On Tower Hill Memorial, Trinity Square, London is the name of First Engineer John Charles Erskine serving on S.S. Thames with the Mercantile Marine who died 14/08/1917.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following;

John Charles Erskine was the eldest of 5 children of whom only 4 survived to adulthood.

His parents, James Erskine and Alice Jane Thompson were both natives of Sunderland born February 14th 1857 and 1858 respectively but were married in 1880 at Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales, despite there being no apparent reason for this.

John Charles Erskine was born at Sunderland in 1882 , Alice Maud, August 19th 1884, Jennie May, January 21st 1887, James Stanley, May 4th 1889 and George Edmund, November 6th 1891 who sadly died in 1892 not yet 1-year old while her husband was at sea and she and their children were living at 36, Burlington Road, Sunderland/ 

In 1901 Alice and the children occupied 7 rooms at 2, Hunter Terrace, Sunderland. John Charles (19) was employed as a steam engine maker’s fitter, Alice Jane (16) was a dressmaker’s apprentice, neither Jennie (14) or James Stanley (11) are listed as scholars.

John Charles Erskine was married to Margaret Stewart at St. Barnabas Church, Sunderland, January 18th 1908, who gave birth to their son John Charles Jnr, December 1908. Tragically both mother and son died during childbirth or post partum, December 1908. Margaret was 24 years of age. John Charles returned to his parent’s home.

Master Mariner James Erskine was living at the family home in 1911, John Charles (29) and James Stanley (21) were both employed as marine engineers. Jennie May (24), who had married Robert Thompson Darke in 1910 was also living in the family home as her husband was at sea, a serving officer in the Merchant Marine. She and her sister Alice Maud (26) assisted their mother in the running of the home.

John Charles remarried in 1913 to Louisa Cogdon. Born at Sunderland, January 2nd 1885 she was the daughter of William Michael Cogdon and Margaret Barnes. The families would have known of each other as Louisa’s brother Walter Cogdon and John Charles’ brother in law Robert Thompson Darke were both Freemasons and members of St. John’s Lodge, Sunderland. John Charles Erskine was a member of Londonderry Lodge, Sunderland.

Louisa gave birth to their son Alleyn, August 17th 1914, less than two weeks earlier Britain had declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914. Their daughter Ethel was born March 12th 1916.

John Charles Erskine during WW1 served with the Mercantile Marine and held the rank of 1st Engineer aboard the S.S. Thames.

S.S. Thames was a British steam ship built by Goole SB at Goole, owned by Dale Coasters Limited, she was launched in 1910. The ship sailed from Middlesborough for Fécamp on August 14th 1917 with a cargo of pig-iron and disappeared. U-Boat war diaries state the S.S. Thames was sunk with all hands lost by gunnery from the German submarine UC 63 at 11.22 pm (German time) at 53*42’N, 00*24’E.

The crew of the S.S. Thames are considered casualties of war. The name of 1st Engineer John Charles Erskine and the other 11 men lost are inscribed on the Tower Hill Memorial which stands on the south side of the garden at Trinity Square, London, commemorating men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and who have have no known grave. He was 34 years of age.

His widow received all monied due to her late husband, his award of the British War Medal also a pension for herself and their children. His personal assets in the sum of £225 2 shillings were assigned to Louise Erskine resident of 30, Eastfield Street, Sunderland, March 14th 1918.

In 1939 Ethel who was the daughter of the late First Engineer John Charles Erskine was living with her mother Louise in Sunderland at 20, Roker Terrace, also in the household was locomotive engineer Owen F. H. Gilbert, who married her daughter during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1939. He was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Horace Gilbert, born in India, June 3rd 1918. His wife gave birth to their daughter, Lynne, October 1940.

Owen Frederick Herbert Gilbert died at sea, killed in action, November 8th 1940, (as per CWGC) in the service of his Country whilst serving as Second Engineer Officer 146694 aboard the S.S. Pitwines (London), and is buried within Bishopwearmouth Cemetery, Sunderland. 

Ethel remarried in 1945 in the district of Durham Eastern to Samuel Clark with whom she had a son, Leigh Clark, in 1949. Ethel Clark-Gilbert nee Erskine died, September 23rd 1993 at Jarrow, Tyne & Wear.

In 1939 Alleyn Erskine was serving his County as Merchant Seaman 92087. He survived the conflict of WW2 and was married in 1945 to Mary Bright. Alleyn Erskine died October 1st 2002 at High Barnes, Sunderland Tyne & Wear.

The demise of Louise Erskine nee Cogdon was registered at Sunderland, Tyne & Wear in 1952, she was 57 years of age.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

John Charles Erskine is remembered at Hendon on H123.02, at Sunderland in S140.48 Part 8 page 169, on S140.056 and S140.120 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.