Newcastle Journal Saturday 29th August 1914

Map of Enemy Minefields

Henry William Millward was born on the 14th February 1890 at North Shields, son of Frederick and Annie (nee Wright) Millward of 25 Reed Street, North Shields, Northumberland. Married 1874 at Wolstanton, Staffs.

He married in 1913 Jane Hammell and they had two daughters Alexandrena M. and Henrietta W.

They resided at 5 Tennyson Terrace, North Shields. His parents had moved to 74 Ellesmere Street, South Shields, County Durham.

Henry was a Deckhand on the H.M.T. Thomas W, Irvine, no 61, a mine sweeping Trawler requisitioned by the Admiralty. His trawler was one of four minesweepers under command of Commander R. W. Dalgety Royal Navy (Retired), Tyne Minesweeping Base.

Left harbour around 05.30am to sweep the area, twenty-eight miles off the mouth of the River Tyne. Seven mines swept and destroyed in the afternoon. Preparing to connect up another sweep at 16.25pm detonated a mine, broke up and sank quickly (wi - in 55.01N, 01.22.45W); 3 ratings lost. [The other ratings were Robert Henry Sadler, Trimmer, Trawler Section, RNR, 92TS, and Norris, George C, Deck Hand, Trawler Section, RNR, DA 207].

Thomas W Irvin, 201/1911, R Irvin & Sons, was an Aberdeen-registered A421, [A.387 was the correct Aberdeen registration A.421 was the later trawler requisitioned], hired on the 8th August as a minesweeper, unarmed, Admiralty No.61, Skipper Henry Charles Thompson Royal Naval Reserve.

Naval Diary entry for the 27th August 1914.

"Two Admiralty trawlers (and a fishing drifter) mined in Tyne field laid by German Albatros, escorted by Stuttgart."

De Ruvigny Roll of Honour

Source:- Newcastle Journal Saturday, 29/08/1914 carried a report under the heading Sea Mines.

Herring Drifter sunk in the North Sea.

The area of the minefield, so dangerous to mercantile shipping and the fleet of fishing craft now engaged in the herring fishery, must not be indicated, the official order being that. 'in the case of the sinking of trading vessels or trawlers by enemy mines, no position, bearings, or distance shall be given.'

News of a sixth shipping disaster, due to the presence of mines in the North Sea, and reported in the Tyne, was brought to the North Shields Fish Market yesterday, the number of victims being raised to the total of 25.

When the Lowestoft drifter 'Hastings Castle' arrived from the fishing grounds, the master reported that he had been 'spoken to' the previous night by the Hall trawler 'St Clair' which had on board four survivors of the crew of the Buckie steam herring drifter 'Barley Rig'. That vessel, it was stated, had been destroyed by a mine during the day, five lives having been lost. The report was confirmed yesterday afternoon by the arrival at Grimsby of the 'St Clair', where she had landed the four survivors, and also a dead fisherman.

Appended is a list of the vessels destroyed the number of lives lost, etc:-

Skule Forfgeti, Iceland trawler-four lives lost; 13 men saved (two injured and in hospital).

Gottfried, Norwegian steamer-eight lost; four saved (two slightly injured).

T.W. Irvin, Shields trawler, and Crathie, Aberdeen trawler-five lost; 19 saved (eight injured and in hospital).

Gaea? Danish schooner-three lost, four saved (This ship was described by the Press Bureau as Eas).

Barley Rig, Scotch drifter, five lost; four saved.

The following is a list of those killed or drowned in the destruction of the T.W. Irvin and Crathie; Henry W Milward, deckhand, 5 Tennyson Terrace, North Shields. Robert H. Sadler, trimmer, 18 Wellington Place, South Shields. George C. Norris, 15 Hudson Street, North Shields. Francis G. Dunbar, deckhand, Aberdeen. Thomas Noble Aberdeen. The three Shields men were married, and Sadler leaves one child."

Shields Daily News 31/08/1914: Deaths.

Millward. Lost off the T. W. Irvin, on the 27th Inst. Henry Woodvine Millward, the dearly loved husband of Jennie Millward (nee Hamil) 5 Tennyson Terrace, North Shields and youngest son of Frederick and the late Annie Millward.

Henry's widow, remarried in 1927 Robert Hodgson.

Henry William Millward is remembered at Tynemouth in T36.14 page 19, and at North Shields on N34.05 and on our List of Ships’ crews

Trawlers go to War
S M S Stuttgart
Eye Witness account
The CWGC entry for Deck Hand Millward