Author Topic: NICHOLAS ANTONIOU, Merchant Navy  (Read 706 times)

Offline trevalyn

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NICHOLAS ANTONIOU, Merchant Navy
« on: Thursday 16 May 19 14:35 BST (UK) »
NICHOLAS ANTONIOU, Merchant Navy, probably born Cyprus, died on 31 Dec 1939 when the ss Box Hill hit a mine off the mouth of the Humber. It is understood his body was brought ashore at Hull. His name is recorded on the Tower Hill Memorial.
Does anyone out there have any info. as to where this man is buried? No trace in Hull City Council records.

This research is being done on behalf of the In From the Cold Project

Offline nanny jan

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Re: NICHOLAS ANTONIOU, Merchant Navy
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 16 May 19 14:42 BST (UK) »
The Tower Hill memorial is for those with 'no grave but the sea'.

https://www.cwgc.org/find/find-cemeteries-and-memorials/90002/tower-hill-memorial
Howard , Viney , Kingsman, Pain/e, Rainer/ Rayner, Barham, George, Wakeling (Catherine), Vicary (Frederick)   all LDN area/suburbs  Ottley/ MDX,
Henman/ KNT   Gandy/LDN before 1830  Burgess/LDN
Barham/SFK   Rainer/CAN (Toronto) Gillians/CAN  Sturgeon/CAN (Vancouver)
Bailey/LDN Page/KNT   Paling/WA (var)



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Offline seaweed

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Re: NICHOLAS ANTONIOU, Merchant Navy
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 16 May 19 16:44 BST (UK) »
As already stated by nanny jan the Tower Hill Memorial is for those With no grave but the sea.
However CWGC have been known to make mistakes and oversights.
There is nothing in the Survivors Report  indicating that bodies were brought ashore for burial. Three men were injured?
The only documents that may give any clues is the last Logbook and Crew Agreement of BOXHILL. Official number 144931. These documents are available from the British National Archives, in the piece BT381/180
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11025952

If you need a copy of the survivors report. Just send your email address via PM. Too large to attach.
Dim ateb yn well nag ateb anghywir. Nid oes dim yn ddall fel rhai nad ydynt yn dymuno gweld

RIP Roger 10 August 2022

Offline nanny jan

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Re: NICHOLAS ANTONIOU, Merchant Navy
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 16 May 19 16:45 BST (UK) »
There is no death registration under his name on GRO; where did the information about his body being brought ashore come from?
Howard , Viney , Kingsman, Pain/e, Rainer/ Rayner, Barham, George, Wakeling (Catherine), Vicary (Frederick)   all LDN area/suburbs  Ottley/ MDX,
Henman/ KNT   Gandy/LDN before 1830  Burgess/LDN
Barham/SFK   Rainer/CAN (Toronto) Gillians/CAN  Sturgeon/CAN (Vancouver)
Bailey/LDN Page/KNT   Paling/WA (var)



All census look-ups are crown copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline seaweed

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Re: NICHOLAS ANTONIOU, Merchant Navy
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 16 May 19 17:10 BST (UK) »
A newspaper report? says "The body landed was that of a naturalised Greek named Nick".
Scroll down to BOXHILL.
http://www.benjidog.co.uk/Tower%20Hill/Bonnington%20Court%20to%20Brabant.html
Have you checked other Humber ports, Grimsby, Goole, Immingham etc. for details of his interment.
Dim ateb yn well nag ateb anghywir. Nid oes dim yn ddall fel rhai nad ydynt yn dymuno gweld

RIP Roger 10 August 2022

Offline seaweed

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Re: NICHOLAS ANTONIOU, Merchant Navy
« Reply #5 on: Friday 17 May 19 12:38 BST (UK) »
I contacted Billy Magee, The Merchant Navy Association Archivist, for his opinion.
His reply.
"Regarding the Box Hill, there is nothing more I can add apart from the possibility that the man in question was cremated, which would be the reason he is commemorated on Tower Hill. I know of 14 such cases of cremations being put on Tower Hill including Douglas Crichton from the North Devon who died in hospital and his body was later cremated. The CWGC might be able to confirm this for this man in question themselves."

Poster Hmac added
"Almost certainly the man named Nick would be Nicholas Antoniou. I agree with Billy about the possibility of cremation and I will continued to look for further information on that one. There are no clues on the DAS register to indicate he was buried ashore and there is no indication on his CR1 and CR2 cards of his demise.

First British foreign voyage was on POZARICA in July 1938 and he joined BOXHILL in August 1939. I cannot access the newspaper report at this time but I suspect it only states what you already know.

His Dis.A was R168948 and his dob was 2/5/1905."
Dim ateb yn well nag ateb anghywir. Nid oes dim yn ddall fel rhai nad ydynt yn dymuno gweld

RIP Roger 10 August 2022

Offline trevalyn

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Re: NICHOLAS ANTONIOU, Merchant Navy
« Reply #6 on: Friday 17 May 19 14:51 BST (UK) »
A very interesting case; I wasn't previously aware of the "Tower Hill/no grave but the sea" scenario. I will pursue the cremation possibility. In the meantime I am most grateful to Seaweed and Nanny Jan for your help and advice.