BORN HULL 1881. SON OF ELIZABETH JANE THOMPSON & THE LATE ROBERT WILSON. ONE OF SEVEN CHILDREN. EDUCATED AT TRINITY HOUSE SCHOOL. HE HAD SERVED ON THE STEAM SHIP ‘DIDO’ AND WAS ONE OF ONLY THREE SURVIVORS, WHEN IT WAS MINED, ON 26/02/1916. (HDM 26/02/1916). HE WAS BOSUN ON THE STEAMER, “GITANO”, WHICH WAS MINED ON 23/12/1918, AGED 37. HE WAS LOST WITH 13 HULL MEN AND 12 OTHERS. UNMARRIED. HE LEFT SISTERS, ELIZABETH, SUSANNAH, AND SARAH. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE TOWER HILL NAVAL MEMORIAL IN LONDON AND RECORDED ON THE HULL MERCHANT NAVY ROH.
HIS OLDER BROTHERS, SGT, PAUL WILSON, RE’S & THEN CEF, DIED ON 22/01/1917, AGED 48, IN HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA. AND SEAMAN, JOHN WILLIAM WILSON, DIED ON THE OIL TANKER “GREGARIO” IN 1918, AGED 45.
The GITANO was posted missing in January 1919, lost with all 28 hands, presumed mined after passing Flamborough Head on 20/12/1918. The master was engaged chiefly in the general trades to the Baltic and had been running regularly and continuously throughout the Great war. The usual route to Gothenburg is due north-east from the Humber Roads, so she would normally be well out to sea when passing Flamborough Head..
Wreckage reported washed up at Tvedestrand, 30 miles NE of Chistians and, Norway.
The officers and crew of the GITANO were:- W. J. Decent, Master, Regent House, Ings Road, Hull. – J. W. Barron, chief officer, Sulby, Ings Road, Hull. – J. J. Glenton, Second officer, 51 Gloucester Street, Hull. – F. C. Wilson, Boatswain, 159 Durham Street, Hull. – J. Hedgcock, chief engineer, 24 Clumber Street, Hull. – C. A. Kay, Second Engineer, 22 Camden street, Hull. – E. Hatfield, Donkeyman, 95 Manchester Street, Hull. – R. Rippon, steward, 65 Exmouth Street, Hull. – P. H. Robinson, assistant steward, Adderbury Grove, Beverley Road, Hull. – A. J. Parker, Wireless Operator, Docking, Kings Lynn. – E. Cresswell, Seaman Gunner, Woodlands, Doncaster. – H. Hardy, Seaman Gunner, Glenburg Cottage, Gubberwick, Lerwick. – T . W. Cook, Seaman Gunner, Albion street, Rowledge, Sussex. – R. Simpkins, Cadet, Westbourne Villas, Hessle. – G. G. Barnes, Cadet, 171 Maldas Road, Colchester. – And twelve seamen and firemen of foreign nationality.
