On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of Second Engineer Robert Nicholson, serving on S.S. Batoum (Swansea) with the Mercantile Marine, who died 18/07/1915.

The son of the late James and Ann Nicholson and the husband of Harriet Helena Nicholson (nee Watts), of 56, Salmon Street South Shields. He was born at South Shields.

The Batoum, ship number 102786, was a tanker operated by the Associated Oil Carriers, Ltd. (J. I. Jacobs & Co.), of Swansea, 4,054 tons, was attacked by the German U Boat U 61, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Victor Dieckmann, on the 18th July 1915, 6 miles South of Fastnet Rock, whilst on a voyage from New Orleans to Queenstown. There was only one casualty.

Robert Nicholson is remembered at South Shields on S86.109 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.