Whitewright, Edmund Ireland

Date of birth:: May 4th, 1885
Date of death:: 1959
Nationality:: British

Biography

Edmund Whitewright was a Marine Engineer with the Clyde Shipping Company and served in the Merchant Marine in both the First and Second World War. During the Second World War he was Chief Engineer on the SS Rathlin, a Clyde Shipping Company ship and was used as a rescue ship on both the Atlantic and Russian convoys.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Chief Engineer
Unit:: S.S. Rathlin, Clyde Shipping Company, Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Awarded on:: January 19th, 1943

Citation:
"For courageous and devoted rescue work and for skill in shooting down two enemy aircraft, during the passage of an important convoy to Archangel through the dangers of ice and heavy seas, and in the face of relentless attacks by the Enemy."

LG 35870/396.
Note in his own diary:

July 2nd 1942.

At about 18.00 (6.0pm) a tremendous attack was launched in the convoy by a number of Heinkel 177 torpedo carrying aircraft. They attacked from astern of the convoy on our starboard quarter. We were advantageously placed and were one of the first ships to open fire and a terrific barrage was put up by all our guns which helped to turn the planes to port and all except the leader (who pressed his attack to the heart of the convoy) turned away and dropped their torpedoes, at least five of which narrowly missed us. Hits were obtained by all guns on several planes and many witnesses aboard state that two of the aircraft were definitely set on fire by us and later seen to crash after several shells from the Bofors gun and numerous rounds from the port and amidships Oerlikons had entered the fuselage. No damage or casualties were sustained by the "Rathlin".