Able Seaman D/JX 290437 Wilfred Kelly

Family details:
Son of Thomas and Mary Kelly, of Clock Face, St. Helens.

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately Wilfred and one other member of the household are redacted. Father Thomas Kelly born 05/05/1876 a Colliery Hewer, mother Mary Kelly born 16/04/1890 an Unpaid Domestic are living at 156 Gartons Lane, Clock Face, St Helens. Also at the address is Hilda O'Brien (Newman?) born 29/11/1909 an Unpaid Domestic.

Notes:
[url=lmem.php?lmem=1]Remembered on All Saints War Memorial, Sutton, St Helens[/url]

[pic]imgs/WW2_misc/WW2_ROH_290437_Wilfred_Kelly.jpg[/pic] [quote]In the preparations for D-Day it was realised that tugs would pay a key role in in creating the artificial ports. There was however a critical shortage of tugs. Dutch tugs had been used for Sea Rescue in the Irish Sea and the Atlantic. Three had been lost by the end of 1940. Beginning in April 1944 HM Tug [i]Roode Zee[/i] was based at Tilbury, close the mouth of the Thames. On 21 April the [i]Roode Zee[/i] with other tugs collected some [url=http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.98/chapterId/2185/Fighting-back-the-port-the-Thames-and-the-liberation-of-Europe.html][i][b]Phoenix[/b][/i][b] Caissons[/b][/url] for the Mulberry Harbours and landing craft in Dungeness to tow to Portsmouth. These transports took place at night to avoid German attention on the French shores. The biggest danger, however, came from the German [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-boat][i][b]Schnellboote[/b][/i][/url] (E Boats). One of these, Schnellboot S100, struck on the night of 24 April, hitting [i]Roode Zee[/i] with a torpedo in the oil bunker. There was a heavy explosion and a large flame flew into the air and the tug sank directly. None of the fifteen crew members, nor the six Royal Navy men aboard survived this attack.[/quote] Source: [url=http://www.leatherheadlocalhistory.org.uk/Ashtead-War-Memorials/AshteadWM-DooyewaardHO-story.htm]http://www.leatherheadlocalhistory.org.uk/Ashtead-War-Memorials/AshteadWM-DooyewaardHO-story.htm [pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/W_Kelly.jpg[/pic] [caption]The headstone of Able Seaman Wilfred Kelly at Sutton St Annes Churchyard. (Photo courtesy of Jeff Keenan)[/caption][/url]