BORN HULL 01/07/1878. SON OF JAMES EXON WILEMAN & SUSANNAH COX (1840-1895). KNOWN AS “YOUNG SCAMP” ON THE HULL FISH DOCKS. HE WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE NEWLAND ORPHANAGE. HIS SISTER SUSSANAH (WILEMAN) WILKINSON LIVED AT 85 , WELLSTED STREET, HULL, (CWGC ADDRESS). HE HAD BEEN AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL (DSM) FOR HIS MINESWEEPING WORK TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE HE WAS KILLED ON 18/06/1917, AGED 38.
HE IS COMMEMORATED AT THE GRIMSBY FISHERMAN CHAPEL MEMORIAL. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 27/06/1917. *
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.
