HMT Horatio (T153)

Ships of the Shakespearian class were 164 feet (50 m) long, displaced 545 long tons (554 t) and had a complement of about 35. They were generally armed with a 12-pounder 76 mm (3.0 in) quick firing low angle gun and three 20mm Oerlikons in single mountings. A single boiler and triple expansion machinery provided 950 indicated horsepower (710 kW) to a single shaft, giving a speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).

Horatio was ordered on 12 December 1939. She was built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, of Beverley. Her keel was laid on 12 March 1940 and she was launched on 8 August 1940.[1]

Horatio was commissioned on 17 January 1941, carrying the pennant number T153.[1] Temporary Acting Lieutenant Commander Charles Robertson took command on 24 January, but apparently was killed in an accident only four days later.[1] Command was taken up by Acting Lieutenant Commander Henry Silvester Warren, on 20 February 1941.[1] Around April of the same year, Horatio received a new commanding officer, Temporary Lieutenant Charles Alfred Lemkey, who was to remain the trawler's captain for remainder of its career.[1]

The trawler took part in a number of convoys during World War II.

On 7 July 1942, Leading Seaman William Harold Leon Simpson RNPS was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for "courage and steadfastness in beating off an attack on H.M.T. Horatio by two groups of three enemy aircraft,destroying one aircraft and seriously damaging another."[2]

On 7 January 1943 Horatio was sunk by the German motor torpedo boat S-58 off Cap de Garde, near Annaba, Algeria. Two crew members survived the sinking and were captured by the German navy.[1][3] The full list of 32 sailors lost in the sinking of Horatio was published in the Times on 24 November 1943.[4]

The following details the crew that went down with the vessel. [5]

Name and Age they Died.

1. ANDREWS, NORMAN ROBERT, Leutnant, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Son of Albert Edward and Nellie Maud Andrews; husband of Phoebe Andrews, of Purley, Surrey, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 32 07/01/1943
2. BLACKWELL, HENRY ROBERT, Seaman, (no. LT/JX 263493), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Ernest and Ada Ellen Blackwell, of Goole, Yorkshire, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 30 07/01/1943
3. BRAINCH, NORMAN RONALD, Stoker, (no. LT/KX 148468), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Henry and Edith Alice Brainch, of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 20 07/01/1943
4. CAMBURN, ERNEST, Leading Seaman, (no. LT/JX 241575), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Charles and Davida Camburn, of the Whitstable Jean West ESQ family, Kent, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 32 07/01/1943
5. CHALMERS, JAMES WILLIAM, Leading Seaman, (no. LT/X 21225A), Royal Naval Reserve (Patrol Service), Son of William Grant Chalmers and Florence Chalmers; husband of Marjorie Chalmers, of Hull, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial ? 07/01/1943
6. CLAPHAM, ARTHUR GEORGE BAKER, Ordinary Signalman, (no. P/LD/X 4413), Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Son of Arthur Benjamin and May Louise Clapham; husband of Mary Isobel Clapham, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial 24 07/01/1943
7. CRITTENDEN, JOHN LESLIE, Engineman, (no. LT/KX 103170), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Arthur Crittenden, of Gravesend, Kent; husband of Bridy Gertrude Crittenden, of Denton, Gravesend, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 36 07/01/1943
8. CROSBY, JOHN RUTHERFORD, Leutnant, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Son of John C. and Janette Brechin Crosby; husband of Sheila Mary Somerville Crosby, of Troon, Ayrshire, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 25 07/01/1943
9. CUMMINS, ALFRED THOMAS, Leading Stoker, (no. LT/X 4027T), Royal Naval Reserve (Patrol Service), Husband of Eliza Rhoda Cummins, of Gravesend, Kent, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 36 07/01/1943
10. GORMLEY, DANIEL, Ordinary Telegraphist, (no. P/JX 298238), Royal Navy, Son of Daniel and Lily Gormley, of Stratford, Essex, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial 19 07/01/1943
11. HEARD, PETER, Leading Seaman, (no. LT/JX 225030), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Husband of Ida M. Heard, of Tollesbury, Essex, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 36 07/01/1943
12. KELLETT, WILLIAM, Engineman, (no. LT/JX 126766), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of William and E. Kellett, of Macclesfield, Cheshire, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial ? 07/01/1943
13. LANGFORD, RICHARD, Seaman, (no. LT/JX 241079), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial ? 07/01/1943
14. LARDER, CHRISTOPHER GEORGE, Seaman, (no. LT/JX 177544), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial ? 07/01/1943
15. LEMKEY, CHARLES ALFRED, Leutnant, Royal Naval Reserve, Son of Charles and Jessie Lemkey; husband of Lydia Lemkey, of South Shields, Co. Durham, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 40 07/01/1943
16. MCCRAN, JOHN ROBERTSON, Stoker 2nd Class, (no. C/KX 147286), Royal Navy, Son of John and Margaret McCran, of Winchburgh, West Lothian, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial 29 07/01/1943
17. MCDONALD, THOMAS, Stoker, (no. LT/KX 106454), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Martin and Mary McDonald, of Liverpool, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 34 07/01/1943
18. PEARSON, FREDERICK, Signalman, (no. P/JX 247370), Royal Navy, Son of Frederick and Ada Pearson; husband of Gwendolen Pearson, of Rotherham, Yorkshire, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial ? 07/01/1943
19. PENDLE, JOHN NORTON HAKEN, Seaman, (no. LT/JX 206587), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of John Haken Pendle and Kate Haken Pendle; husband of Mary Doris Pendle, of Leiston, Suffolk, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 33 07/01/1943
20. PLATT, NORMAN TREVOR, Assistant Steward, (no. LT/LX 31716), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Norman Platt, and of Louisa Platt, of Fleetwood, Lancashire, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 19 07/01/1943
21. RICHARDS, FRANCIS VICTOR, Seaman, (no. LT/JX 242672), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Frank and Kate Richards, of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 20 07/01/1943
22. ROPER, DAVID ROBERT VAUGHAN, Leutnant, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Son of Bennett and Martha Roper, of St. Fagan's, Glamorgan. Chartered Accountant, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 28 07/01/1943
23. ROWE, ALBERT EDWARD, Leading Cook, (no. LT/MX 84869), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial ? 07/01/1943 ✓ 24. SAVAGE, ERNEST ARTHUR DONALD, Stoker, (no. LT/KX 124739), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Thomas A. and Martha E. Savage, of Patchway, Gloucestershire, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 34 07/01/1943
24. SELLARS, HAROLD WILSON, Stoker 2nd Class, (no. LT/KX 149059), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Native of Newfoundland, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial ? 07/01/1943
25. WALSH, PATRICK JOSEPH, Leading Seaman, (no. LT/JX 246657), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Nicholas and Ellen Walsh, of Fermeuse, Newfoundland, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 40 07/01/1943
26. WEBB, ALFRED HENRY, Leading Steward, (no. LT/LX 27536), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Charles and Eliza Violet Webb, of Bracknell, Berkshire, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 24 07/01/1943
27. WELBURN, JOHN HENRY HARDY, Chief Engineman, (no. LT/JX 124507), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Husband of Florence Welburn, of Hull, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial ? 07/01/1943
28. WHITCHER, STANLEY REGINALD, Cook, (no. LT/MX 94363), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial ? 07/01/1943
29. WILDMAN, WILLIAM, Ordinary Telegraphist, (no. P/JX 199742), Royal Navy, Son of Mary Ann Wildman, of Burnley, Lancashire, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial 23 07/01/1943
30. WILKINSON, THOMAS, Leading Seaman, (no. LT/JX 195928), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Thomas Witty Wilkinson and Flora Beatrice Elizabeth Wilkinson, of Sheffield, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 47 07/01/1943
31. WYLIE, JAMES ERNEST ROBERT, Leading Seaman, (no. LT/JX 209272), Royal Naval Patrol Service, Son of Thomas and Harriet Wylie, of Lowestoft, Suffolk; husband of Ellen Wylie, of Lowestoft, Memorial: Lowestoft Naval Memorial 28 07/01/1943

