HIS NAME WAS RECORDED ON HULL’S ST THOMAS CHURCH MEMORIAL, CAMPBELL STREET, WHICH WAS DESTROYED IN WW2. HE IS LISTED AS A MERCHANT SEAMAN AND HIS SURNAME IS SPELT ‘ASCOUTH’. NO TRACE FOUND ON CWGC OR ELECTORAL RECORDS.
PROBABLY, JOHN WILLIAM AYSCOUGH. BORN SALTFLEETBY, LINCOLNSHIRE, 1873. SON OF JOHN WILLIAM AND SARAH AYSCOUGH. HE SERVED AS A FIREMAN, 227236, IN THE MERCANTILE MARINE RESERVE, ON THE FLEET MESSENGER SHIP. “KILLINGHOLME”. DAMAGED BY ENEMY SUBMARINE, IN THE NORTH SEA, ON 27/04/1916. HE WAS 43 YEARS OLD. COMMEMORATED ON THE PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL.
HIS WIDOW, FLORENCE, LIVED AT 43 CLIFTON TERRACE, ADELAIDE STREET, HULL (CWGC RECORDS). HE MARRIED FLORENCE RHEAM, AT HULL IN 1906. IN 1913, JOHN AYSCOUTH, WAS WORKING AS A COAL DEALER, LIVING AT 43 MASSEY STREET, HULL.
Launched By Eales Shipbuilders, Hull, on 24th February, 1912, the double paddle steamer, HMS Killingholme, was used as a Humber Ferry Service. It was requisitioned by the Admiralty as a sea plane carrier, to intercept airships, in March 1916. On 27th April 1916, it suffered major damage while on an anti-zeppelin patrol, overnight in the Humber. There are conflicting accounts of what happened with some claiming that the ship hit a mine and others claiming the ship was hit by a torpedo from a German submarine. Regardless, 18 crew members were killed including four members of the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service. The attempts at intercepting airships were not successful and Killingholme was returned to her owners 21st April 1917.
