Private William H Hutchinson - lost at sea in the sinking of RMS Leinster.

[copperbeech5]

Hi Chaps,

Another query if I may.

I know that this Great Uncle was drowned when the Leinster was torpedoed  and sunk off Ireland on 10.10.1918.

The tragedy is that he was returning home from the war, when the boat was sunk.  His body was washed up a month later on the Isle of Man, and he is buried in a war grave in the Douglas cemetery.
William's body was only identified because of his treasured letters in his top pocket from his family. He is also commemorated on his family's grave in Nottingham.
 
So my question is - if he was returning home to Nottingham, why would he have been going via Ireland on this Royal mail ship?  It seems such a curious route.

Are there likely to be any records for him anywhere?

Private William Herbert Hutchinson - 57451
7th (West & Cumb. Yeomanry) Bn Border Regiment
Died age 25

Would be so grateful for any help.

Thank you.

Copperbeech5

 

[barryd]

During war no ship's journey takes an unusual route. Rather than taking the usual route and getting torpedoed. Ships' passengers in the Services were happy to get home and did not care how the ships got them to their destinations.

[copperbeech5]

Hi barryd,

Thank you for your information - I guess that would make good sense in theory.

Kind regards,
Copperbeech5

[solidrock]

You proberly already have this...

https://secure.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/RollOfHonour/People/Details/14931
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56793879/william-herbert-hutchinson
https://www.freewebs.com/7borderandyeo/WGP4.htm

[MaxD]

From your other thread you will have noted free access to Ancestry 8-12 November.  That said, I can find no records for him apart from his Register of Soldiers' Effect entry.  That gives a clue that says he was in the 2/1 Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry when he died.  That battalion served only in the UK (which included Ireland) and was stationed in Ireland until May 1918.  The lack of a medal record also suggests he may have served only at home despite the other records saying he was in the element (1/1st) which was absorbed into the Border Regiment.
The war diary of 7 Border which might mention homeward journeys is WO 95/2008/1 at the National Archives (should be on Ancestry also).

The lack of a service record and, as far as I can see, no medal record makes it impossible to be sure about his service although his gratuity indicates he served for nearly two and a half years before he died.

http://rmsleinster.com/sinking/sinking.htm

MaxD

[ShaunJ]

The Manchester Evening News of 8th November 1918 (page 3 column 1) reports the finding of his body and that his leave pass from Ireland was dated October 10th, the day of the sinking. So he was stationed in Ireland (as has been suggested) and was on his way home on leave.

[copperbeech5]

Solidrock,

Thank you for your help, I had seen two of them but 1 was new to me, and much appreciated!

MaxD, thank you for your help on this post as well as my other query, and again I will check things out.  I am in the position with this that Military is all new to me, and didn't have a clue where to start, so thank you!

ShaunJ,

Thank you for your help too, I have copies of press  cuttings for the Isle of Man, but it never occurred to me to look else where, will check out Nottingham too.

Huge thanks to you all.

Copperbeech5