Leslie Cottle – Merchant Navy, S.S. Beaverdale

Ordinary Seaman Leslie Cottle – Merchant Navy, S.S. Beaverdale

Early Life

Leslie Cottle was born in 1923 in Swansea. Little is recorded about his early life, but like many young men of his generation, he later entered service with the Merchant Navy, joining the civilian seafarers who played a vital role in sustaining Britain during the Second World War.

Service in the Merchant Navy

Leslie served as an Ordinary Seaman, undertaking essential deck duties that supported the safe running of the ship. His recorded address was 24 Guinness Buildings, London, indicating that by the time of his service he had moved from Swansea to the capital, a common step for those seeking work in Britain’s major ports.

S.S. Beaverdale 
credit - wrecksite

He served aboard the S.S. Beaverdale, a 9,957‑ton British steam merchant ship built in 1928 and operated by Canadian Pacific Steamships Ltd. The vessel was engaged in transatlantic supply routes, carrying general cargo from St. John, New Brunswick, via Halifax, to Liverpool—a journey fraught with danger during the height of the Battle of the Atlantic.

Sinking of the S.S. Beaverdale – 1^st April 1941

On 1^st–2^nd April 1941, while sailing in the North Atlantic, the Beaverdale came under attack by the German submarine U‑48, fired a torpedo which struck the vessel with devastating force, causing her to sink, far out in the North Atlantic.

Of the 79 crew members on board, 21 were lost, including Ordinary Seaman Leslie Cottle. The remaining 58 survivors were rescued. The sinking was one of many inflicted by U‑boats during this period, when merchant ships faced relentless danger from submarine patrols.

Death and Commemoration

Merchant Seamen Deaths

Leslie Cottle
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources
The Merchant Navy Memorial 

According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths register, Leslie Cottle lost his life on 1^st April 1941 when the S.S. Beaverdale was sunk by enemy action. As he has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, which honours the thousands of Merchant Navy personnel who died at sea during both world wars.