BORN HULL 1882. SON OF GEORGE AND MARY ANN BATTY, 5 CONSTABLE STREET, HESSLE ROAD. WAS A HORSE FARRIER AND ENGINE FITTER. ALSO SERVED WITH THE 2ND EYR AND NORTHUMBRIA RGA FROM 01/04/1908. MARRIED MAN, WIFE ANNIE & 3 SONS LIVING AT THIS ADDRESS. HE WAS MASTER OF THE STEAM TUG BUNTY LOST AT SEA, AGED 35.
Bunty was a 73 GRT steam tug completed in 1913 by Scott & Sons for the Premier Tug Co. Ltd. She sank on 21 October 1917 after striking a mine laid by German submarine UC-49 at position 54° 30′ N, 00° 30′ W – off the coast of Whitby. She was en route from Hull to Rosyth with a cargo of coal. A pilot was on board at the time she was blown up. There were no survivors. Well over 400 tugs were requisitioned during the First World War by various branches of the British armed services, some for just a short while, others for the duration of the war. This led to an acute shortage of suitable tugs in some areas, especially the Thames, where tugs from other rivers were chartered in to help out. 319 British requisitioned tugs served with the Royal navy, 28 with the Army and the Navy, and 30 with the Army. A further 49 tugs were hired from overseas, including the USA
1. BATTY, ROBERT EDWARD , Master, SS Bunty, Mercantile Marine, †21/10/1917, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 2. CLARK, HERBERT (29), Fireman, SS Bunty, Mercantile Marine, †21/10/1917, Son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Clark; husband of Emma Clark, of 17, Goodwin Terrace, Day St., Hull. Born at Hull, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 3. EALES, WILLIAM CHARLES , Pilot, SS Bunty, Mercantile Marine, †21/10/1917, Husband of Frances Ellis Eales, of 511, Anlaby Rd., Kingston-upon-Hull, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 4. LEE, WILLIAM (26), Mate, SS Bunty, Mercantile Marine, †21/10/1917, Husband of Maud Lee, of 4, Chester Avenue, Mauvers St., Hull. Born at Crowle, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial 5. SPECK, HENRY WILLIAM (49), Engineer, SS Bunty, Mercantile Marine, †21/10/1917, Son of William Henry and Martha Speck; husband of Mary Elizabeth Speck (nee Lewis), of 33, Harrow St., Hull. Born at Hull, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?139043
