Sidney George Albert Howell

A Warrant Officer Class II with 991 Docks Operating Company, Sidney died on 17th of June 1943 at the age of 38. 

Sidney was born at Sheerness on 30 September 1904, a son of Charles James and Harriet Elizabeth Howell. He was baptised at Saint Paul's Church, Sheerness, on 10 November 1904, and his family lived at 65 High Street, Sheerness. By 1911 his family were living at 22 Mariners Street, Lowestoft. In 1921 his family lived at 5 Albany Terrace, Albany Road, Lowestoft, and Sidney was a barman at Stebbings Wine Merchants, High Street, Lowestoft. 

In 1924 Sidney married Lily May Fountain at Lowestoft. They lived at 54 Minden Road, Lowestoft. 

In 1926 Sidney worked as a labourer for the London and North Eastern Railway Company at Lowestoft. 

Sidney enlisted in the Royal Engineers, at Ipswich, on 15 September 1937. His trade was a pioneer/carpenter's mate. He was promoted to Corporal on 1 March 1939 and during the war promoted to Warrant Officer 2nd Class.

Sidney embarked for North Africa on 15 October 1942. 

He died, at sea, on 17 June 1943 as a result of enemy action. On 16 June 1943 Sidney's unit embarked the S.S. Yoma at Tripoli. Over 1750 men embarked that day. Sidney and his colleagues were to go to Alexandria to get ready for the invasion of Sicily. About 7.33 a.m. the next day German submarine U-81 fires two torpedoes and sank the Yoma, northwest of Derna, Libya. 484 men, including Sidney, died in the sinking.