Chief Engineer Charles Church Lowestoft lost from a drifter
There is a picture of Charles Church in the edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday, April 6 1918.
The accompanying caption is:-
“Chief Engineer Charles George Church, R.N.R., son of Mr. and Mrs. Church and brother of the one above, lost from a drifter”
(The ‘one above’ is Edward Church, a soldier in the 4th Battalion, Suffolk, who was Killed in Action in France.)
CHURCH, CHARLES GEORGE
Rank:……………………………..Engineman
Service No:……………………1507ES
Date of Death:……………….12/08/1917
Age:………………………………..26
Service:…………………………..Royal Naval Reserve
……………………………………....H.M. Drifter "Dewey."
Panel Reference:……………26.
Memorial:………………………..CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information:
Son of William and Mary Ann Church, of Church Farm, Oulton Rd., Lowestoft.
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3052364/CHURCH,%20CHA...
The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Engineman 1507.E.S.(Ch) Charles George Church was Killed or died by means other than disease, accident or enemy action on the 12th August 1917 while serving with H M Drifter Dewey. His body was not recovered for burial. Charles was born Middleton, 8th January 1891. The next of kin informed of his death was his mother, Mary A., of Church Farm, Oulton Road, Lowestoft.
I was not able to track down any Naval Reservist Service Records in the National Archive catalogue for Charles and there are none for any other Church’s born Middleton.
There is no obvious Civil Probate for this man.
1890/1891 Birth
The birth of a Charles George Church was recorded in the Blything District of Suffolk, (which include Middleton), in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1891. Then, as now, you had 42 days to register the birth with the Civil Authorities, so potentially Charles could have been born in the last six weeks of 1890.
1891 Censuses of England & Wales and Scotland
The 3 month old Charles Church, born Suffolk, was recorded living in a dwelling on the Moor, Middleton, Suffolk. This was the household of his parents, William, (aged 28 and a Labourer born Suffolk) and Maryann, (aged 20, born Suffolk).
1901 Censuses of England & Wales and Scotland
The Church family were now recorded at a dwelling “Near Crossways”, Blundeston, Suffolk. Father William, (aged 40 and a Yardman on Farm is shown as born Middleton) and mother Maryann, (aged 30, shown as born Bruisyard, Suffolk), live there with their children:-
Charles G…..aged 10….born Middleton
Sybil E……..aged 8……born Middleton
Edward H…..aged 4……born Blundeston
Ethel M…….aged 2……born Blundeston
Lily M…..aged 7 months..born Blundeston
1911 Census of England and Wales
There is a possible match for Charles on this census – a 20 year old Deck Hand on the Fishing Vessel “Livonia”, tied up at Penzance on the night of the Census. The Skipper of the boat gives that Fishermans place of birth as Bramfield, Suffolk, but there is no likely matches on the earlier Censuses for anyone with those details
Parents William, (49, Farm Labourer) and Mary Ann, (41) were recorded living at Hall Lane , Lowestoft. The couple have been married 22 years and have had 8 children, of which 6 were then still alive. Still single and living at home are Edward Henry, (14, Farm Labourer), Ethel May, (12), Lilly Maud, (10) and William Arthur, (8, born Blundeston, Suffolk).
His brother Edward would also lose his life in the Great War.
On the day
Dewey, hired drifter, patrol boat, sunk in collision in English Channel
ASKEW, Joseph, Seaman, RNR, A 6893
BURWOOD, Frederick H, Ty/Skipper, RNR
CHURCH, Charles G, Engineman, RNR, ES 1507
CLOTHIER, Frederick C, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 16460
DIVERS, Peter McN, Engineman, RNR, ES 4332
HALL, Robert, 2nd Hand, RNR, SA 775
HILL, Henry, Trimmer, RNR, ST 1
SIMPSON, Edward S, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 10781
WARDROPPER, William, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 14890
WILLIAMSON, Robert, Signalman, RNVR, Tyneside Z 4863
WRIGHT, Albert W, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 14600
www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1917-08Aug.htm
HMD Dewey. Launched 1908, 84TG. Port Reg. LT 59 (Lowestoft) Armt. 1-6pdr PB. Admty, No. 1297.
Sunk 12.8.17. Run down by S.S. Glenifer, near Royal Sovereign LV.
1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/117699...
From the “In memoriam” Personal ads column of the Norwich Mercury, dated 2nd March 1918.
“CHURCH – In loving memory of our dear son, Charles George Church, Chief Engineer, R.N.R., son of Mr. and Mrs. Church, Church Farm, Lowestoft, who lost his life on the H.M.D………. through collision on August 12th, 1917, aged 26 years.
We cannot mourn beside his grave,
For he sleeps in the secret sea,
And not one gently whispering wave,
Will tell the place to me.
From his sorrowing Mother, Father, Sisters and Brothers.
The papers for the Admiralty inquiry into the collision of the Armed Drifter Dewey and SS Glenifer which was held on the 15th August 1917 are retained at the National Archive under reference ADM 1/8495/180
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4781060
GLENIFFER was built in 1915 by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. at Newcastle with a tonnage of 9429grt, a length of 550ft 2in, a beam of 62ft.3in and a service speed of 12.4 knots. A sister of the Glengyle she immediately assumed war time service and in April 1917 was taken over under the Liner Requisition Scheme. She made her first sailing to the Far East flying the Glen houseflag in February 1919.During the Second World War she was used by the Shipping Controller on various routes away from the Far East when Japan entered the war. Returning to the Glen & Shire service in 1946 she was too slow alongside the more modern ships and, as a result, was broken up at Barrow in Furness by Thos. W Ward in 1947.
www.red-duster.co.uk/GLEN8.htm
(Moderately photoshopped to minimise damage on the original image)
Chief Engineer Charles Church Lowestoft lost from a drifter
There is a picture of Charles Church in the edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday, April 6 1918.
