On Chatham Naval Memorial is the name of 2558SD Deck Hand John William Carss, serving on H.M. Drifter Jeannie Murray with the Royal Naval Reserve who died 15/02/1918.

He was the son of Mrs. J. Carss of Newton by the Sea, Lesbury.  He was married to Jessie Watson (formerly Carss) of 5 Sunny Brae, Embleton, Lesbury.

He died when H.M.S Drifter Jeanie Murray, which had been a fishing vessel hired by the Admiralty, was sunk in 1915 by a German surface ship in the Straits of Dover.

John William Carss is possibly remembered at Craster on C61.02 and C61.04,  at Embleton on E27.01 and E27.07 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.  There is some confusion – was he known as John William or William?