BORN SELBY 1882. SON OF ELIZA COLLINS & THE LATE JAMES HATFIELD. HE MARRIED GERTRUDE MARY BOOTH, AT HULL, IN APRIL 1903. THEY LIVED AT 6 MILTON GROVE, SUBWAY STREET (1911 CENSUS) AND THIS 95 MANCHESTER STREET, HULL, (HDM 26/09/1918), WITH THEIR FOUR CHILDREN. HIS NAME IS LISTED ON TOWER HILL MEMORIAL, LONDON.
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.
