Samuel Augustus Websdale

A Seaman with H.M.S. Almanzora, Samuel died on 21st of July 1916 at the age of 21. 

Samuel was born at Oulton on 13 June 1895, a son of Harry and Emma Websdale. In 1901 his family lived at Saint Ann’s Terrace, Bridge Road, Oulton. By 1911 they were living at 22 The Street, Oulton, and, by September 1914, at 54 Essex Road. 

Samuel worked as a deck hand with the fishing fleet before he joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 22 September 1914. He served on the transport ship Emperor and joined the transport Merion on 16 November 1914. He joined H.M.S. Gibraltar on 28 June 1915 and, from 28 September 1915, served on H.M.S. Almanzora.   

Details of what happened to Samuel were given in a report in the Liverpool Post of 31 July 1916, page 3: 

SAILOR’S DEATH MYSTERY

From Birkenhead Docks on Saturday morning Police Constable Edward Williams recovered the body of a young man named Samuel Augustus Websdale. He was 21 years of age, an able seaman on an armed liner, and belonged to Lowestoft. His cap had been found on the quay. 
It appeared that the deceased left the ship on 21st inst., and was due to returned on the following day. He had not since been seen, and the body seemed to have been in the water some days.
Mr. J.C. Bate, the West Cheshire coroner, conducted an inquest on Saturday, when the jury returned an open verdict.