1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45 - unnamed as awarded with condolence award slip in original box of issue addressed to Mrs A Cahill, 4 Glendower Road, Waterloo, Liverpool.
Edmund Cahill was born in Waterloo, Liverpool in 1910. He served with the Merchant Navy as a 3rd Engineer and was Killed in Action aboard SS Nerissa when she was torpedoed and sunk on 30 April 1941.
At 00.27 hours on 1 May 1941 the unescorted Nerissa (Master Gilbert Radcliffe Watson), a straggler from convoy HX-121, was torpedoed and sunk by U-552 southeast of Rockall. The master, 82 crew members, two gunners and 124 passengers were lost. 30 crew members, five gunners, 53 passengers and three stowaways were picked up by HMS Veteran (D 72) (Cdr W.T. Couchman, OBE, RN), transferred to HMS Kingcup (K 33) (LtCdr R.A.D. Cambridge, DSC, RNR) and landed at Londonderry. She had a 175 passengers and 3049 tons of general cargo, including aluminium, motor trucks and shells on board and was en route from Halifax to Liverpool.
The book, S.S. Nerissa, the final crossing (page 202) states that, "With the exception of T. White, the entire Engineering Department were casualties. Those on duty in the engine room were instantly killed when the first torpedo exploded into the engine room and those off duty would likely have been asleep in their quarters aft and near the engine room on C Deck which quickly flooded."
Medals are in good condition unless otherwise indicated. Sold with some research and a book entitled S.S. Nerissa, the Final Crossing
