Isaac Helfgott

Cabin Boy, S.S. St. Elwyn
Died 28 Nov 1940
Commemorated at Tower Hill Memorial
Age 24


The CWGC records state that Isaac was the son of Joseph Helfgott and of Anna Helfgott (nee Pchetiscka); husband of Bacia Helfgott (nee Fajsztak), of Croisades, Brussels, Belgium. He was born in 1916 in Antwerp, Belgium and his Merchant Navy records give his address as 43 Offerande Street, Antwerp. Archives in Belgium have the record of Anna (Hana) with four sons, Abraham, Eliezer, Isaac and Israel. Please contact us if you can provide further information about his life and family.

Isaac was a cabin boy on the S.S. St Elwyn which was travelling from Hull with a cargo of coal. At 20.24 hours on 28 Nov 1940 the St Elwyn from convoy OB-249 was hit near the bridge by one torpedo from U-103 about 500 miles east of Bishop Rock. The U-boat had spotted the ship at 09.51 hours and had to overtake her again after a first submerged attack failed due to the zigzag course. The ship sank by the stern after being hit in the engine room at 20.27 hours. The master and 23 crew members were lost. 16 crew members were picked up by the British merchant Leeds City and landed at Gourock.