William Henry Winter

A Skipper with H.M. Trawler Myrtle, William died on 14 June 1940, aged 41.

William was born at Southwold, Suffolk, on 30 October 1898, a son of Harry and Emily Winter. He was baptised at Saint Edmund’s Church, Southwold, on 4 December 1898. In 1911 his family lived at 7 Primrose Alley, Southwold, and by 1915 William was living at 12 Oulton Street, Oulton, Lowestoft. 

On 17 December 1915 William joined the Royal Naval Reserve, service number D.A.10072, as a Deck hand. He served with the trawler Lord Zetland until 1 July 1917 when he joined the Kosmos. He was advanced to Leading Deck Hand on 9 December 1917. William was promoted to Second Hand on 18 July 1918. He was demobilised on 15 March 1919. 

On 15 December 1920 William married Lilian May Sharman at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley. William was living at Southwold and Lilian lived at Kirkley. By 1939 their home was at Ship Cottage, Stradbroke Road, Pakefield. 
William was awarded his certificate of competency as a Skipper in 1928. In November 1939 he was the Skipper of the trawler Lord Howe. 

William became a Skipper with the Royal Naval Reserve with seniority from 12 February 1940, service number T.S. 433. He served with the Royal Naval Patrol Service. He joined the patrol service base, H.M.S. Europe, in April 1940 and served with the St. Melante for a few days before joining the minesweeping trawler Myrtle on 30 May 1940. On 14 June 1940 the Myrtle was in the Thames Estuary and the crew attempted to take a magnetic mine on board when the mine exploded killing all of the crew.