James Leonard Muttitt

A Deck Hand with H.M. Drifter Cosmos, James died on 15th of February 1918 at the age of 34. 

James was born at Hulver on 13 April 1883, a son of Robert and Amy Muttitt. He was baptised at Saint Mary’s Church, Henstead, on 11 November 1883. In 1891 his family lived at Toad Row, Henstead, and this was still their address in 1901 and 1911. 

In 1901 James worked on the trawler George at Newlyn, Cornwall. 

On 2 January 1907 James married Janette Ellen (Jennie) Spooner at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft. James was a fisherman and they both gave their address as 298 Raglan Street. In 1911 their home was at Hanbury House, Carlton Road, Pakefield. Janette died in October 1917. 

James joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 3 April 1915 and served with trawler Cosmos. 

James was serving on the Cosmos when he was killed in an event known by some as the ‘Massacre of the Drifters’. Captain Taprell-Dorling, in his book Swept Channels described the event:

"On the night of 14-15 February 1918, an enemy submarine was reported in the minefield [off Dover] by the drifters, and heavy firing began. The "P" boats, monitors and destroyers on patrol concluded that the firing was at the submarine. They were unaware that a flotilla of German destroyers had steamed through the patrol and were attacking the paddle minesweepers, trawlers and drifters who were burning lights to assist in illuminating the minefield.

The trawler James Pond, commanded by Chief Skipper A.E. Berry, D.S.C., R.N.R., was burning her flares near the French coast when he saw three destroyers approaching from the eastward at high speed. Flashing past at very close range, they each fired salvoes. It was impossible to miss. The raiders disappeared into the darkness, to leave the trawler damaged and blazing.

The enemy destroyers had not finished. After passing the James Pond they turned sharply to the north-north-west along the line of drifters, firing salvoes into them as they steamed by. These little ships did not hesitate to return the fire with the tiny guns they possessed; but 3 and 6 pounders were nothing of a match for the 4.1's of the enemy. The Christina Craig, Clover Bank, Cosmos. Jeannie Murray, Silver Queen, Veracity and W Elliott, all between 60 and 96 tons, were sunk one after the other. Still more were damaged."