A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners

Six: Chief Engineer T. Cosgrove, Merchant Navy, who lost his life at the age of 68 years when the S.S. Gripfast was sunk by enemy aircraft off Portland Bill in July 1942

British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals 1914-18 (Thomas Cosgrove); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine or better (6) £180-220

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners.

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Thomas Cosgrove, who was born at Newtown Butler, Co. Fermanagh, in February 1873, served in the Mercantile Marine as an Engineer Officer during the Great War.

A Second Engineer aboard the tramp steamer Athenic on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, he served in two similar vessels in the period leading up to his transfer to his final ship, the Gripfast, as Chief Engineer, in March 1941.

In early July 1942, the Gripfast departed Barry for Sheerness, laden with coal, joining up with coastal convoy WP. 183. Early on the morning of the 8th, the convoy was pounced upon by seven E-Boats with devastating results, some half a dozen ships being sunk or damaged - the Gripfast lowered a boat to pick up survivors from the Norwegian Rosten. But having herself survived this ordeal, Gripfast fell victim to enemy aircraft off Portland Bill soon after dawn, a direct bomb hit sending her to the bottom in just a few minutes - of her 13 crew and five D.E.M.S. gunners, five died, including Cosgrove; so, too, two of the rescued men from the Rosten.

Cosgrove left a widow, Ellen, of Hebburn-on-Tyne, and is commemorated on the Merchant Navy Memorial at Tower Hill, London; sold with a file of research.