Mercantile Marine (Fishing Fleet) from the Lowestoft Area lost during

[AmisUK]

I'm trying to compile a list of mostly fishing vessels that were lost from the Lowestoft area during 1914-1918, this started out just as research into my Great-Great Grandfathers death on the steam trawler Labrador in January 1915 (destroyed by a mine), but due to the lack of recognition on the local memorials etc.. I thought it'd be nice to put them together on a website and give them the recognition they deserve.

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards

Paul

[KateJ]

Two of my Dunmow (Essex) lads died whilst in fishing vessels that came from Grimsby. I found the following books useful

"Lloyds War Losses – The First World War, Casualties to shipping through enemy causes 1914-1918"

"Mercantile Navy List & Maritime Directory" (yearly volumes)

Both you can consult at the Guildhall Library in the City of London. The library also have other microfilms about fishing vessels - but I can't remember what they were .

This is the leaflet from Guildhall Library about their holdings http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyre...inglossinfo.pdf

I also found this website of use which has quite a few from Lowestoft.

http://www.naval-history.net/WW1oFVLosses1914-16.htm

Kate

[Terry Denham]

Paul

The following is the complete list of all the fishing vessels from Lowestoft listed by CWGC on the Tower Hill Memorial along with the number of casualties on each.

Of course, there may have been other fishing vessels from the port which were lost but where there were no casualties.

BOY JACK 3

BOY PERCY 5

BOY SAM 5

CHRYSOLITE 5

EXCEL 4

FLEURETTE 5

FRATERNAL 3

GUIDE 5

INCENTIVE 8

IVY 5

LABRADOR 8

LOCH FYNE 4

LORD CARNARVON 10

MISLETOE 5

QUEEN OF DEVON 4

RELIANCE 10

RESEARCH 1

ROMA 4

SPECULATOR 5

TREVONE 2

TRUE VINE 5

VANGUARD 5

W A MASSEY 10

WANDERER 5

WILL AND MAGGIE 6

WILLING BOYS 5

YOUNG BERT 5

If you want the casualty lists, email me off-Forum

[brownag]

The Tower Hill Memorial lists the Fishing Fleet losses by the boats and it also gives the home port of the boat. If you can get to Tower Hill you should be able to cross reference Lowestoft boats / known crew to give you a full list for the Great War from the CWGC.

I have some photos from the Tower Hill Memorial of some of the Scottish vessels listed. I’ll have a look and see if I’ve caught any Lowestoft boats in the photos as well.

Cheers

Adam

[Terry Denham]

Adam

Our posts must have crossed!!

[Michael Lowrey]

Paul,

I can get you the what happened that resulted in most of these casualities (mine, stopped and sunk by U-boat etc.)

Best wishes,

Michael

[brownag]

Terry

Great minds... or something like that.

I'll print off your list and have a look for the vessels in my photos later on for Paul.

Cheers

Adam

[AmisUK]

Thank you for such a quick response, I had started to put some details on my local website www.pakefield.net (under WW1 Boat Losses) these are the ships names that I knew of, but only the Labrador has any real details at the moment.

Tuesday 3rd November 1914

Drifter Fraternal

Monday 9th November 1914

Trawler Speculator

Thursday 19th November 1914

Steam Drifter Lord Carnarvon

Saturday, 23rd January 1915

Steam Trawler Labrador LT1165

Friday 28th May 1915

Steam Trawler Incentive

Wednesday 23rd February 1916

Trawler Guide

Monday 15th May 1916

Trawler Wanderer

Wednesday 4th July 1917

Steam Trawler Chrysolite

Tuesday 2nd October 1917

Willing Boys

Sunday 7th October 1917

Steam Drifter Reliance

So any extra information would be really appreciated.

Regards

Paul

[Michael Lowrey]

Paul,

Drifter Fraternal: 79 grt, mined 16 miles NExN from Lowestoft, mine laid by the German light cruiser Stralsund, 3 dead

Trawler Speculator, 60 grt, mined near Smith's Knoll, mine laid by the German light cruiser Stralsund, 5 dead

Steam Drifter Lord Carnarvon, 80 grt, mined near Yarmouth, mine laid by the German light cruiser Stralsund, 10 dead

Steam Trawler Labrador LT1165: not listed in BVLAS or Lloyd's War Losses, so I don't have a location. However, the German light cruiser Strassburg laid a minefield on January 15, 1915 40 or 50 miles NE of the Outer Dowsing light...

Steam Trawler Incentive: also not listed in BVLAS or Lloyd's War Losses. German light cruisers had mined the Dogger Bank area on May 17, 1915...

Trawler Guide: not listed in BVLAS or Lloyd's War Losses

Trawler Wanderer: May 17, 1916 according to BVLAS; stopped and sunk by the German submarine UB 29 without loss of life per BVLAS!

Steam Trawler Chrysolite: 57 grt, mined 4 miles N of Haisbro; mine laid by German submarine UC 4, 5 dead

Willing Boys, 51 grt, Mined 10 miles NW of Smith Knoll Spar Buoy, mine laid by German submarine UC 14, 5 dead

Steam Drifter Reliance, 60 grt, believed mined near Smith Knoll LV, mine laid by German submarine UC 14, 10 dead

Best wishes,

Michael

[AmisUK]

Just out of interest, would anyone have a photo of the Tower Hill Memorial panel that shows the LABRADOR?

I've visited the memorial twice now, but have been unable to see the name on a panel (must be one of the panels up high), and I would like to get a picture of it.

[brownag]

Sorry I don’t have any photos of Lowestoft ships recorded on the Tower Hill Memorial.

Cheers

Adam

[FredJCarss]

The Trawler Jeannie Murray

Fred