Dixon, James Cartner (James)

Gunner

No. 3599804, 5/3 Maritime Regiment, Royal Artillery

Killed in action at sea on Saturday 17 January 1942 (aged 21)

No known grave

Commemorated:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, England (Panel 67 Column 2)

Dixon family headstone in Redburn Cemetery, Holywood, Co Down

BIOGRAPHY

Gunner James Cartner Dixon (No. 3599804) is commemorated on the Dixon family grave headstone in Redburn Cemetery (Plot 380), Holywood.  He was born in the second quarter of 1920 in Workington, Cumberland (his mother’s maiden name was Stephenson), he lived in Workington and during the Second World War he served with 5/3 Regiment, Royal Artillery.  He was 21 when he was killed in action at sea on 17 January 1942.  His body was never recovered, and he is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial in Kent.

Gunner James Cartner Dixon’s wife Rose, who lived at 34 Church Road, Holywood, was 88 when she died on 23 December 1989 and the headstone in Redburn Cemetery (only the one burial in the grave) bears the inscription:

R.I.P.

SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY ON THEIR SOULS

Gunner James Cartner Dixon (No. 3599804) is listed as having been aboard the British steam merchant ship SS Culebra when he was killed.  This ship was built in 1919 as the SS War Mirage by Irvine’s Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company Ltd., West Hartlepool and later renamed SS Riposto.  The SS Culebra was on route from London to Jamaica via Bermuda carrying a general cargo that included aircraft parts when she was attacked and sunk by shells fired from the German submarine U-123.  She was dispersed from Convoy ON-53, her position in the North Atlantic was east-northeast of Bermuda and 45 lives were lost.

Records vary as to the date of the sinking with both 17 January 1942 (CWGC and Deaths at Sea Register) and 25 January 1942 (uboat.net) being reported.