Trafford

Native of Ashton on Mersey attended St. Mary's School and a member of Sale
Harriers.    Married soon after the outbreak of war.

Spent nearly a year on the S.S. Botania before transferring to the S.S.
Empire Merlin - served only nine weeks on that ship before it was sunk.

Originally named West Isleta it was built in 1919, its gross register
tonnage of 5,680, it was 423ft long, 54ft wide and could make 11 knots.   
An American owned steamer, in 1940 it was on charter to the British
Ministry of War Transport and re-named Empire Merlin.

West of Scotland, 90 miles E by N of the Flannan Isles travellng from Port
Sulpher, Louisiana to Hull, with a cargo of 6,830 tons of sulphur, in
convoy HX65A, comprising 51 ships, she was torpedoed amidships by U-48
causing an explosion in the engine room and sank within half a minute in
position 58 30N 10 15W.     There was only the one survivor (a 17 year old
2nd Gunner from Bradford, Manchester), rescued by H.M. Corvette Godetia,
the remaining crew of 32 were lost - many of whom were from the
north-west.

Listed as J. Wesley on Town Memorial.