Edgar Henry Smith

Edgar Henry Smith
credit - Photo courtesy of nephew Ross Vivian

 S.V. Trebiskin, the ketch, registered to the port of Padstow, Cornwall, became stranded on Cardiff Grounds during the Great Storm of 1908, and the Barry lifeboat was launched, but a change in the wind allowed the three-man crew of the Trebiskin to refloat her.

A decade later, on November 4, 1918, the Trebiskin was last seen sailing around the Mixon sandbank. On the 7^th, wreckage was seen on the Mixon and identified as the Trebiskin; none of her crew survived.

One of the crew who was lost was Edgar Henry Smith.

Edgar was born in the small outport of Island Cove to Simeon and Maria (Whalen) on 18^th of June 1894.  Edgar passed his medical and was recommended for enlistment with the Royal Naval Reserve on 18^th March 1914, where he completed basic naval training onboard the HMS Calypso.  When war was declared, Edgar was called up on the 13^th of August to St. John’s for duty by Royal Proclamation for overseas.

Edgar Henry Smith 
Royal Navy Records

Edgar St. John’s on the 14^th of November 1914, on board the S.S. Carthaginian, and arrived at HMS Vivid.  During the next four years, Edgar saw action at several naval facilities and military ships.

Edgar served on HMS Prince George during the landing and the evacuation of soldiers from Gallipoli in 1915 and was mentioned in dispatches from the Vice-Admiral commander of the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron for good services during this action.

26^th of August 1918, Edgar received orders to report to the navy accounting base at HMS President III.  Edgar was ordered to serve as a gunner and board the Trebiskin.  The ship with a crew of five departed Swansea on the 4^th and was bound to Youghal with a cargo of coal.  Following the sinking, an inquest at Swansea could not determine the exact cause but listed that the ship may have foundered under the weight of its cargo in rough seas.

Leading Seaman Edgar Henry Smith and Seaman John Doyle came from Newfoundland, along with the other three crew lost their lives.

South Wales Daily Post

Edgar Henry Smith
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

John’s body was never recovered.  On the 14^th of December, the South Wales Daily Post that Edgar’s body was washed up on the foreshore. After his body was identified and the cause of death given as “Found Drowned”, Edgar was buried at Danygraig Cemetery.  Edgar's death has been registered as 12^th of November 

Western Mail

Western Mail

Further newspaper reports published in the Western Mail that December reported that two further bodies had been recovered.