BORN HULL 23/06/1894. SON OF ALBERT ERNEST WHITING (1873-1926) AND MARY ANN “POLLY” CUNNINGHAM (1874-1936), OF 37, HAVELOCK STREET, HULL. ONE OF TEN CHILDREN.
HE MARRIED AT ST JAMES CHURCH, HULL, IN 1917. HUBAND OF ROSE CHORLTON (1899-1984), OF 261, BOULEVARD, HULL. (NAVAL RECORDS ADDRESS). AN ASSISTANT BAKER (1911 CENSUS). HE THEN WORKED AS A FISHERMAN, WITH THE GREAT NORTHERN STEAM FISHING COMPANY. HE ENLISTED IN THE ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE. SERVED ON THE DRIFTER, “OCEAN STAR”. HE WAS LOST AT SEA, ON 26/09/1917, AGED 23. HIS BROTHER, IN LAW, DECKHAND, JOHN WILLIAM CHORLTON, ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE, WHO LIVED WITH HIM AT 261 BOULEVARD, WAS ALSO LOST AT SEA, IN 1917. THEIR DEATHS WERE REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 03/10/1917. *
Ocean Star, built by The Montrose Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Montrose in 1907 and operated (hired) at the time of her loss by Royal Navy, was a British navy drifter of 92 tons. On September 26th, 1917, Ocean Star was sunk by a mine from the German submarine UC-50 (Rudolf Seuffer), off the Nab lightvessel. Lost with all hands, 10 in total. People on board People on board HMD OCEAN STAR123 1. ALEXANDER, WILLIAM FRANCIS , Second Hand (no. 15333DA), HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial 2. CAMPBELL, JAMES (20), Engineman (no. 4659ES), HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Son of James and Annie Campbell, of 47, Queen St., Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial 3. CHORLTON, JOHN WILLIAM , Deck Hand (no. 15215DA), HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial 4. HORN, ALBERT , Deck Hand (no. 9511DA), HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial 5. MATTHEWS, HERBERT LANCELOT , Deck Hand (no. 8414DA), HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial 6. MITCHELL, JAMES (41), Skipper, HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Son of James Mitchell, of Peterhead; husband of Jane Mitchell, of 13, Victoria Rd., Peterhead, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial 7. SETCHELL, JOHN HENRY , Engineman (no. 1956ES), HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial 8. SMITH, WILLIAM , Trimmer (no. 1473TS), HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial 9. WATT, FRANCIS WILLIAM (30), Deck Hand (no. 2395DA), HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Son of James and Christina Watt, of 144, Green, Gardenstown, Banff, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial 10. WHITING, ALBERT ERNEST , Deck Hand (no. 1384DA), HMD Ocean Star, Royal Naval Reserve, †26/09/1917, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?177414
