On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of First Engineer George Owen Muddle, serving on Steam Trawler John M. Smart (North Shields) with the Mercantile Marine who died 12/12/1917.

The son of the late Charles Muddle and the husband of Johanna Muddle (nee Smith), of 35, Coburg Street, North Shields. He was born at Bucksted.

He served as Reuben Morley.

His widow placed an In Memoriam in the local newspaper over the years. The last one to appear was in 1939.

The Shields Daily News 12/12/1939 reports:-
MUDDLE—In loving memory of my dear husband. George Owen Muddle (better known as Reuben Morley). who was drowned in the sinking of the s.s. John M. Smart on Dec. 12th, 1917, by enemy action.—Will always be remembered by his loving wife, daughter Dorothy and son-in-law Len (all in Canada) .

Acknowledgements: Barney Rice.

George Owen Muddle is remembered at North Shields on N34.22  and N34.77,  at Tynemouth in T36.14 page 35 as Reuben Morley and in our List of Ships’ Crews.