George Boynton was born in 1898, he was the son of John and Eliza Boynton and brother of Eva. The 1911 census shows George as living with his parents and sister on West End and assisting on the farm. This is now the ‘Old Barn’ on West End. Eliza his mother was the cousin of Tom Bailey the village blacksmith and a photograph of them can be seen in ‘Old Walkington’ A Country Matters publication which was published in the 1970’s, many ‘old villagers’ will have a copy. His sister Eva took over from her father as organist at the chapel, many people will remember Eva in this role which she fulfilled well into the 1980’s.
George joined the Royal Navy as soon as he was eighteen and served as an able seaman on H.M.S. Narbrough; he was just 20 years old when the vessel was sunk off the coast of the Orkneys on 12th January, 1918. H.M.S. Boadicea, H.M.S. Opel and H.M.S. Narbrough were on dark night patrol off the Orkneys in bad weather with snow blizzards and a heavy swell. Because of the worsening weather the ships were ordered to make for port; at this stage the Opel and Narbrough became separated from the Boadicea and the Opel ran aground on rocks, breaking up almost immediately. The Narbrough came along side the Opel, but in turning she heeled right over and seemed to crack like a piece of firewood. She went down almost immediately. The Opel was lying in two pieces on her starboard side and the order was given to abandon ship. Walter Sissons, the only survivor, jumped into the sea and was washed up after swimming about 100 yards. He was found the following day and gave evidence to the board of enquiry into the loss of the vessels. George Edward Boynton is named in the Naval Memorial Registers and listed on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial in Hampshire. A plaque in Walkington Church is inscribed; George Edward
Only son of John and Eliza Boynton Of Walkington lost on HMS Narbrough 12/01/1918 aged 20 – ‘O Hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea’.
Throughout her life his sister Eva placed a cross on the war memorial each Armistice Sunday.
HMS Narborough and Opal HMS were in company off Scapa Flow on January 12th, 1918, when both were wrecked when they ran aground in a violent gale and snowstorm. The vessels, which were sister ships, each carried an official complement of 80. Only one survivor from both vessel happened occurred. 188 killed. Most of the casualties were never found and are commemorated on the Portsmouth Memorial. Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?10728
