Denise Austin, Port Elizabeth
I am involved with research into descendants of the young men and officers of the Royal Navy who lost their lives in one disastrous night on board HMS Neptune in the Mediterranean on December 19 1941.
I have received an email from the Neptune Association asking me to try and track one man.
His name was Ellick Thomas Eustace Burns – known simply as Ellick Burns.
He was married to a South African woman, Maria Aletta Burns and they lived in Cape Town.
He was the son of Thomas and Violet Beatrice Burns.
He was 38 years old when he died and it is quite probable that he had a family living in Cape Town.
There were 764 officers and men who died and the Neptune Association has published several tributes to them.
In many cases – as with Ellick Burns – there is no photograph of him.
If any of your readers recognise the name or have any information to give me, I would appreciate it very much if they would contact me.
My contact details are 041 368 9692, 082 332 1644 or email austindm@absamail.co.za