On Tower Hill Memorial, Trinity Square, London is the name of Fourth Engineer Officer Ralph Hedley serving on  S.S. Vine Branch with the Mercantile Marine who died 11/04/1917.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following;

Ralph Hedley was one of 5 children.

His father Ralph Peterson Hedley was born at Sunderland, historically in County Durham, December 25th 1859 and where he was married in 1892 to Eleanor Menham Patterson. Born at Sunderland, June 6th 1862 she was the daughter of maritime pilot John Patterson and Theresa Menham.

Their son Thomas Hedley was born, August 28th 1893, Ralph, October 23rd 1894, Eleanor Menham, December 28th 1896 and Jessie, July 8th 1898. In 1901 Ralph Snr was employed as a steam tug captain, living with his family at 16, Thomas Street, Sunderland where his wife gave birth to their daughter Theresa, April 18th 1901. Tragedy befell the family when his wife Eleanor Menham Hedley nee Pattinson died in 1904 leaving him to bring up his 5 children, the youngest of whom was 2 years old, the eldest 12.

Ralph Snr in 1911 was living in 4 rooms at 70, West Street, Hendon, Sunderland. Living with him were not only his children but a Mary Jane and her 2 daughters. Mary Jane, maiden surname Ward, is listed in the 1911 census as Ralph Snr’s wife, she was the widow of William Patterson but no marriage has been found for Ralph Hedley and Mary Jane. 

Ralph supported his family working as a tug boat captain, Thomas (17) and Ralph (16) were both apprentice fitters, Eleanor (14) remained at home, Jessie (12) and Theresa (9) were scholars. Eleanor Pattinson (20) was a confectionary assistant, Isabella Patterson (16) remained at home with her mother. 

Thomas Hedley died in 1913 aged 19 years, Ralph Peterson Hedley died, July 2nd 1914,, he was 54 years of age. Mary Jane Hedley-Patterson nee Ward in 1916.

Within little over a month of his father’s demise Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany. Ralph Hedley, resident of 61, Ward Street, Sunderland, who had joined the Merchant Navy, at the time of his father’s demise was serving as 4th Engineer Officer aboard the S.S. Vine Branch.

The S.S. Vine Branch was acquired by the Nautilus Steam Shipping Company as she was then known as the S.S. Clan Shaw but was originally built at Sunderland and launched as the S.S. Imperialist. 

En route from Valparaiso, Chile to Liverpool with a cargo of nitrates and frozen beef the S.S. Vine Branch was attacked by a German U-boat. The only account of the attack comes from German records and states that circa 400 miles south west of Ireland, April 6th 1914, German submarine U55 attacked the S.S. Vine Branch firing two torpedoes which missed. 

S.S. Vine Branch attempted to ram the submarine damaging the periscope. In order to continue the attack U55 surfaced and engaged the Vine Branch with gunfire and more torpedoes. The S.S. Vine Branch is recorded by Lloyds, July 4th 1917, as missing having disappeared without a trace with the loss of 44 lives. 

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission lists the death of 4th Engineer Officer Ralph Hedley, Mercantile Marine as April 11th 1917. He was 22 years of age and single.

Presumably drowned, the sacrifice of 4th Engineer Officer Ralph Hedley is recorded as one of 36,059 names inscribed on Tower Hill Memorial which stands ion the south side of the garden of Trinity Square, London, commemorating men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both World Wars and have no known grave.

The surviving Hedley sisters found themselves without a bread winner and in 1921, Eleanor Menham (24), Jessie (22) and Theresa (20) were living together at 61, Ward Street, Sunderland. Jessie and Theresa supported themselves and their elder sister having formed a business on their own account as dressmakers.

Eleanor Menham Hedley died in 1928, Theresa Hedley in 1971, further details as regards Jessie Hedley are unknown.

In the absence of a son and heir this line of the Hedley family ceased to exist.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace. 

Ralph Hedley is remembered at Hendon on H123.02, at Sunderland in S140.048 Part 2 page 36 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.