Thomas James Temple

A Deck Hand with Steam Trawler Ladylove (London), Thomas died on 7th of September 1941 aged 38. 

Thomas was born at Great Yarmouth on 14 May 1903, a son of Thomas James and Laura Annie Temple. Thomas’ father died in 1907. In 1911 his family lived at Row 136, No 10 South Quay, Great Yarmouth. In 1913 Thomas’ mother married Daniel Coleman. By 1921 his family home was at 57 Norwich Road. It appears that by 1939 Thomas’ mother had married Harry Murray and at that time she was still living at 57 Norwich Road, but in 1940 her home was at 27 North Albion Street, Fleetwood. She later returned to live in Lowestoft.  

On 25 December 1925 Thomas married Rosetta Alice Gower at Saint Nicholas’ Church, Great Yarmouth. Thomas was a fisherman living at Saint John’s, Lowestoft, and Rosetta lived at Great Yarmouth. In 1939 their home was at 14, Row 12, Great Yarmouth and Thomas was a general labourer and docker. They were twice bombed out at Great Yarmouth and moved to Fleetwood in 1940 and lived at 19 Park Avenue.   

Thomas was working as a stevedore when he enlisted in the Royal Engineers (Territorial Army) on 2 June 1939. He was discharged, medically unfit, on 30 December 1939. Subsequently he began working on trawlers at Great Yarmouth and then at Fleetwood where he joined the Ladylove.

In August 1941 the Ladylove was fishing south of Iceland. The trawler was sunk by a torpedo fired from the German submarine U-202. All 14 crew were lost. 

Thomas' half-brother, Leonard, served in the Merchant Navy and died in 1940.