Lewis Button

An Engineman, Lewis died on 26th October 1916 at the age of 21.

Lewis was born at Hulver on 20th March 1895, a son of Charles and Laura Button. In 1911 Lewis lived with his parents at The Street, Hulver, and Lewis was a gardener. 

Lewis married Lilian Wincup at Saint Peter's Church, Kirkley, on 24th August 1914. At that time Lewis was working as a fisherman and both he, and Lilian, lived at Kirkley (address unknown).

Lewis was enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve on 11th January 1915 and he served on board the Drifter 'Gleaner of the Sea'. In 1915 the 'Gleaner of the Sea' was part of the Dover Patrol and the crew had the task of tending the anti-submarine nets. On 24th April 1916 a German submarine, the U-13, became tangled in the drifter's anchor chain. The Skipper, Robert Hurren, attacked the submarine with a 'lance bomb' which exploded and damaged the submarine which was subsequently sunk. 

On the night of 26-27 October 1916 the Gleaner of the Sea, along with several other Lowestoft trawlers in the Dover Patrol, was attacked by German destroyers and sank with the loss of all hands. 

For details of the attack on the Dover Barrage see: The German attack on the 'Dover Barrage' 26th/27th October 1916 (sussexhistoryforum.co.uk)

Lilian was living at Sunnyside Terrace, Gillingham, when Lewis was killed and subsequently went to live with her mother at Hulver. Lewis and Lilian had two children.

In 1920 Lilian married George Shade, a fisherman, and they lived at Chapel Lane, Hulver.