Herbert Cecil Stevenson

An Engineman with H.M. Trawler Kirkland, Herbert died on 20th of August 1917 at the age of 27. 

Herbert was born at Lowestoft on 31 October 1888, a son of George William and Sarah Stevenson. In 1891 his family lived at Maida Cottage, Burton Street, and in 1901 at 4 Rotterdam Road. By 1911 the family had moved to 3 Primrose Road, Thorpe Hamlet, Norwich, and Herbert worked as a general labourer. Also living at 3 Primrose Road was Harriet Sexton who was the house keeper: Harriet was the mother of Dora Sexton. 

On 31 January 1914 Herbert married Dora Ethel Florence Sexton at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft. Herbert was a fisherman and they both gave their address as 21 Kent Road. By August 1914 they were living at 16 Kent Road. In 1925 Dora married Robert Kendall at Shotesham. 

Herbert joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 20 August 1914. Herbert served on the trawler Wild Rose and later, possibly on 10 September 1915, joined the trawler Kirkland. 

On 20 August 1917 the Kirkland was accompanying the oiler S.S. Kremlin from the west of Shetland to Lerwick on the east of Shetland. Off Fulga Skerry, Papstour, the Kirkland struck a mine and sank almost immediately. Ten of the crew, including Herbert, were killed. Another trawler, the Ethel, was also accompanying the Kremlin and went to the aid of the Kirkland’s crew and rescued one man. A Board of Inquiry criticised the skipper of the Ethel for going to the aid of the Kirkland’s crew because, is doing this he had deserted the convoy in his charge. The Board found that most of the Kirkland’s crew were below deck when the trawler struck the mine and those who were on deck could not swim.