British tramp steamer SS Ashbury

Greaser Emmanuele Mercieca (1903–1945)

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Emmanuele Mercieca was born on October 8, 1903, in Hamrun, Northern Harbour, Malta, to Francesco Mercieca and Carmela Dimech. He worked as a greaser aboard the British tramp steamer SS Ashbury, a 3,901-ton cargo vessel built in 1924.

On January 8, 1945, tragedy struck when the Ashbury sank at the mouth of Talmine Bay, Scotland—one of the most devastating losses of merchant ships during World War II. Having returned from the Mediterranean late in 1944, the Ashbury was en route to the Tyne for repairs when it encountered a series of misfortunes. Caught in a force nine gale and falling behind its convoy, the ship drifted into dangerous waters near Strathy Point. There, it struck the rocks at Talmine and quickly went down.

Of the 42 crew members on board, Emmanuele Mercieca was among those who perished. Only twenty-seven bodies were eventually recovered, and fourteen crew members, including Emmanuele, were laid to rest in Thurso Cemetery, Scotland.

Emmanuele Mercieca now lies in Section E, Coll. Grave 18 of Thurso Cemetery. He was 41 years old at the time of his death. It is noteworthy that official military records occasionally misrecord his surname as "Falzon." His story serves as a solemn testament to the dangers faced by merchant seamen during wartime, and his sacrifice is respectfully remembered at his final resting place.