Unknown sailor - McLeod? - August 1918

[BereniceUK]

The body of an unidentified sailor was washed ashore on Friday 16 August 1918, at Sunderland Point, west of Heysham and south of Morecambe. The name McLeod was stamped inside his trousers, and his age was estimated to be between 40-50 years.

It was reported that he would get a proper internment, and not be put in a pauper's grave, but there's no headstone for an Unknown Sailor in the churchyards in Heysham or Overton (the nearest village to Sunderland Point). The local council has no record of an unidentified man being buried, in any of the cemeteries it has responsibility for, during the relevant time period.

The only McLeod who seems to fit the bill is McLEOD, KENNETH

Rank: Seaman Service No: 2646/B Date of Death: 02/08/1918 Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Reserve, H.M.S. "President III." Grave Reference: F. 1. 23. Cemetery: EYE CEMETERY (OR AIGNISH BURIAL GROUND), ISLE OF LEWIS Additional Information: Husband of Catherine McLeod, of 22, Melbost, Stornoway. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/667906/McLEOD,%20KENNETH

except that H.M.S. President III was a shore base so, presumably, Kenneth McLeod wasn't the unidentified sailor. Any thoughts on who the unidentified man might have been or which ship he came from? Where any ships lost in the Irish Sea or Morecambe Bay in the first half of August 1918? Or could the man have fallen into the sea from a ship or from land? Maybe he was a fisherman.

[johnboy]

The man could have been on a merchant vessel although shown as President. President, was I think an accounting/records base

With tides and sea conditions he could have drowned anywhere in the Irish sea. He could have been in the sea for weeks.

[seaJane]

President III was an accounting base, initially in Bristol and then Windsor; the administrative HQ for the personnel on Defensively Armed Merchant Ships.

[PPF]

Blue Jersey and trousers and white flannel vest

Royal Navy Issue?

[BereniceUK]

The £14/12/9 in his purse makes me think that 1) he hadn't been given a burial at sea. 2) if he was off a fishing boat would he have needed to have £14 on the boat with him?

If something happened to the boat did he grab the purse before getting away? £14/12/9 was a fair amount to have on him in 1918.