William Scambler

William Scambler was a 30-year old trimmer / cook on board His Majesty's Trawler "THOMAS STRATTEN", when this ship hit a mine off the Butt of Lewis on 20 October 1917. William's remains were buried at Sandwick Cemetery near Stornoway. Today, I managed to track down records of his birth and his death, which paints the following picture.



William Scambler

Birth record

Date of birth: July 23rd, 1887, 5h AM

Place of birth: Glorat, Campsie, Stirlingshire

Name of father: James Scambler, assistant gamekeeper (present at registry office)

Name of mother: Elizabeth Harriet Scambler, nee Dryden

Place and date of their marriage: Edinburgh, 14 October 1886.



Death record

Name: SCAMBLER, William

Rating: Trimmer / Cook

Official no and port division: 712.T.C. (Po)

Branch of service: R.N.R.

Ship or unit: H.M. Trawler "THOMAS STRATTEN"

Date and place of birth: 23.7.1887, Lennoxtown, Stirling

Date of death: 20.10.1917

Name and address of cemetery: Civil Cemetery, Sandwick, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, grave O. 1321.

Relatives notified and their address: Wife, Alice; Branxton, Innerwick, Berwick, Scotland



Among William's shipmates, none of whom were recovered were (further details courtesy CWGC)



BOWSER, Walter, Trimmer, RNR, TS 6310 (aged 18), Son of Thomas Frederick and Lilian Bowser, of 42, Beecroft St., St. George's Rd., Hull. Remembered on Chatham Naval Memorial panel 27



BROWN, Charles John, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 5540 (aged 24). Son of Alice Mary Brown, of Clare Cottage, Caister-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, and the late Charles John Brown. Remembered on Chatham

Naval Memorial panel 26.



COLLINSON, James, Deck Hand, RNR, SD 3895 (aged 21). Son of George Collinson, of 158, High St., East End, Sunderland, and the late Catherine Collinson; husband of Catherine Millar (formerly Collinson), of 58, Loudoun Square, Cardiff. Remembered on Chatham Naval Memorial panel 26.



PARRISH, Charles, Ordinary Telegraphist, RNVR, Tyneside Z 10209 (aged 20). Son of Willie and Amanda Matilda Parrish, of 75, Carr House Rd., Shelf, Halifax. Remembered on Chatham Naval Memorial panel 27



PIRIE, James, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 3948. Remembered on Chatham Naval Memorial panel 28



PLAYFORD, John, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 10703 (aged 26). Son of Sarah Ann Playford, of Pockthorpe, Raveningham, Norwich. Remembered on Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 26.



POLLARD, Thomas Edward, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 12923. Son of Fanny Pollard, of Gorran Haven, Gorran, Cornwall. Remembered on Plymouth Naval Memorial, panel 24.

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