On Portsmouth Naval Memorial is the name of P/KX 122186 Stoker Second Class John Charles Cotterill, serving on H.M.S. Stronghold with the Royal Navy who died 02/03/1942.

The son of John C. Cotterill, and of Jane D. Cotterill, of Ashington, Northumberland.

John Charles known as Jackie was the first child of John Charles (1895-1937) and his wife Jane Davidson Cotterill nee Norris (1895- 1976). The couple had married in 1919. Jackie had a number of siblings Margaret (1923) known as Marg, Frederick Middleton (1925) known as Fred, Jane (1928) known as Jean and Robert (1932) known as Bobby.

Jackie attended Bothal Senior School.

Father John Charles died in 1937 at a hospital at Morpeth.

In 1939 the family lived at 20 Myrtle Street,  Ashington. Jackie was a Mine Surface Labourer.

Jackie joined the Royal Navy in early 1941 and served first on H.M.S. Royal Arthur with service number KX/122186.

His records show he had before enlisting worked for Ashington Coal Company and that his average wage was £3 a week.

Jackie later transferred to H.M. Stronghold and died March 2nd 1942 when the ship was attacked south of Java in the Indian Ocean.

His mother was notified on the 13th March 1942.

Acknowledgments: Barney Rice; Sandra Bartlett

John Charles Cotterill is remembered at Ashington on A17.01 (A17.27) and A17.43, at Hirst in H62.02 and H62.04 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.