John James Hancock

 

M.V. British Liberty

The turn of the new year, 1940, the M.V. British Liberty (London) was sunk.

M.V. British Liberty was a British registered motor tanker of 8,485 grt. On the 6^th of January, French by Tug Commander Thomas Salomont of the brave but unfortunately unsuccessful attempt by the tugs Dogue and Trapu to rescue the MV British Liberty and its crew. M.V. British Liberty hit a mine at 16:20 in fog, however the ship did not immediately sink. That evening, the tugs attempted to tow the M.V. British Liberty out of the minefield but unfortunately the MV British Liberty hit another mine while being towed. The following series of explosions sank the M.V. British Liberty killing all those aboard.

The names of the crew that lost their lives in the sinking are

 

Surname	Forenames	Rank	Age	Additional Information
Baker	Walter	Chief Steward	45	Son of Walter and Rose Baker; husband of S. Baker of Bristol.
Bennett	Cyril Ernest Vare	Engineer Officer	21	Son of Mrs. F. E. Bennett of Sholing Southampton.
Bowen	James Griffiths	Able Seaman	32
Brown	George	Cook	21	Son of James and Elizabeth Brown of Roker Sunderland Co. Durham.
Butler	David	Greaser	44
Clemo	Howard Courtney	Cook	31
French	Charles James Anthony	Able Seaman	32	Son of Martin and Catherine Hunkin; husband of Doreen Catherine French of Falmouth Cornwall.
Grainey	Lawrence	Fifth Engineer Officer	25	Son of John Francis and Kathleen Grainey of Millbrook Stalybridge Cheshire.
Griffiths	Ernest Arthur	Greaser	32
Hancock	John James	Deck Boy	16	Son of Thomas John and Catherine Hancock of Port Tennant Swansea.
Harrison	Ernest	Second Officer	36	Son of Frederick and Isabella Margaret Harrison of Scarborough Yorkshire.
Hebblethwaite	Stephen Robert	Third Officer	24	Son of Stephen J. W. Hebblethwaite and of Eliza May Hebblethwaite of Rochester Kent.
Hodgson	Thomas Webster	2nd Steward	22	Son of Thomas Webster Hodgson and Georgina Hodgson of Hendon Sunderland Co. Durham.
Hope	John	Carpenter	33	Husband of Isabella Bellamy Hope of Sunderland Co. Durham.
Miller	Robert	Second Engineer Officer	44	Son of Robert and Margaret Miller; husband of Elizabeth Miller of Whitley Bay Northumberland. M.I.Mar.E.
Mckenna	John	Greaser	42	Son of Miles and Annie McKenna of South Shields Co. Durham; husband of Mary McKenna of Castle Bromwich Warwickshire.
Patience	Donald	Able Seaman	31	Son of Mr. and Mrs. George Patience of Avoch Ross and Cromarty.
Peace	George Atkinson	Ordinary Seaman	17	Son of Albert and Ellen May Peace of Sunderland Co. Durham.
Richardson	John	Able Seaman	25	Son of Mrs. M. E. Richardson and stepson of Mr. C. J. Coxon of South Shields Co. Durham.
Riley	William	Greaser	35
Robertson	Charles Edwin	Able Seaman	31
Rowell	Albert Edward	Steward	23	Son of Albert Edward and Mry Rowell of Roker Sunderland Co. Durham.
Templeton	Thomas	Master	44	Son of Michael and Jessie Templeton; husband of Margaret Fraser Templeton of Ayr.
Wheeler	Cyril Charles Eyre	Radio Officer	39

 

John James Hancock
M.V. British Liberty 
Tower Hill Memorial
credit - Benjidog Histroical Research Resources.
The Merchant Navy Memorial

John James Hancock, who was 16 at the time of the sinking, so there are no official records of John.  He was the son of Thomas John Hancock and Catherine Healey.

John is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London