Maurice Leonard Hammond

A Deck Hand with Steam Trawler Lord Haldane (Lowestoft), Maurice died on 7th of November 1940 aged 44. 

Maurice was born at Gisleham 16 January 1896, a son of Isaac and Louisa Hammond. He was baptised at Gisleham on 22 March 1896. In 1901 his family lived at Niger Terrace, Pakefield, and in 1911 they lived at 15 Wellington Road, Pakefield, and Maurice was a golf caddie at the nearby golf club. 

Maurice joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 29 December 1914, service number A 7221. Maurice was found to have a left inguinal hernia and was discharged on 6 March 1915. Maurice then rejoined the Royal Naval Reserve on 24 September 1915. He served as a Deck Hand, service number DA 8837. Initially he served with the trawler Forerunner and, on 10 June 1916, joined the trawler Silver Herring. He was demobilised on 30 January 1919. 

On 27 January 1920 Maurice married Lily May Oris at Saint Margaret’s Church. Maurice was a fisherman living at Pakefield and Lily lived at 15 Norfolk Street. They lived at 14 Beckham Road, before moving to 5 Norfolk Street. 

In 1934 Maurice was the Third Hand on the steam drifter Go Ahead. 

By 1939 Maurice and Lily were living at 9 Essex Road and the 1939 register describes Maurice as a ‘fisherman or general labourer.’

In 1940 Maurice was a Deck Hand on the trawler Lord Haldane. On 4 November 1940 the Lord Haldane left Milford Haven for the fishing grounds and was last seen on 7 November 1940. Official records state that Maurice was missing, supposed drowned, on 7 November, but other sources suggest that the Lord Haldane was lost on 12 November. The trawler had ten crew, all of whom were lost.   

Maurice's son-in-law, Thomas Price, served with the Royal Scots and died in 1944.