COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION

DEBT OF HONOUR REGISTER

In Memory of

CLIFTON JAMES BANKS

Petty Officer

D/J 108986

H.M.S. Niger, Royal Navy

who died on

Monday 6 July 1942. Age 33.

Additional Information:            Son of Frederick Charles and Elizabeth Banks; husband of

                                                      Constance Jane Banks, of St. Budeaux, Devon.

Cemetery:                                   PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL Devon, United Kingdom

Grave or Reference:                     Panel 63, Column 2  

Panel Number:                     

The Memorial is situated centrally on The Hoe which looks directly

towards Plymouth Sound. It is accessible at all times.

NIGER sailed for the UK with Convoy QP13 (35 ships), leaving Murmansk on 27 June as S.O. escort, which by an error of navigation caused by the bad weather, strayed into an allied minefield off Iceland and at 2240hrs. on 5 July 1942 NIGER blew up and sank in position 66.55N, 22.20W. Fog had reduced visibility to 500 yards but HUSSAR eventually obtained a shore fix and led the remaining ships of the convoy (four had been sunk by mines) out of the minefield and reached Reykjavik on 7 July.

The Commanding Officer, 8 officers and 140 ratings perished when NIGER sank; the large casualty list is probably explained by the fact that the ship was carrying naval passengers home from North Russia.

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