A SERVICE of thanksgiving was held recently at the memorial in Poundstock’s St Winwaloe churchyard for those who perished when a Canadian corvette was sunk off the Cornish coast on August 8, 1944.

The three men who are buried in St Winwaloe churchyard are Stoker 1st Class A E Dawson, Stoker Petty Officer W I Cramp and Able Seaman T Dela H Malone.

The service, held on Thursday, August 8, marked the 75th anniversary of their deaths.

In attendance were members of the Marhamchurch branch of the Royal British Legion, representatives from Poundstock Parish Council and the Old Cornwall Society as well as Stuart Biddick, of Delabole, who had been 11 years old when he and his late brother discovered two of the three lost sailor’s bodies buried in the churchyard washed ashore at Millook.

Providing more background information, Marhamchurch British Legion member Mr Trevor Hadlow, who gave the exhortation during the service, said: “It was 75 years ago during the Second World War that a convoy of ships were plying the Atlantic near the Cornish coast, moving food and armament to support the war effort.

“Ships of our Navy and the Commonwealth were guarding the convoy which included the Canadian corvette HMCS Regina. Some six miles off Trevose Head, a convoy ship the Ezra Weston was torpedoed and sunk by a U-boat. The HMCS Regina nearby hove-too in an attempt to rescue survivors. It too was torpedoed and sunk.

“Of the 96 crew, 30 were lost. A day or two later, two young local lads on holiday discovered two of the seamen’s bodies washed up on the beach near ‘Saddle Rock’, Millook.

“The RNLI were called and the bodies recovered. The RNLI also found and recovered a third body at Wanson Beach. All three were buried in this quiet place of the churchyard [pictured].”

Stuart, whose attendance at the service was said to be very poignant, was invited to plant a cross on the graves. Those present also laid wreaths and crosses.