Thomas James Bertram Dickens

An Engineman with H.M. Trawler Sisters Melville, Thomas died on 13th of February 1917 at the age of 34. 

Thomas was born at Cardiff on 31 October 1882, a son of Thomas James and Mary Dickens. In 1891 his family lived at 16 Constellation Road, Raoth, Cardiff, and by 1901 they were living at 14 Walkers Road, Roath, and Thomas was a chemist’s assistant. 

In 1911 Thomas lived with his sister, Mable Job, and family at 57 Waterloo Road, Hakin, Milford Haven, and he worked as an engineer at sea. 

In 1916 Thomas married Elsie Elizabeth Epps at Lowestoft. In 1917 her address was 27 Lovewell Road, and later she lived at 29 Victoria Road, Oulton Broad.

Thomas was living at 70 Abbot Hall, Fleetwood, when he joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 31 May 1915. He served on the trawler Elswick before joining the trawler Sisters Melville. 

On 13 February 1917 the Sisters Melville was sailing about four miles off Aldeburgh when it struck a mine and sank. Seven of the crew, including Thomas, were killed.