Photo : Cynthia Kent with thanks

Photo : Wrecksite EU. S.S.Eros

John Kemp Large Elliott name on the Memorial

Great Grandfather George Smith

John Kemp Large Elliott was born 2nd May 1895, at 120 Marlborough Street, South Shields,and baptised at St Hilda's Church on the 29th May 1895, the son of George Smith Elliott, born, 1st January 1850, at Cornwallis Square, Westoe, South Shields, a Chief Mate, and his wife Maria Jane Elliot, [nee Scott], who died on the 28th January 1896, at 120 Marlborough Street, South Shields.

They had seven children George Smith, born 1879, died 1882, George Robert, born 1884, died 1965, Anne Smith, born 1881, died 1954, Mary Elizabeth, born 1876, Emma Pinkney, born 1886, died 1929, Kate Pooley, born 1889, died 1891, and of course the youngest John.

John's mother died 28th January 1896, at 120 Marlborough Street, South Shields.

George is now Master of Foreign Going Ships, and in 1900 he remarried in Hartlepool to Margaret Fake (nee Wardhaugh). The 1901 census shows they are living at 189 South Eldon Street, South Shields, the same address given for George’s application for renewal of Master’s certificate. John (also known as Jack) is six-years-old and living at the same address as well as Margaret’s two sons and a daughter from her previous marriage, Henry born 1885 is a mariner, Herbert born 1887 is an apprentice joiner and Alice born 1881. In January 1904 John’s fathers is residing at 28 Dean Road, Westoe, South Shields and it is most likely that his family would be living at the same address. The address is taken from his Freemason membership payment for that year. Margaret Fake, John’s step mother died on the 24th May 1905 at Windsor House, Jesmond Road, Newcastle and his father remarried the following year to Annie Cheeseman. In 1906 his father’s residence is Stanhope Road, South Shields – this is down on his marriage certificate.

In 1911, John was now residing at 21 West Park Road, South Shields with his father and step mother Annie Elliott, age 53, been married for six years. Also residing there was her son George Stanley Tate, age 23, who was a coppersmith, his father was her second husband; her stepdaughter Lydia Crome, age 23, daughter of her third husband Robert Crome; and Annie Youart, her grand daughter age 10, from her first marriage.

John signed on to the S.S. Eros, ship number 140687, on the 8th June 1918.

The S.S. Eros was a 1,122grt, defensively-armed British Merchant steamer. Owned by The Shipping Controller, managed by Fisher, Renwick & Co, Newcastle.

On Monday, the 17th August 1918, at 3.07pm, when on route southward, speed 6 knots from Tyne for Rouen, with a cargo of coal, she was torpedoed by a German U-Boat, when 2 miles NE by N from Filey Brig, Yorkshire, UB-113, captained by Oberleutnant zur See Ulrich Pilzecker. [born 9th October, 1889 Died, 15th September 1918, English Channel].

There were six minesweepers three miles to the south and the the sea was slight, weather clear.

Seven lives were lost including the Master, and at least three of the crew were from South Shields.

"The lifeboats were all shattered by the explosion and the survivors were picked up out of the sea by the drifter SCOTT II. All the deck officers and a fireman were lost in the explosion or due to the rapid sinking of the ship. Nothing was seen of the submarine or the track of the approaching torpedo. No information of any value was obtained from the survivors who were all landed at Scarborough".

Source : Carl Racey, East Coast Shipwreck Research.

The Scarborough Mercury 23/08/1918 reported the inquest into the losses.

U Boat Victims. Seven out of Twenty one. At an inquest on three seaman, held at a North Eastern port on Tuesday, the Coroner said they were the victims of a German submarine, which torpedoed their vessel. The vessel was laden with coal, voyaging from a British port to a foreign one. It was torpedoed and sunk about three o'clock on Saturday afternoon.

The crew consisted of twenty-one men, and four of them, including the captain, were killed outright by the discharge of the torpedo. The three on whom the inquest was held died in hospital after being landed. There were five injured men still in hospital. The remaining nine members of the crew had gone to their respective homes. The Coroner added that he deprecated very much the absurd reticence shown by the authorities with respect to military operations on land in France and Belgium a great many regiments and individuals had performed heroic acts, and should have the reward of their great deeds by being named, which was the custom among the Australians, Canadians, and Americans. Why not with us, he did not know. At the same time he strongly approved of reticence being observed with reference to the sinking of our merchant vessels by German submarines.