The accompanying caption is:-
“Chief Engineer Charles George Church, R.N.R., son of Mr. and Mrs. Church and brother of the one above, lost from a drifter”
(The ‘one above’ is Edward Church, a soldier in the 4th Battalion, Suffolk, who was Killed in Action in France.)
CHURCH, CHARLES GEORGE
Rank:……………………………..Engineman
Service No:……………………1507ES
Date of Death:……………….12/08/1917
Age:………………………………..26
Service:…………………………..Royal Naval Reserve
……………………………………....H.M. Drifter "Dewey."
Panel Reference:……………26.
Memorial:………………………..CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information:
Son of William and Mary Ann Church, of Church Farm, Oulton Rd., Lowestoft.
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3052364/CHURCH,%20CHA...
The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Engineman 1507.E.S.(Ch) Charles George Church was Killed or died by means other than disease, accident or enemy action on the 12th August 1917 while serving with H M Drifter Dewey. His body was not recovered for burial. Charles was born Middleton, 8th January 1891. The next of kin informed of his death was his mother, Mary A., of Church Farm, Oulton Road, Lowestoft.
I was not able to track down any Naval Reservist Service Records in the National Archive catalogue for Charles and there are none for any other Church’s born Middleton.
There is no obvious Civil Probate for this man.
1890/1891 Birth
The birth of a Charles George Church was recorded in the Blything District of Suffolk, (which include Middleton), in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1891. Then, as now, you had 42 days to register the birth with the Civil Authorities, so potentially Charles could have been born in the last six weeks of 1890.
1891 Censuses of England & Wales and Scotland
The 3 month old Charles Church, born Suffolk, was recorded living in a dwelling on the Moor, Middleton, Suffolk. This was the household of his parents, William, (aged 28 and a Labourer born Suffolk) and Maryann, (aged 20, born Suffolk).
1901 Censuses of England & Wales and Scotland
The Church family were now recorded at a dwelling “Near Crossways”, Blundeston, Suffolk. Father William, (aged 40 and a Yardman on Farm is shown as born Middleton) and mother Maryann, (aged 30, shown as born Bruisyard, Suffolk), live there with their children:-
Charles G…..aged 10….born Middleton
Sybil E……..aged 8……born Middleton
Edward H…..aged 4……born Blundeston
Ethel M…….aged 2……born Blundeston
Lily M…..aged 7 months..born Blundeston
1911 Census of England and Wales
There is a possible match for Charles on this census – a 20 year old Deck Hand on the Fishing Vessel “Livonia”, tied up at Penzance on the night of the Census. The Skipper of the boat gives that Fishermans place of birth as Bramfield, Suffolk, but there is no likely matches on the earlier Censuses for anyone with those details
Parents William, (49, Farm Labourer) and Mary Ann, (41) were recorded living at Hall Lane , Lowestoft. The couple have been married 22 years and have had 8 children, of which 6 were then still alive. Still single and living at home are Edward Henry, (14, Farm Labourer), Ethel May, (12), Lilly Maud, (10) and William Arthur, (8, born Blundeston, Suffolk).
His brother Edward would also lose his life in the Great War.
On the day
Dewey, hired drifter, patrol boat, sunk in collision in English Channel
ASKEW, Joseph, Seaman, RNR, A 6893
BURWOOD, Frederick H, Ty/Skipper, RNR
CHURCH, Charles G, Engineman, RNR, ES 1507
CLOTHIER, Frederick C, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 16460
DIVERS, Peter McN, Engineman, RNR, ES 4332
HALL, Robert, 2nd Hand, RNR, SA 775
HILL, Henry, Trimmer, RNR, ST 1
SIMPSON, Edward S, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 10781
WARDROPPER, William, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 14890
WILLIAMSON, Robert, Signalman, RNVR, Tyneside Z 4863
WRIGHT, Albert W, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 14600
www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1917-08Aug.htm
HMD Dewey. Launched 1908, 84TG. Port Reg. LT 59 (Lowestoft) Armt. 1-6pdr PB. Admty, No. 1297.
Sunk 12.8.17. Run down by S.S. Glenifer, near Royal Sovereign LV.
1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/117699...
From the “In memoriam” Personal ads column of the Norwich Mercury, dated 2nd March 1918.
“CHURCH – In loving memory of our dear son, Charles George Church, Chief Engineer, R.N.R., son of Mr. and Mrs. Church, Church Farm, Lowestoft, who lost his life on the H.M.D………. through collision on August 12th, 1917, aged 26 years.
We cannot mourn beside his grave,
For he sleeps in the secret sea,
And not one gently whispering wave,
Will tell the place to me.
From his sorrowing Mother, Father, Sisters and Brothers.
The papers for the Admiralty inquiry into the collision of the Armed Drifter Dewey and SS Glenifer which was held on the 15th August 1917 are retained at the National Archive under reference ADM 1/8495/180
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4781060
GLENIFFER was built in 1915 by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co. at Newcastle with a tonnage of 9429grt, a length of 550ft 2in, a beam of 62ft.3in and a service speed of 12.4 knots. A sister of the Glengyle she immediately assumed war time service and in April 1917 was taken over under the Liner Requisition Scheme. She made her first sailing to the Far East flying the Glen houseflag in February 1919.During the Second World War she was used by the Shipping Controller on various routes away from the Far East when Japan entered the war. Returning to the Glen & Shire service in 1946 she was too slow alongside the more modern ships and, as a result, was broken up at Barrow in Furness by Thos. W Ward in 1947.
www.red-duster.co.uk/GLEN8.htm
(Moderately photoshopped to minimise damage on the original image)