Lancelot Leonard Freeman

A Fourth Hand with Sailing Trawler Boy Percy (Lowestoft). Lancelot died on 13th of May 1916 at the age of 31.

Lancelot was born at Corton in 1884, a son of Martha Ellen Freeman. In 1891 his family lived at High Street, Corton. In 1901 they lived at 6 Colman Cottages, The Street, Hopton, and Lancelot worked as a farm labourer. 

In 1915 Lancelot married Evelyn Mary Bacon at Corton. Evelyn was a daughter of William and Martha Bacon and William Bacon was the Skipper of the Boy Percy. They lived at 2 Mill Hook Cottage Corton Lowestoft.

Lancelot was the Fourth Hand on the trawler Boy Percy. On 13 May 1916 the sailing trawler Boy Percy, LT 90, sailed from Lowestoft for the fishing grounds. 

Jan Letten’s website, wrecksite.eu, suggests that the Boy Percy, along with the trawler Boy Sam, were scuttled off Southwold on 17 May 1916. This seems to be based on a report from the German Navy which indicates that the Boy Percy was stopped by submarine UB-29, the crew forced to take to lifeboats and the trawler sunk. 

The Boy Percy had been due back at Lowestoft on 21/22 May and whatever actually happened none of the crew were seen again.  

Lancelot's father-in-law, William Bacon, was also lost with the Boy Percy.