He was the son of John Watson French and Mary Alice French (née Moffatt), of 33 Chatsworth St., Sunderland. Born at Ryhope, Co. Durham.
Linda Gowans has submitted the following:-
Kenneth Noel’s parents married in Sunderland in 1898, and he was born on February 16th 1900 in Ryhope Village.
In the 1911 census the family was at 3 Church Street Villas, Church Street, Elvet, Durham: John Watson French, born 1871, Grocer’s Manager, his wife Mary Alice, born 1876, both from Seaham Harbour, their son Kenneth Noel, and three daughters, all born Durham City.
He attended the Model School at Durham (attached to the College of St Bede where schoolmasters were trained), and subsequently St Oswald’s School. On July 21st 1911, an entry ‘Gone to Sunderland’ appears alongside his name – perhaps the date of the family move to Chatsworth Street.
At Newcastle in 1915 Kenneth Noel was indentured as the youngest crew member of the first and last ship on which he was to serve, ‘Caithness’, under the Master J. W. Beeching, 39, of North Shields.
‘Caithness’ was a 3,503 GRT turret deck steam cargo ship completed in 1898 by W. Doxford & Sons for The Sutherland Steamship Company of Newcastle. She was en route from the Tyne to an unknown destination when on April 20th 1917 she was sunk by a torpedo fired by German submarine U 52 approximately 130 nautical miles NW by W of Cape Ortegal, north-west Spain.
A note in Sunderland Museum’s records tells of the fate of ‘Caithness’ and her sailors:
‘Sank very quickly with most of crew. One lifeboat capsized but was righted and 20 men got into it and drifted about without food for 16 days during which time all but two died from privation. 47 lost including captain.’
The Hartlepool Northern Daily News 18/06/1917 describes Kenneth as "a bonny curly haired young man."
The Sunderland Echo 23/10/1918 reports:-
A Gallant Apprentice
A diploma of honour, which also carried with it a medal, awarded to the late Kenneth N. French of the Mercantile Marine by the Executive Council of the Shipping Federation in recognition of meritorious service which resulted in the sinking of an enemy submarine on January 18th 1917, under circumstances which demanded exceptional skill and courage, has now been received by his parents. The gallant apprentice who was the only son of Mr and Mrs J.W. French 33 Chatsworth Street, Chester Road, was only 16 years and 11 months when he displayed such bravery. His action was also rewarded by his employers, the Sutherland Shipping Co. Newcastle, presenting him with silver plate and a cheque. Unfortunately however, Apprentice French was torpedoed the following April and after 14 days' hardship in an open boat, died from exposure on May 3rd. The mate who was the only member of the crew to be saved, says that but for Apprentice French giving up his own lifebelt he, too, would have perished.
Kenneth Noel French is remembered at Sunderland on S140.009, S140.010 and S140.048 part 8 and on our List of Ships’ crews
