BORN HULL 26/6/1894. YOUNGEST SON OF MARY PEACOCK & THE LATE JOHN HUDSON, OF 1 PROVIDENCE TERRACE, WASSAND STREET, HULL. ONE OF SEVEN CHILDREN. WIFE OLIVE HUDSON LIVED AT NEW BUILDINGS, WALKER STREET, HULL AND AT 61 , SOUTH PARADE, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). HE ENLISTED IN OCTOBER, 1914. SERVED AS AN ENGINEMAN IN THE ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE. HE WAS KILLED WHEN THE TRAWLER ‘BORNEO’ EXPLODED, ON THE 18/06/1917, AGED 23. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 28/06/1917. *
On the 18 June 1917 the BORNEO and GRENADIER (Adm’y No.714, former Grimsby trawler GRENADA GY 323), were sweeping off Beachy Head. Several mines were swept up during the day, one brought to the surface was detonated by rifle fire from GRENADIER. At 5.45 pm there was a large explosion under BORNEO, she broke up and sank rapidly. None of the crew survived.
Lieutenant A. G. Philips the senior officer in charge of sweeping, was criticised for an error of judgement in continuing to sweep the area at low tide. The mines had been laid in the area earlier that day by the German submarine UC-17 (Werner Fürbringer). 17 crew were lost, including:
HUDSON, BERTIE (22), Engineman (no. 886/TS), HMT Borneo, Royal Naval Reserve, †18/06/1917, Son of Mary Hudson, of Hull, and the late John Hudson; husband of Olive Hudson, of 61, South Parade, Anlaby Rd., Hull, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
WILEMAN, EDGAR (37), Deck Hand (no. 2002DA), D S M, HMT Borneo, Royal Naval Reserve, †18/06/1917, Brother of Susanna Wilkinson (nee Wileman), of 85, Wellsted St., Hessle Rd., Hull, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
