Tom Tickner
British Merchant Navy

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Tom Tickner, British Merchant Navy veteran of World War II, died suddenly in Charleston, South Carolina, on August 13, 1998. Born July 17, 1923, he was 75 years old.

Tom sailed as a volunteer member of the deck crew on the BROWN for many years.

When Tom was 19 years old he was a cabin boy on the British merchant ship SS MARGOT (4,545 tons). She was carrying a cargo of tanks, planes and explosives when, on May 23, 1942, at 8:40 pm, she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-588 just off New York (39N/68W).

The U-boat, under the command of Kptlt. Viktor Vogel, struck the MARGOT with a single torpedo, then surfaced and fired its machine gun as a signal to surrender the ship. The MARGOT's crew took to lifeboats and at 10:03 pm the U-588 sank the MARGOT by gunfire.

The U-558 the maneuvered alongside Tom's lifeboat to question the survivors and give them a bottle of rum. When he found that the MARGOT's captain was in the other lifeboat, he went over and gave them a bottle of rum also. During this time one of the officers on the U-boat filmed the events with a motion picture camera. An Italian officer on the submarine told the survivors that he had been authorized by the Pope to give absolution to any Catholics among the crew members. The MARGOT's captain asked Vogel for a tow to shore but was told that there was no time, and U-558 sailed away. Four days later, Tom and the other survivors were rescued by the Swedish freighter SAGOLAND, brought back to New York, and then returned to Great Britain.

U-588 was sunk just over two months later on July 31, 1942, in the North Atlantic, in position 49.59N, 36.36W, by depth charges from the Canadian corvette HMCS WETASKIWIN and the destroyer HMCS SKEENA. All 46 U-boat crewmen died.

Later in the war, Tom had risen to Able Seaman and was sailing in convoy to the United States. The ship suffered engine trouble and dropped out to make repairs. While Tom's ship was straggling, the convoy was attacked by a U-boat wolfpack and suffered heavy losses. Once the engine was fixed, Tom was at the helm as the ship tried to catch up with the remaining ships. With the ship unable to stop to render assistance because of the U-boats, Tom had to steer through the wreckage, which included bodies and the survivors struggling in the water.

The experience of having to leave fellow seamen to their fate impacted Tom for the rest of his life. The one job Tom refused to do on the BROWN was to man the helm.

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On this trip back from Charleston, Tom had arranged for a memorial service and wreath-laying to be held at the position where a number of British merchant ships, including the EMPIRE GEM, went down during World War II.

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While enroute to a Charleston restaurant with fellow crew members, Tom suffered a heart attack. He was revived and taken to a local hospital. While at the hospital he suffered a second heart attack and died.

It was the wish of Tom's family that Tom be reunited with his fellow shipmates. His remains were buried at sea, along with the wreath that he was to lay, at the memorial service he had organised.

While the burial service was taking place on the BROWN, just off the coast of North Carolina, his family in England was laying another wreath in his memory from their boat on the River Thames, just off Hampton Court near London. His children and grandchildren were present as well as family from Canada. The wreath was dropped and the boats lowered their flags to the water in tribute.