William Jones, SS Royal Edward

William Jones, Greaser, SS Royal Edward. Lost at sea, aged about 50, on 13 August 1915.

SS Royal Edward was a British Cargo Steamer of 11,117 tons built in 1908 by Fairfield, Govan, Yard No 450 for the Egyptian Mail Steamship Company as the SS CAIRO. In 1910 she was acquired by the Canadian Northern Steamships Ltd and renamed SS Royal Edward. On 28 July 1915, SS Royal Edward embarked 1,367 officers and men at Avonmouth. The majority were reinforcements for the British 29th Infantry, but also included were members of the Royal Army Medical Corps. All of the men were destined for Gallipoli. On the 13th August 1915 when 6 miles W from Kandeliusa, Aegean Sea she was torpedoed without warning and sunk by a German submarine UB 14 launching two torpedoes from about a mile away that hit the ship in the stern. The ship sank by the stern within six minutes. The crew was able to get off an SOS before losing power. The Hospital Ship Soudan together with two French destroyers and some trawlers managed to rescue 661. In all 935 lives were lost including the Master. Before joining the Royal Edward, William Jones had served as a Greaser on SS Chagres.

William Jones was the son of the late Hugh and Marian Jones (nee Pritchard). Born at Holyhead, he was the husband of Ellen Jones. In 1911, aged 44, he lived with his wife, Ellen (40) at 15 Camden Street, Liverpool. His wife was from Wexford, Ireland. They married in about 1888 and had no children. He was then employed as a Ship's Greaser.

Thomas McLeod, Steward, was another Holyhead seaman lost on this ship.

Commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London

Image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HMT_Royal_Edward.jpg