Thomas George Thacker

A Deck Hand with H.M.S. Prize., Tom died on 14th of August 1917 at the age of 19. 

Thomas, also known as Tom, was born at Gisleham on 9 March 1898, a son of Thomas George Howell and Anna Jane Thacker. he was baptised at Rushmere on 1 may 1898, and his family lived at Gisleham. Later his family lived at Back, White Horse Corner, Carlton Colville.

Tom joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 26 July 1915 and served on the trawler Pilot Star. At some point he joined the 'Q Ship' H.M.S. Prize (this date is not shown on his service record but could not have been before 25 April 1917 as this is when the Prize was commissioned for Q-Ship duties). On 13/14 August 1917 the Prize was on anti-submarine patrol, with submarine H.M.S. D-6, south-west of Ireland, when they encountered the German submarine UB-48. The Prize attacked the German submarine, but it was able to fire a torpedo which sank the Prize with loss of all hands.