Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree-Engineman John Thomas Mills

 

Heroes and Rebels in the Family Tree-Engineman John Thomas Mills

 An Engineman with H.M. Drifter Pelagia, John died on 28th of November 1916 at the age of 25. 

John was born at Lowestoft on July 14, 1891, a son of Herbert William Mills and Caroline Frances Cook. He was baptised on August 4, 1891 at Saint Margaret’s Church, and his family lived at 34 Saint Margaret’s Road. John attended Church Road Board School and from February 1, 1899, became a pupil at Saint Margaret’s School. In 1899 his family lived at 23 The Hemplands and by 1901 were living at 283 Raglan Street in Lowestoft. In 1911 his family were still living at 283 Raglan Street and John was a drift net fisherman. 

On July 13, 1915 John joined the Royal Naval Reserve. He served with the trawler Herring Seeker and joined the trawler Sir John French on September 10, 1915. On September 22, 1915 he joined the Diadem II and then, in November 1915, the Evening Primrose. On November 22, 1915 he joined the crew of the drifter Pelagia. 

On 23 February 1916 John married Ethel May Brown at Saint Margaret’s Church. John was an engine driver and they both gave their address as 283 Raglan Street, later 286 Raglan St. Lowestoft Suffolk.

The following is an excerpt from Fishermen, the Fishing Industry and the Great War at Sea:  A Forgotten History?

In early spring 1915, there were about 238 minesweeping vessels in service in the seas around the British Isles. Except for some gunboats and hired paddle steamers, the majority of these were fishing vessels, at that time trawlers, their crews mainly fishermen, and their domestic sphere of operations still primarily focused on the east coast of England. Although there were about 63 minesweepers sailing out of Scottish ports, many providing protection for the Grand Fleet and other Royal Navy surface ships, and a total of around 34 craft covering the western ports or the English Channel eastwards to Portsmouth, most of the remainder were based at key eastern ports from North Shields down to Dover.

Whilst other vessels had already been despatched for minesweeping work off the Dardanelles, the disposition of these flotillas of fishermen and hired fishing vessels reflected the main areas of German minelaying off the coasts of Britain in the first year of the war. Significant operations had recently taken place off the eastern side of the Dogger Bank and further substantial activities were soon undertaken. Presumably, such offshore minefields were primarily targeted at heavy Royal Navy warships sweeping through the North Sea or engaged in chasing German warships towards Heligoland and the like. Further minelaying operations, directly involving the cruiser Hamburg supported by various other vessels including battle cruisers, were carried out around 18 May. Whilst these were under way, four British civilian fishing trawlers working in the North Sea – the King Charles of Grimsby and the Euclid, Duke of Wellington, and Titania from Hull – were captured and then sunk by German torpedo boats; their crews taken back to Germany as prisoners, presumably to keep the minelaying operations secret. Before the end of the month these trawlermen had been incarcerated in Ruhleben internment camp just outside of Berlin.

Typically, these minefields were often discovered in tragic fashion, although not usually by large warships: the fishing vessels Angelo and Sabrina, owned by Hellyers of Hull, for example, probably foundered on mines laid off the Dogger Bank on 21 May, just three days after the Hamburg's lethal voyage. The following month the steam trawler Dovey was lost on yet another such field, this one laid some 50 miles east by south of Spurn Head.

 

On 28 November 1916 the Pelagia was sailing around one mile south-east of the Nab Light Vessel and struck a mine and sank. All twelve of the crew were killed.  Twelve seamen lost their lives in the destruction of the Pelagia.  Among them were:

•    George Edgar Hitter: Temporary Skipper, RNR.

•    Richard S. Jermany: 2nd Hand, RNR.

•    John F. Botton: Engineman, RNR.

•    John Thomas Mills: Engineman, RNR.

•    John E. Bessey: Deck Hand, RNR.

•    John Haldenby: Deck Hand, RNR.

•    Charles Linder: Deck Hand, RNR.

•    Colin Joseph Rowland: Deck Hand, RNR.

•    James Turpin: Deck Hand, RNR.

•    Dugald McLellan: L/Deck Hand, RNR.

•    Arthur J. Jermany: Trimmer, RNR.

•    James Tozer: Trimmer, RNR.

Among the crew of twelve, the Skipper George Edgar Hitter, Engineman John Thomas Mills and Deck Hand Colin Joseph Rowland can be found in our family tree.

Genealogy:  John Thomas Mills 1891-1916 was the son of Caroline Frances Cook 1866-1947 and her father was John Samuel Cook 1837-1914 and his daughter was Charlotte Eleanor Cook 1865-1921 and her son was Robert John Samuel Palmer 1887-1966 and his wife was Emily Annie Forster 1886-1962 and her father was Frederick Forster 1853-1915 and his father was Samuel Forster 1825-1907 and his father was Isaac Forster 1801-1890 and his son was Thomas Forster 1837-1888 and his daughter was Caroline Forster 1864-1906 and her husband was George "Pikey" William Welch-Adams 1867-1940.

Deckhand Colin Joseph Rowland

A Deck Hand with H.M. Drifter Pelagia, Colin Joseph Rowland died on 28th of November 1916 at the age of 19. 

Colin was born at Rushmere on 24 June 1897, a son of Robert and Ellen Rowland. In 1901 his family lived at The Street, Rushmere. In 1911 they were still living at The Street, Rushmere, and Colin was a farm labourer. Later his mother lived at The Tuns Cottages, Rushmere.

Colin joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 5 October 1915. He served with the trawler Evening Primrose until 14 October 1915 when he joined the trawler Pelagia.

Note: although his first name was Colin, he used his middle name, Joseph, when he joined the Royal Naval Reserve.

 

Skipper George Edgar Hitter 

A Skipper with H.M. Drifter Pelagia, George Edgar Hitter died on 28th of November 1916 at the age of 39. 

George was born at Lowestoft on 13 November 1877, a son of John Thomas and Sarah Hitter. In 1881 his family lived at 5 West Raglan Street. George was baptised at Saint John’s Church, Lowestoft, on 13 June 1886. By 1891 they were living at 79 Bevan Street and George was the cook on a fishing smack. 

On 29 January 1898 George married Martha Jane Williams. George was a trawlerman living at 79 Bevan Street and Martha lived at 203 Raglan Street. In 1901 they lived at 272 Raglan Street, and, by 1911, at 268 Raglan Street. In 1915 their home was at 294 Raglan Street. In 1918 Martha married William Harvey and lived at 75 Park Road. 

George was awarded his certificate of competency as a skipper in 1899. In 1911 he was the Mate on the trawler Nellie, LT 356, at Padstow.

George joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 1 October 1915. He served with the trawler Evening Primrose until 10 October 1915 when he joined the trawler Pelagia.