Christopher Branegan
Able Seaman Christopher Branegan – Merchant Navy, S.S. Fort-La-Corne
Early Life
Christopher Branegan was born in 1880 in
Liverpool, the son of William Branegan and Eleanor Burnes, who
had married in 1874 at St. Mary’s Church, Edge Hill, Lancashire.
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| 1881 Census |
At the time of the 1881 Census, the Branegan family was living at Northumberland Street, 10 St John’s Place. William, aged 28, was a baker, and Eleanor, also 28, managed the home. Their children were William (6), Alfred (3), and Christopher (1).
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| 1901 Census |
By the 1901 Census, the family had moved to 3 & 5 Derby Street, Garston, Wides. William, now 45, continued his trade as a baker, while Eleanor, aged 43, kept house. Their children living at home included William James (25), also a baker; Christopher (23), employed as a riveter; Joseph (20), an apprentice moulder; Charles (18), an iron driller; Esther (15); Florence (13); and John (11). Also in the household was boarder Thomas Brown, an iron driller.
Career at Sea
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| Fleswick crew list |
In 1908, Christopher first sought work at sea, serving as a cook aboard the Fleswick.
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| 1911 Census |
The 1911 Census shows him back at the family home at 57 Window Lane, Garston, where William and Eleanor, both 59, were still living. Christopher, aged 31, and his brother Joseph (27) were employed as dock labourers. Also present were Charles (23), a labourer; Esther (20); Mary Frances (18); and John (16).
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| Lavinia crew list |
In January 1912, Christopher served briefly as an Able Seaman aboard the Lavinia, for 12 days.
Military Service
During the First World War, Christopher enlisted in
the King’s Liverpool Regiment, where he rose to the rank of Lance
Corporal. He was discharged in December 1918.
Later Years
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| San Salvador Passenger lists - New Orleans, Louisiana |
In the interwar period, Christopher returned to sea. In 1926, he sailed to New Orleans, Louisiana, aboard the San Salvador. Three years later, in 1929, he married Mary E. Guy in Swansea.
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| South Wales Daily Post |
Death
On 11th March 1946, Christopher, aged 69,
and living at 14 Tanymarian Road, Mayhill, died while serving as an Able
Seaman with the Merchant Navy, listed as a crew member of the S.S.
Fort-La-Corne.
The S.S. Fort-La-Corne was a British steam merchant
ship of about 7,133 gross register tons, built by North Vancouver
Ship Repairs Ltd. in British Columbia and completed on 13 August 1942.
Though constructed in Canada for the US War Shipping Administration, the
vessel was placed under a bareboat charter to the UK’s Ministry of
War Transport (MoWT) and managed from London by McCowan & Gross Ltd.
Registered in London and sailing under the British flag, the ship was part of
the wartime merchant fleet that maintained vital supply routes. Its service was
cut short on 30th March 1943, when it was torpedoed and
sunk by the German submarine U-596 in the Mediterranean Sea,
at approximately 36°52′N, 1°47′E.
Although the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
recorded his age as 66, other records confirm that he was slightly
older. The cause of death was not noted in the Merchant Seamen Deaths,
1939–1953 records.
Burial
Christopher Branegan was buried at Danygraig
Cemetery, Swansea.Christopher Branegan
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave
Legacy
Though Christopher Branegan’s life was marked by hard
labour at home and long service at sea, his story reflects the resilience of
ordinary working men whose lives bridged two world wars. From his early years
in Liverpool, through his military service with the King’s Liverpool
Regiment, to his later role as a Merchant Navy seaman, Christopher’s
life demonstrates both perseverance and adaptability.
His burial at Danygraig Cemetery ensures his memory
endures alongside many others who gave their lives in service, whether in
uniform or at sea. Despite the passing years and the limited surviving records,
Christopher remains part of the wider legacy of those who carried Britain’s
maritime lifelines and bore the burdens of war and peace alike.
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