William George Thacker

A Cook with the steam trawler William Humphries, William died on 21st November 1939 at the age of 34.

William was born at Pakefield on 15 June 1905, a son of Charles Henry and Blanche Anne Thacker. In 1911 his family lived at 4 Flora Terrace, Carlton Road, Pakefield, and this was still their home in 1921. 

In 1921 William was the Cook on the W. J. Gearing’s trawler D.J.G., LT 260, based at Lowestoft.  

On 19 November 1930 William married Florence Sarah Boothroyd at the Wesleyan Methodist Mission Hall, Fleetwood. William was a fisherman living at 20 Wolsley Road, Fleetwood, and Florence lived at 130 Darbishire Road (sic), Fleetwood. In 1939 their home was at 17 Milton Street, Fleetwood.

In 1939 William was the Cook on the steam trawler William Humphries. On 21 November 1939 the vessel, along with another trawler, the Sulby, was fishing about 75 miles north-west of Rathlin when confronted by the German submarine U-33. The submarine fired on the trawler, whose crew took to their lifeboat. The crew of the Sulby saw the men in the lifeboat but beyond that nothing is known of what happened to them and they were all reported missing, presumed drowned.  

William's brother Victor served in the Royal Naval Reserve in World War One and died in 1922 from pulmonary tuberculosis attributable to his war service. 

Note: There are conflicting reports concerning the date on which the trawler William Humphries was sunk. Commonwealth War Graves gives the date as 20 November and this is the date shown on the grave of the trawler's Skipper Charles Bridge. Merchant Navy casualty cards state that the trawler was lost 'on or about 20 November'. Here the date is shown as 21 November. One source for this date is the log of submarine U-33, but beyond this there are eye-witness accounts from the survivors of the trawler Sulby.  

With thanks to Andy Pearce.