Reply To: John Henry Brook (1917-1942) [Fourth Engineer Officer, Merchant Navy] ✓
Huddersfield Examiner 19 December 1942, page 8:
Presumed Drowned: Ship Overdue
Fourth Engineer-Officer John Henry Brook, of the Merchant Navy, who was reported missing in March this year is now officially presumed drowned. The news was received by his wife, who lives at 45, Broadlands Meltham.
Fourth Engineer-Officer Brook, who was twenty-four years of age, had been in the Merchant Navy since February, 1938. He was torpedoed six months after the outbreak of war while returning from the West Indies. After being in an open boat for nine hours with other members of the crew he was rescued by a destroyer.
The last ship in which he served had been overdue since January of this year and did not reach her first port of call.
Fourth Engineer-Officer Brook was educated at Marsden Council School, and on leaving was employed as a mechanic at Smith’s Garage, Marsden. Later he went to I.C.I. (Dyestuffs) as an engineer and was there until he joined the Merchant Navy. He attended Meltham Wesleyan Church, where he was a member of the choir. His parents live at 28, Mill Moor, Meltham. He leaves a son three months old.