The Loss of the SS Almeda Star

This article looks at a file held at the National Archives in London relating to two soldiers who were reported missing when the SS Almeda Star was sunk on 17 January 1941. The file’s catalogue reference is WO 361/126: Casualties at Sea: SS Almeda Star, 17 January 1941; presumption of death of the two military passengers listed as missing. It is one of a series of articles looking at WO 361 files. In addition, I have also written a guide to using the WO 361 series to research both soldiers and units. It is one of a series of articles to help you research soldiers who served in the British Army during the Second World War:

I also offer a Second World War Soldier Research and Document Copying Service.

The Loss of the SS Almeda Star

A photograph of the SS Almeda Star

The SS Almeda Star was a Blue Star Line ocean liner and refrigerated cargo ship which was launched in June 1926. Before the war, the ship sailed between Britain and South America and continued to ply this route after its outbreak. On 15 January 1941, the Almeda Star sailed from Liverpool for the River Plate. There were 360 people on board, including 192 passengers. Of these passengers, 142 were from the Fleet Air Arm bound for Piarco on Trinidad. At 7:45 am on 17 January, the Almeda Star was hit by a torpedo fired by the German submarine U-96 while in the Western Approaches. The ship’s Merchant Shipping Movement Card gives the position it was sunk as 58.16 N 13.40 W, to the north of Rockall. The U-96 hit the Almeda Star with another three torpedoes and also shelled the ship with its 88 mm deck gun. Due to the damage it sustained, the ship sank around 10 am. Lifeboats had been launched by the time the ship sank, but there was a heavy sea. Despite a distress signal from the Almeda Star which brought Royal Navy destroyers to the area, there were no survivors.

On board the Almeda Star were two soldiers from the British Army, and WO 361/126 concerns enquiries into their fate. It is a very small file as it consists of a minute sheet and five short letters. None of the letters provide any information regarding the sinking of the ship. However, one from the War Office names the two military passengers as 2196898 Staff Serjeant Philip Kendall and 2002507 Staff Serjeant Taylor Henry Scrambler of the Royal Engineers. A letter from the General Register and Record Office of Shipping and Seamen does report that “their names do not appear in the List of Passengers and crew rendered to this Office, by the Owners of the s.s. “Almeda Star”. However, other sources confirm they were on board the ship.

Philip Kendall was born on 6 August 1903 at Huddersfield and enlisted in the town on 21 June 1940. He joined the Royal Engineers. Taylor Henry Scrambler had been born at Dunbar on 29 December 1916 and had enlisted at Edinburgh on 16 February 1940. Taylor also joined the Royal Engineers and had spent part of his service with the 281st Field Park Company. He was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects and is commemorated on the Stenton Parish War Memorial. Both soldiers are commemorated on the Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial.