Monday, May 06, 2013

British Cemetery Ceremony

On May 11, 1942 the British armed trawler, HMT Bedfordshire, was struck by a torpedo from a German U-boat. The Bedfordshire sank quickly. All hands were lost. Several days later the bodies of four crew members washed up on the beach at Ocracoke -- Sub-Lieutenant Thomas Cunningham, Telegraphist Stanley Craig, and two others who remain unidentified. The were buried on the island on land donated by the David Williams family.

British Cemetery, 1942















Every year since then islanders, members of the US Coast Guard, and/or representatives from other services (US, British, Canadian, & German) gather to recognize the ultimate sacrifice made by the crew of the Bedfordshire and others in order to protect our shores.

This year the annual ceremony will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, May 10 at the British Cemetery. Everyone is invited to attend.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of our island Post Office. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042113.htm.
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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:10 PM

    enough said, Thank You.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:17 PM

    Philip, have you previously written at length on this subject, perhaps even a newsletter entry? If so, might you be able to post a link? Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Philip8:40 AM

      Actually, I have never written a full account of the sinking of the Bedfordshire (at least nothing that has yet been published, although I have written a chapter for a yet-to-be-published book). More information is available on line, and in the books, Ocracokers, and The Story of Ocracoke Island.

      Delete

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