Canadian Virtual War Memorial
James Burke Willoughby
In memory of:
Third Mate James Burke Willoughby
January 20, 1944
Indian Ocean
Military Service
23
Merchant Navy
Canadian Merchant Navy
S.S. Fort Buckingham (London, England) (168436)
Additional Information
January 1, 1921
Victoria, British Columbia
Son of Bruce Marlow Willoughby and Sybil Crawford Cass of Saanich, British Columbia. In the First World War, Bruce enlisted on 6 August 1914 in the East African Militia Rifles of the British Army, regimental number 165, and transferred to the East African Training Corps, regimental number 1595. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
On 20 January 1944, Fort Buckingham was torpedoed at 8:39 pm by U-188 north-west of the Maldive Islands and sank in 10 minutes in position 08°19'N/66°40'E. Of the 89 crew and gunners, the captain, 30 sailors and 7 gunners lost their lives. Six survivors were rescued by the SS Moorby and landed at Fremantel, Australia, on the 29th. On 1 February, 8 survivors were picked up by the SS Kindsdai 400 miles (644 km) west of Kelai, Borneo, and brought back to Melbourne, Australia, on the 22nd. Five other sailors were spotted by a Catalina seaplane and rescued. On 5 February, 28 sailors and 9 gunners were rescued by the SS Ora, which transferred them to HMS Redoudt (H41). They were landed in Bombay, India, on the 9th.
Commemorated on Page 249 of the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.
Burial Information
HALIFAX MEMORIAL
Nova Scotia, Canada
Panel 23.
The HALIFAX MEMORIAL in Nova Scotia's capital, erected in Point Pleasant Park, is one of the few tangible reminders of the men who died at sea. Twenty-four ships were lost by the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War and nearly 2,000 members of the RCN lost their lives. This Memorial was erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and was unveiled in November 1967 with naval ceremony by H.P. MacKeen, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia, in the presence of R. Teillet, then Minister of Veterans Affairs. The monument is a great granite Cross of Sacrifice over 12 metres high, clearly visible to all ships approaching Halifax. The cross is mounted on a large podium bearing 23 bronze panels upon which are inscribed the names of over 3,000 Canadian men and women who were buried at sea. The dedicatory inscription, in French and English, reads as follows:
1918-1945
IN THE HONOUR OF
THE MEN AND WOMEN
OF THE NAVY
ARMY AND MERCHANT NAVY
OF CANADA
WHOSE NAMES
ARE INSCRIBED HERE
THEIR GRAVES ARE UNKNOWN
BUT THEIR MEMORY
SHALL ENDURE.
On June 19, 2003, the Government of Canada designated September 3rd of each year as a day to acknowledge the contribution of Merchant Navy Veterans.
Digital Collection
Do you have photographs or personal memorabilia relating to James Burke Willoughby that you want included in our digital collection?
Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial
To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.
- Date modified: