In Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave with a private headstone of SS/116045 Stoker 1st Class William Davis, serving on H.M.S. Hercules with the Royal Navy who died 23/04/1917.

The headstone reads:

In loving memory of
William Davis
First Class Stoker of
H.M.S. Hercules
who died April 23rd 1917,
while on active service
aged 22 years,
who fought in the Jutland Battle.
This stone is erected by his shipmates.

He was the son of Woolfe and Elizabeth Davis, of 121, Stephenson Street, North Shields.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

William Davis was one of 4 children of whom only 3 survived to adulthood. His parents were both born in North Shields, Northumberland, his father Woolfe Davis in 1865, his mother Elizabeth Winter in 1867.

Woolfe and Elizabeth were married in the district of Tynemouth in 1888, their daughter Ruth Ann was born in 1889 in North Shields as were William, February 16th 1895, Florence 1897 and Walter 1900.

Life at sea played a huge roll in the lives of the Davis men. Woolfe Davis was a stoker on board a steam ship and his father Woolfe Snr had joined the Navy at the age of 16. 

Woolfe Davis and his family in 1891 were living in rooms at 8/9, George Street, North Shields, ten years later he was working on-shore as a warehouseman for a ships chandler an employment which he still held in 1911 although he had transferred his family to an accommodation at 71, Church Street, North Shields consisting of 3 rooms. 

The Christian name Woolfe was of old German origin and William’s father in the 1911 census is listed as William, possibly in an attempt to anglicise his name as there were already rumblings of a possibility of war with Germany as it sought to break the French-Russian alliance and was fully prepared to face the consequences of starting a major war.

Their daughter Florence Davis died aged 15-years during the 4th quarter (Oct/Nov/Dec) 1912.

William Davis, described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion, served from October 6th 1914 until January 27th 1915 at the shore base Victory III in Portsmouth, in training with the rank of Stoker 2nd Class service number SS/116045, until joining H.M.S. Hercules, March 23rd 1915 rising to the rank of Stoker 1st Class, August 11th 1915.

H.M.S. Hercules was a Colossus battleship built by Palmers at their shipyard in Hebburn on the River Tyne in north-east England. Launched May 10th 1910 she was commissioned at Portsmouth, July 31st 1911 and was the flagship of the 2nd Division Home Fleet from July 1912 to March 1913 and in 1914 joined the Grand Fleet.

May 31st 1916 at the Battle of Jutland, during which Stoker 1st Class Davis was a member of the crew, she fought with the 6th Division and engaged the enemy from 19.00-19.15 with her fifth and sixth salvo making direct hits. The Hercules did not sustain any damage or casualties during the encounter but was narrowly missed by several torpedoes one of which passed alongside. June 1916 H.M.S. Hercules was transferred as the flagship of the 4th Battle Squadron and was at sea when the German High Fleet attempted to attack Sunderland, August 19th 1916 and took part in her final sortie, November 21st 1918.

Stoker SS/116045 William Davis had been transferred to the Hospital Ship “Soudan,” suffering from disease, he died of septicaemia April 23rd 1917. At the request of his parents and paid for by them it was organised that his body be returned to his home at 121, Stephenson Street, North Shields. 

His funeral cortege departed at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 28th 1917, making its way to Preston Cemetery, North Shields, where he was laid to rest with full Naval Honours in the presence of his parents, surviving brother and sister, friends and Naval men. William was 22 years of age and single. Awards; British War Medal and Victory Medal.

His mother received a pension, a flat rate of 5 shillings a week as of November 6th 1918.

William’s burial plot is classed as a Commonwealth War Grave but does not have a military headstone, the spot is instead marked by a gravestone erected to his memory by his shipmates.

Woolfe/William Davis died in 1935, his widow Elizabeth Davis nee Winter, October 12th 1942. Elizabeth was still living at Stephenson Street. Her funeral cortege left for Preston Cemetery, North Shields at 2 p.m. Thursday October 15th for a private funeral.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

William Davis is remembered at North Shields on N34.77 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.