Mercantile Marine. Accidental drowning whilst with interned vessel

[Hywyn]

A local newspaper dated 2/7/1915 reports that Chiel Engineer E Morris Williams accidentally drowned when he fell off The Waverley which was interned at Petrograd.

Would the fact that the vessel was impounded be regarded as an act of war fo this death albeit his death was not a direct act of war? A bit like those Mercantile Marine that died in internment camps in Germany I suppose. Are they commemorated?

Hywyn

[Terry Denham]

I don't think that would count.

The actual terminology is... "where death was caused by the increased risks due to war conditions and is confirmed by the Registrar General of Seaman and Shipping'.

[Hywyn]

OK, thank you Terry

Hywyn

[SiegeGunner]

A local newspaper dated 2/7/1915 reports that Chiel Engineer E Morris Williams accidentally drowned when he fell off The Waverley which was interned at Petrograd.

Can that date be right? Why would a British ship be interned in a Russian port in 1915 - and when was St Petersburg re-named Petrograd?

[Hywyn]

Yes the date is right. With the caveat that I've got this from Wikipedia it was called Petrograd from 1914 to 1924 when it became Leningrad. As for why it would be interned possibly they meant blockaded in?

Hywyn

[Michael Lowrey]

Definitely would take it as blockaded in the Baltic. The Waverley in question was a 2292 grt steamer buit in 1901 by W. Gray & Co., Ltd., West Hartlepool. She was owned by Morrison Shipping Co., Ltd. (J. Morrison & Son), Newcastle. In September 1917, she comes under Russian control ("on loan from British government requisition from owners") and was renamed Tze.

Best wishes,

Michael

[Hywyn]

Thank you Michael. I have come across his name on his local community web site. I'll pass it all on to them.

hywyn