H.M. Trawler Lord Wakefield

H.M. Trawler Lord Wakefield

The double tragedy of H.M. Trawler Lord Wakefield.

Seaman Cook Henry Albert Johnson, who died on the 1^st of March 1940, and he is buried at Danygraig Cemetery.

Henry, 35, was from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. 

Henry born 1905, was the son of Henry James and Edith Mary Johnson.  At the time of the 1911 Census, the Johnson family were living at Row 93 No. 37 Gt Yarmouth.

1911 Census

Henry, 32, who was a General Dealer and Edith, 33. 

Their children Edith Helen, 11; Hilda May, 10; Doris Maud, 8; Harry [Henry] Albert, 6; Owen Arthur, 4 and 2-year-old Cyril George.

A decade later, the family were living at 15 Row 105, Gt Yarmouth

1921 Census

Henry, 42, who was a General Labourer, employed by the Gt Yarmouth Corporation and was out of work, and Edith, 43.

Their children were Hilda, 20, who was employed as an Assistant at Greenacres Dining Rooms, who was out of work; Harry [Henry], 16, who employed by a Wolingham Dairy as a Round Boy and was out of work; Owen, 14; Cyril, 12; Ivy, 9; Lena, 7 and 3-month-old Sydney.

Also present was lodger Sydney Holt, 22, employed as an Assistant at C Barron Marine Parade Amusement Proprietor.

Christmas Day 1925, Henry married Lillian Maud Kemp at Great Yarmouth St. Nicholas with St. Peter, St. John, St. Andrew St. James, St. Paul and St. Luke.  The couple were to have four sons, Donald, Alan, Keith and Michael.

Henry Albert Johnson and Lillian Maud Kemp
marriage certificate 

Herald of Wales

Henry lost his life, when the previous night when he was last seen about boarding the Lord Wakefield, when he lost his foot, and fell into the dock.  1^st March, Henry’s body was found at the mud at the bottom of Swansea dry dock. 

Henry Albert Johnson
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

An inquest into Henry’s death, evidence was given that the gangway was unlighted due to black-out, and the shaded light at the dock entrance only reached the quayside.

Henry was buried at Danygraig Cemetery.

Sadly, the Lord Wakefield, was to be sunk on the 29^th of July 1944.

Lord Wakefield was built in 1933 and sold to the Admiralty in August 1939 for war services as an anti-submarine trawler and based at Swansea with the 17^th A/S Group.

Sunk on the 29^th in an air raid in the Western Task-force area.  Attacked and bombed by German aircraft and foundered off Omaha Beach.  26 crew lost their lives.

The captain Henry Edward Dodd R.D.,

Henry was born in 1894, in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire. Son of Henry and Agnes.

At the time of the 1901 Census, the family were living at 22 Greville Road, Milford.

1901 Census

Henry, 36, was a fisherman. Agnes, 32. Henry their son was 7 years old.

By the First World War, the family had moved to Swansea, and Henry when enlisting and served with the Royal Field Artillery for the duration of the First World War was residing at 1 Maes Street, St. Thomas.

Attestation Papers

Henry married in 1921 to Annie Eliza Kingston at St. Thomas church.  His occupation at this time was Fisherman.

Henry Edward Dodd and Annie Eliza Kingston
marriage certificate

The couple at the time of the 1921 were residing at 15 Hanover Street.  Henry, 26, was employed by Castle Stream, Trailing Company.

1921 Census

The 1939 Register records that the couple were living at 29 Sebastopol Street, St. Thomas.

1939 Register

Herald of Wales

Henry Edward Dodd
Lowestoft Naval Memorial
credit - findagrave

Following the loss of the Lord Wakefield the Herald of Wales reports on Henry’s death. 

Henry’s name is commemorated on the Lowestoft Naval Memorial.