Wilson, James McDonald

BORN HULL 1889. SON OF JOHN SCOTLAND WILSON & THE LATE MARGARET WILSON. BOTH HIS PARENTS WERE BORN IN SCOTLAND. HE SERVED AS SECOND ENGINEER OF THE FISHING VESSEL ‘ZARA’ LOST OFF SPURN POINT, ON 07/04/1915. PRESUMED DROWNED. AGED 26. NAVAL RECORDS ADDRESS.
On Wednesday 7th April 1915, The Grimsby trawlers Pinewold (GY177) and Ruby(GY1136) witnessed the loss of Zarina (GY 573) as a result of a massive explosion on the fishing grounds. It was not known if she was torpedoed or struck a mine but the explosion was so great that she was lifted right out of the water. Her crew were all lost.
The Grimsby trawler Zarina (GY573) sank 72 miles East by North from Spurn Head after striking a mine laid by SMS Strasburg on January 14th 1915.
CREW LOST ON ZARINA (GY573), enemy action 72 miles, E. x N. of Spurn, 7th April, 1915.
COOPER, WALTER BRACEWELL (34), Skipper, Zarina, Mercantile Marine, †07/04/1915, Husband of Alice Hill (formerly Cooper), of 5, Thesiger St., Grimsby, Lincs, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
FLEMING, ROYAL EDMUND (22), Deck Hand, Fishing Vessel Zarina, Mercantile Marine, †07/04/1915, Son of Anne Fleming, of 1, North Cottages, Skeeton Rd., York. Born at Scarborough, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
FORREST, EDWARD (50), First Engineer, Fishing Vessel Zarina, Mercantile Marine, †07/04/1915, Husband of Mrs. Forrest, of 21, Porter Place, Porter St., Hull. Born at Hull, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
GREGORIONS, GEORGE ARTHUR (54), Deck Hand, Fishing Vessel Zarina, Mercantile Marine, †07/04/1915, Husband of Harriet Gregorions, of 130, Guildford St., Grimsby. Born in Canada, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
GRICE, CHARLES ARTHUR (38), Third Hand, Fishing vessel Zarina, Mercantile Marine, †07/04/1915, Husband of Sarah Ann Grice, of 11, Elma Rd., Great Yarmouth. Born at Yarmouth, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
KILLETT, REUBEN JAMES (40), Second Hand, Fishing vessel Zarina, Mercantile Marine, †07/04/1915, Born in London, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
LESSLIE, PETER (55), Cook, Fishing Vessel Zarina, Mercantile Marine, †07/04/1915, Son of the late Peter and Margaret Lesslie; husband of Euphemia Blair Lesslie (nee Matthew), of 2, Reita Bank, Broughty Ferry, Dundee. Born at Dundee, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
MELHUISH, REUBEN FREDERICK (25), Trimmer, Fishing Vessel Zarina, Mercantile Marine, †07/04/1915, Husband of Ivy Charlotte Melhuish, of 84, Castle St., Grimsby. Born at Grimsby, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial
WILSON, JAMES MCDONALD (26), Second Engineer, Fishing Vessel Zarina, Mercantile Marine, †07/04/1915, Son of John Wilson, of 59, Brunswick Avenue, Hull, and the late Margaret Wilson, Memorial: Tower Hill Memorial