George Daniel Thacker

A Skipper with H.M. Drifter Cosmos, George died on 14th of February 1918 at the age of 44. 

Daniel was born at Wrentham, a son of Daniel and Caroline Thacker. When he joined the Royal Naval Reserve George’s date of birth was recorded as 18 November 1872, but his birth was not registered until 1873. In 1881 his family lived at Church Road, Wrentham. By 1894 they were living at Lowestoft. In 1901 the family home was at Carlton Road and in 1911 they lived at Eddystone Villa, Kirkley Run.

On 12 January 1902 George married Elizabeth Susannah Reynolds at Saint Margaret’s Church. George was a fisherman living at Kirkley Run, and Elizabeth lived at Whapload Road. The 1911 Census shows Elizabeth as a visitor staying at 3 Art Gallery Terrace, Newlyn. Between 1912 and 1918 their home was at 26 Worthing Road. Later Elizabeth lived at 13 Worthing Road. 

George was awarded his Certificate of Competency as a Skipper in 1910. He joined the Royal Naval Reserve, as a Temporary Skipper, on 3 April 1915 and was the Skipper of the requisitioned drifter Cosmos. George was Mentioned in Despatches in 1916 for services in the Auxiliary Patrol between 1 January 1915 and 1 January 1916 (London Gazette 14 July 1916). 

George was serving on the Cosmos and 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."

George’s brother Stanley served in the Middlesex Regiment and died in 1917.