The names of the three deceased were Albert Kennedy (30), ships steward, 20 South Pine-street, Gateshead, [who is remembered at Gateshead on G39.029 and in G39.004 page 7, also our Ship Crew lists], Lancelot Burn Marshall (35), chief marine engineer, 106, Fort-street, South Shields; [See his Every Name a Story entry, and is remembered at South Shields on S86.143], and Joseph Crispin, a coloured man, [from Sierra Leone] about 21, mess-room steward, 26, Clive-street, North Shields, [who is remembered at Tynemouth in T36.14 page 32, and on our Ship's Crew list]. A youth of sixteen, a member of the crew, stated he was asleep in his bunk when the vessel was torpedoed. He rushed up and jumped overboard and commenced to swim to a jolly boat, but the suction by the sinking of the vessel drew the boat down and he made for a raft, which he got on along with others. They were in the water about ten minutes when they were picked up by a patrol boat. The vessel was hit amidships and was practically cut in two.

She sank in a couple of minutes. The patrol boat picked up all the survivors, who had scrambled on to the rafts, one of which was fore and one aft. Corroborative evidence was given and a verdict was returned that the death resulted from the act of an enemy submarine.

The third crewman from South Shields was John B Souter, who was the master, residing at 25 George Scott Street, South Shields, who is remembered on S86.046 and our Ship Crew lists.

Scarborough Mercury dated 23rd August 1918 - U BOAT VICTIMS - SEVEN OUT OF TWENTY ONE. At an inquest on three seamen, held at a North Eastern port on Tuesday, the Coroner said they were the victims of a German submarine, which torpedoed the vessel. The vessel was laden with coal, voyaging from a British port to a foreign one. It was torpedoed and sunk about three o'clock on Saturday afternoon. The crew consisted of twenty-one men, and four of them including the captain were killed outright by the discharge of the torpedo. The three on whom the inquest was held died in hospital after being landed. There were five injured men still in hospital. The remaining nine members of the crew had gone to their respective homes. ....... The names of the three deceased were Albert Kennedy (30), ships steward, 20 South Pine Street, Gateshead; Lancelot Burn Marshall (35), chief marine engineeer, 106 Fort Street, South Shields; and Joseph Crispin, a coloured man, about 21, mess-room steward, 26 Clive Street, North Shields. A youth of sixteen, a member of the crew, stated he was asleep in his bunk when the vessel was torpedoed. He rushed up and jumped overboard and commenced to swim to a jolly boat, but the suction by the sinking of the vessel drew the boat down and he made for a raft, which he got on along with others. They were in the water about ten minutes when they were picked up by a patrol boat. The vessel was hit amidships and was practically cut in two. She sank in a couple of minutes. The patrol boat picked up all the survivors, who had scrambled on to the rafts, one of which was fore and one aft. Corroborative evidence was given and a verdict was returned that the death resulted from the act of an enemy submarine.

The Eros was proceeding southward down the coast making six knots with her cargo of coal bound for Rouen. Six mine sweepers were some three miles to the south and the weather was clear and the sea state slight. At 3.07pm having just passed Scarborough an explosion suddenly occurred on the port side, breaking the back of the vessel and she settled down immediately. The lifeboats were all shattered by the explosion and the surviviors were picked up out out of the sea by the drifter SCOTT II. All the deck officers and a fireman were lost in the explosion or due to the rapid sinking of the ship. Nothing was seen of the submarine or the track of the approaching torpedo. No information of any value was obtained from the survivors who were all landed at Scarborough.

Scarborough Mercury Death notices - "Crispin - on August, 19th Joseph Crispin, Friar's Entry, Aged 21 years".

Research: Cynthia Kent/James Pasby

Acknowledgements to: Peter Hoy: Carl Racey

John Kemp Large Elliott is remembered in our Ship Crew lists.

Naval History events
U-Boat Net
SS Eros
The CWGC entry for Chief Bosun Elliott