Henry Charles Day

A Seaman with Steam Drifter Reliance (Lowestoft), Henry died on 7th of October 1917 at the age of 15. 

Henry was born at Lowestoft on 25 January 1902, a son of Henry Charles and Ethel Maud Day. He was baptised at Saint Margaret's Church on 25 April 1902 and his family lived at 26 Melbourne Road. In 1911 his family lived at 15 Edinburgh Road and later at 125 Saint Margaret's Road. Later still, his mother lived at 8 Albany Road, Lowestoft.

In 1917 Henry was a seaman with the Drifter Reliance, LT 694. The Reliance sailed from Lowestoft, on Saturday 29 September, to fish between Wintertons Ridge and Smiths Knoll, and was due to return on Monday 8 October. The Reliance was seen by several boats outside Winterton Ridge during the evening of October 6. A member of the crew of the Lord Roberts, William Westmate, stated at an inquiry that his crew had hauled their nest and gone below when, about five minutes later, they heard an explosion. This was presumed to be the Reliance striking a mine. All ten of the Reliance’s crew were lost. 

See: 1914 – 1918 Lowestoft Fisherman: killed by enemy action – History of Lowestoft's Fishing Industry

Henry's father died on 14 June 1917 when his trawler, the Herring Finder, was lost in a collision.