John Thomas Wink

A Third Hand with Trawler Boy Sam (Lowestoft), John died on 12th of May 1916 at the age of 48.

John was born at Peasenhall, Suffolk, in 1868, a son of John Walter and Mary Ann Wink. He was baptised at Carlton by Saxmundham on 13 September 1868. In 1871 his family lived at The Street, Peasenhall. In 1881 they lived at Bruisyard Road, Peasenhall.  

On 28 July 1901 John married Clara Elizabeth Long at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley. They both lived at Kirkley and John was a fisherman. In 1911 they lived at 26 Pakefield Street, Pakefield, and John was a herring fisherman. Later Clara lived at 31 Pakefield Street.    

John was the Third Hand on the sailing trawler Boy Sam, LT 1014. The trawler sailed from Lowestoft on 12 May 1916, intending to fish at Haisborough Sands. The trawler was due back at Lowestoft on 19 May 1916, but did not return. 

One website suggests that the Boy Sam was with the trawler Boy Percy and that both of them were scuttled by the German submarine UB-29 and that all of the crews took to lifeboats and were then lost at sea. However, the loss of the Boy Percy took place off Southwold. This is not consonant with the Boy Sam heading for Haisborough Sands.  

John's nephew, George Wink, died in 1916 whilst serving with the 14th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.