DRANSFIELD, Keith Charles

Rank: 
Private
Unit / Base: 
3 Commando
Regiment/Corps: 
Cheshire Regiment
Service: 
Army
Number: 
4126461
Died : 
Thursday, June 17, 1943
Killed in action or died of wounds
Age: 
28
Cemetery/Memorial: 

Private Keith Dransfield died at sea.  Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dransfield, of Blundellsands, Liverpool. A report in the Cheshire Observer 28 August 1943 notes him as missing believed drowned. This is supported by the Army Casualty Lists which list him initially as "At Sea - Missing 17 June 1943". A later entry corrects this to "At Sea - previously reported missing now presumed killed in action". No.3 Commando were at Suez preparing for the Sicily landings. The roll of honour in the book source below records his death as "accident in Suez." 

Sources
CWGC
Commando - Memoirs of a Fighting Commando in WW2 , author Brig John Durnford-Slater No. 3 Commando. 
Cheshire Observer newspaper - Saturday 28 August 1943.
Casualty Lists 1939-45 / National Archives file WO417/64.
Casualty Lists 1939-45 / National Archives file WO417/72.

Notes
The date of Pte. Dransfield's death coincides with the torpedoing of the SS Yoma off the coast of Libya which sank with the loss of 484 lives, most of whom were military personnel. The ship had left Gibraltar and was heading for Alexandria. No full passenger list has been seen by this Archive and these notes are not confirmation that he was on board.

Primary Roll of Honour: 

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