Son of Walter Alfred and Ellen Beatrice Rose Selby, of Welling, Kent.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. M. Grave 1289.
Cemetery: PLUMSTEAD CEMETERY, London
5. Ronald Symons, Casualty Details:
Name: SYMONS, RONALD
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Leading Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.M.T.B. 602
Age: 22
Date of Death: 29/03/1944
Service No: D/SSX24764
Additional information: Son of Clara Symons.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Grave 612.
Cemetery: NEWHAVEN CEMETERY, Sussex
6. Stanley Towndrow, Casualty Details:
Name: TOWNDROW, STANLEY
Initials: S
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
Unit Text: H.M.M.T.B. 602
Age: 22
Date of Death: 29/03/1944
Service No: P/JX 313124
Additional information: Son of Benjamin Earle Towndrow and Mary Towndrow, of Everton, Liverpool.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. 12. C. of E. Grave 346A.
Cemetery: LIVERPOOL (ANFIELD) CEMETERY, Lancashire.
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(e) Acknowledgements:
Cumbria County Archives & Library Service
(Whitehaven records Office)
'The Whitehaven News'
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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