HMS HORATIO T153 was a trawler built for minesweeping and anti-submarine duties, built at Beverley and launched August 1940.

TRAWLER REPELS ATTACK

Six Messerschmitt 109's bombed and machine-gunned H.M. Trawler HORATIO which immediately opened fire, states an Admiralty communiqué. One Messerschmitt was hit and crashed into the sea and another was heavily hit and was last seen on fire, rapidly losing height. The remaining Messerschmitts abandoned the attack and flew away. The Horatio suffered only minor superficial damage. No lives were lost reference The Canberra Times Monday 11 May 1942

The Horatio left Plymouth in September 1942 with the trawler flotilla comprising four T class trawlers, ROUSAY, RUSHOLM, JURA and HORATIO in the company of a large convoy heading to Scotland then on to Gibraltar where they were part of Operation Torch the invasion of North Africa. Lost whilst serving with the 8th Minesweeper/Anti-submarine group based at Oran Western Mediterranean.

On the night of the 6th Jan 1943 HM Trawler HORATIO was on patrol outside the Port of Bone in Algeria when two German Motor Torpedo Boats came along on a mine-laying mission. One of them S58 saw Horatio and in the dark mistook her for a destroyer. Dumping her mines, S58 attacked firing two torpedoes at a range of 800 metres, both torpedoes hit and Horatio was sunk. Two members of the crew were picked up by the Germans and survived and 32 of the crew including Peter did not. (There are other references to HORATIO being torpedoed by an Italian Motor Torpedo Boat MA/SB in the Scarpanto Channel in the Western Mediterranean on the 7/01/43).

Apart from Hubert, he had two other brothers Edgar & Joseph plus a sister Muriel. The 4 brothers formed "The Stag's Head Oyster Company" between the wars. They carried on fishing through the war. Edgar caught a mine in his nets on his smack ROSENA CK65 CK65, which was badly damaged when the mine exploded. During the 1st World War, Edgar had lied about his age & joined up at 17 and had been captured by the Turks.[5]