On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of 3rd Engineer William Hedley Milburn, serving on S.S. Edernian (Cardiff) with the Mercantile Marine who died 20/08/1917.
William Hedley Milburn was born 16th December 1882, at 5 Lane Row, Cramlington, Northumberland, the only surviving son of John Milburn, of 18 Northumberland Terrace, Backworth, and his wife Isabella, daughter of William and Sarah Hedley.
In 1911 John and Isabella then both aged 61, were residing at 18 Northumberland Terrace, Backworth with their daughter Margaret. The grandson Percy Hedley aged 6 (William’s son) was living with his grand parents at the above address.
Margaret Milburn, William’s daughter was residing at 27 Warkworth Street, Backworth, with her grandparents James and Julia Amelia Stewart and their daughter Lydia age 26.
William was educated at Backworth School and Rutherford College, Newcastle upon Tyne. He was employed as a Colliery Engineer.
William married at the Wesleyan Church, North Shields 9th February 1903 Annie, daughter of James Stewart. They had five children: Percy Hedley born 23rd May 1904, John James born 2nd April 1910, Lydia born 10th September 1905, Margaret born 6th March 1907 and Sarah born 13th April 1913.
William joined the Mercantile Marine on the 15th July 1917 and served on the S.S. Edernian, a 3,588 ton steamship built by Craig, Taylor & Co., Ltd., Stockton and operated by SS. Demetian & Ordovician Co., Ltd. (O. & W. Williams & Co.), Cardiff.
The S.S. Edernian was torpedoed by UB-10, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Fritz Gregor, on the 20th August 1917. It was sailing from Middlesbrough to Dieppe carrying a cargo of [ammunition] steel. The vessel was sunk 6 miles SxE of Southwold, causing 14 casualties. William was presumed drowned when the ship was hit.
The 2nd Mate sent a letter which spoke highly of him as being well liked by all on ship.
After the war William’s widow moved to 9, Greenhill, Pontycymmer, South Wales.
Source: De Ruvigny Roll of Honour
William Hedley Milburn is remembered at Backworth on B1.01 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
His name does not appear on the Rutherford College WW1 Roll of Honour.
