BORN HULL 1900. SON OF WILLIAM DAWSON (1843-1910) & ELIZABETH J COOK (1863-1933), OF THIS 1911 CENSUS ADDRESS. YOUNGEST OF SEVEN CHILDREN.SERVED WITH THE MERCHANT NAVY AS STEWARD ON THE STEAM SHIP, “HARBERTON”. HE WAS LOST AT SEA ON 29/03/1917, AGED 17, BY ENEMY ACTION. HE IC COMMEMORATED ON THE TOWER HILL NAVAL MEMORIAL, AND IN THE HULL MERCHANT NAVY RECORDS.
S/S HARBERTON: Built for J. & C. Harrison, London; Yard No 185; Launch Date: 16/06/1894; Date of loss not certain, probably struck a mine laid by UC.31; All 15 lives lost, including master.
The HARBERTON left Blyth on Thursday 29th March 1917 bound for London with a cargo of coal. The ship was never seen or heard of again and it is presumed to have struck a mine laid by a German U-boat with the loss of all 15 crew.
Estimated position of loss: Off Robin Hood´s Bay; North Sea, Shipping Lane South of Blyth.
One of ten Cory Colliers involved in the London coal trade, lost off the Yorkshire coast to German U-boats or mines they had laid during WWI, the others were: Brentwood, Hurstwood, Ocean, Vernon, Sir Francis, Harrow, Corsham and Highgate. The Deptford was also mined off Scarborough in 1915. The Hull crew lost were:-
DAWSON, REDVERS BULLER (16), Engineer’s Steward, SS Harberton, Mercantile Marine, †29/03/1917, Son of Elizabeth Dawson, of 32, Craven St., Hull, and the late William Dawson, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
HUSSEY, WILLIAM (21), Able Seaman, SS Harberton, Mercantile Marine, †29/03/1917, Son of Thomas and Kate Hussey, of 56, Marmaduke St., Hessle Rd., Hull, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
