|
Military History |
| Theatre of War in Which Died | Campaign Medals | Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial |
|---|---|---|
| North Sea | British War & Victory Medals | Leamington (Whitnash Road) Cemetery |
| First Arrived in Theatre | Bravery & Conduct Medals | SWFHS Area Memorials |
| 31 Oct 1917 at Sea | ~ | Leamington Spa War Memorial |
| Action, Battle or Other Reason Died | Date and Place Enlisted | Other War Memorials |
| The Sinking SS Prunelle | 14 Dec 1915 in Bristol | ~ |
| Place of Death | Previous Regiments or Units | |
| North Sea off Blyth, Northumberland | ~ | |
Circumstances of Death
|
William was killed on 30th November 1918 when his vessel SS Prunelle was sunk by a torpedo. The following description of events is taken from Wikipedia. "Prunelle left London for Dundee on 22 August 1918 with a crew of 16 and a cargo of jute. Her Second Officer, Alfred Cheetham, had served on four Antarctic expeditions: Robert Falcon Scott's Discovery and Terra Nova expeditions, and on Ernest Shackleton's Nimrod and Imperial Trans-Antarctic expeditions.
At 13:40 hrs on the same day as she left London, Prunelle was targeted by SM UB-112 when she was 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) south east of Blyth. The U-boat fired a torpedo without warning, which hit the ship on her port side near her engine room. The explosion and rapid sinking of the ship killed 12 of her 16 crew members, including Captain Storm and Second Officer Cheetham. Four survivors were rescued soon after, having clung to wreckage, and were brought ashore at Blyth." |
| Personal & Family History |
| Birth Date/Place | Baptism Date/Place |
|---|---|
| 30 Nov 1888 in Leamington Spa | 13 Mar 1889 at Leamington Spa, St John |
| Parents Names | Abode |
| William Sherwood and Alice Halls (legally separated) | Not found |
| Wife and Marriage Details | Abode |
| Amy Halls nee Grimwood | 30 Eagle Street, Leamington Spa |
| Oct Qtr 1915 in Leamington Spa | |
| Schools | Colleges |
| ~ | |
| Address History | Employment History |
| 1889 - 69 Ranelagh Terrace, Leamington Spa | 1901 - School age |
| 1891 - 22 Clarence Street, Leamington Spa | 1911 - Hairdresser |
| 1901 - 27 Brunswick Street, Leamington Spa | 1915 - Hairdresser |
| 1911 - Not found | |
| 1915 - 30 Eagle Street, Leamington Spa |


