1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45 - unnamed as awarded with award condolence slip and in original box of issue addressed to Mrs S Slater, 45 Ferguson's Lane, W. Benwell, N/Tyne.
Thomas Matthews Slater was born in Gateshead in 1915. He joined the Merchant Navy in 1934 and was Killed in Action when the SS Radhurst was torpedoed and sunk on 21.2.1943.
According to the 1939 Register he was living at 117 Trewhitt Road in Newcastle and was an Electrical Insulator/Heavy Worker.
Slater's vessel, the Radhurst, had a previous close shave when, on 19 Jul 1942, she rammed in thick fog the Norwegian steam merchant Havørn (Master Engel Hansen Holme) just off Prairie Light in St. Lawrence. The Norwegian ship of 1478 tons was struck on the port side forward of the engine room and sank after the crew had abandoned ship and rowed to shore.
But it was at 05.08 hours on 20 Feb 1943 that she ran out of luck. She was unescorted under Master Charles Faulkner Linton, and a straggler from convoy ONS-165, when she was hit by one of two fired torpedoes from U-525 about 500 miles north-northwest of St. John’s, Newfoundland. The torpedo struck amidships and caused the ship to sink within three minutes. The master, 37 crew members and four gunners were lost.
Slater was one of the lives lost that day. He is remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial.
Medals are in good condition unless otherwise indicated. Sold with some research.
