John Samuel Button

A Seaman with H.M.S. Aboukir, John died on 22nd of September 1914 aged 44. 

John was born at Lowestoft on 31 October 1869, a son of Jonathan and Jane Hannah Button. He was baptised at Saint Margaret's Church, Lowestoft, on 3 December 1871. His family lived at 11 Compass Lane, Lowestoft. In 1881 John and his father were at 2 Lake Lothing Terrace.

On 29 April 1895 John married Susannah Allen at Saint Margaret's Church. John was a sailor living at 4 Factory Court, and Susannah lived at Albert Street. In 1901 they lived at 15 Melbourne Road and John was a mariner. By 1911 they were living at 47 Park Road, Lowestoft, and John was a general mariner.

In early 1911 John was working ashore. By September 1911 he was working on the coal hulk Emily Smeed. In early 1912 he was again working ashore, buy by 1 August 1912 was again a crewman on the Emily Smeed. By February 1913 he was again working ashore. 

John first enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve on 20 January 1896. He re-enrolled on 30 January 1911. John was called out for service when the First World War began and on 3 August 1914 he was drafted to H.M.S. Aboukir. 

On 28 August 1914 H.M.S. Aboukir was part of the British naval force at the Battle of Heligoland Bight, but took no active part in the battle. On 22 September H.M.S. Aboukir, sailing with sister ships Cressy and Hogue, were in the Broad Fourteens area of the North Sea when each ship was sunk by torpedoes from German submarine U-9. A total of 527 men, including John, were killed in the loss of the Aboukir. 

John's son, Robert, served in the Merchant Navy and died in 1945.