Thomas Bruce Stollery

A Petty Officer with S.S. Celtic Prince, Thomas died on 8th of August 1918 aged 25.

Thomas was born at Kirkley on 15 December 1892, a son of Thomas and Maggie Stollery. He was baptised at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley, on 24 October 1894. On 1 June 1897 Thomas joined Kirkley School and his family lived at Lorne Cottages. On 13 June 1898 he joined Cunningham School, and his family lived at Pakefield and in 1899 he returned to Kirkley School, and his family lived at Clement Square. In 1901 his family lived at Westleton, Suffolk. 

Thomas joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 9 February 1912. At that time his family lived at 43 Stanford Street, Lowestoft, and subsequently his father lived at 28 Haward Street, Lowestoft. 

Thomas was mobilized when the war began and drafted to H.M.S. Formidable. On 1 January 1915 the Formidable was sunk by a German submarine. A total of 547 men were killed in the sinking, but Thomas was one of the 157 men who were rescued. Subsequently Thomas served on H.M.S. Almanzora a Defensively Armed Merchant Ship and then the cargo ship Celtic Prince. A note on his service record has: 'Found drowned at Quebec on 13 August 1918. Last seen alive returning to his ship on 8th idem. Presumed to have fallen overboard either from ship of whilst going aboard.' He was given a combined naval and military funeral and buried at Mount Hermon Cemetery on 15 August 1918.