Leonard Franks

Second Radio Officer, S.S. Jonathan Holt
Died 24 Feb 1941
Commemorated at Tower Hill Memorial
Age 29


Leonard was born on 8 February 1912 in Prestwich, Lancashire to Myer and Polish mother Rose nee Freedman and he had a younger brother Harold. Myer had various jobs including a cigarette maker, a draper and a retail manager. The family lived at 264 Clifton Drive, St Anne’s on Sea, and in 1939, Leonard was working as a travelling salesman.

Leonard was the second radio officer on S.S. Jonathan Holt which was a British cargo steamer. On the 24th February 1941 the ship was en route from Liverpool for the West coast of Africa carrying a general cargo. She was torpedoed by U-97 and sunk killing 52 crew with only three survivors.

Jewish Chronicle 1950