Leading Seaman D/SSX 27679 George Eric McMiken

Family details:
Son of George and Elizabeth McMiken, of St. Helens, Lancashire.

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately George E is redacted. Father George McMiken born 03/11/1894 a Glass Beveller (Heavy Worker), mother Elsie McMiken born 27/03/1911 an Unpaid Domestic and brother Gordon McMiken born 09/02/1931 At School are living at 12 Windsor Road, St Helens. Also at the address is William Twist born 29/03/1896 a General Labourer (Heavy Worker).

Notes:
[url=lmem.php?lmem=28]Remembered on St Lukes War Memorial, Knowsley Road.[/url]

[b]LST.420[/b], [b]The Royal Navy, Tank landing ship[/b] Class LST, Pennant LST 420 Built by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard Inc. (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.) Laid down 6 Nov, 1942, Launched 5 Dec, 1942, Commissioned 15 Feb, 1943. Lost 7 Nov, 1944. - Mined and sunk in the English Channel. The LST was a British landing vessel build on an American shipyard. The ship was launched on November 6th 1942 from the "Bethlehem Faifield " shipyard at Baltimore. The LST was 109 meters long, 16,5 meters wide, measured 1.625 Brt. and was able to do 10 knots. On November 7th 1944, the LST was on the way from Dover to Ostend along with the LST 405, 367, 320 and 200. On board they had trucks and supplies for the RAF-personnel. A severe storm was going on that night and the access to the port of Ostend was denied. Therefore, the convoy was forced to change course and go to Small Downs in the Thames mouth. On the way, the LST had a collision whit a German mine close to the bow and broke in two parts. 55 soldiers and an unknown number of passengers lost there lives that night. This was the greatest loss of human lives on a British landing craft during WW2 [center][pic2]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/McMiken_zps7d1fa77c.jpg[/pic2][/center][caption]The panel on the Plymouth Naval Memorial bearing the name of Leading Seaman George Eric McMiken[/caption]