William Lewis – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Killingholme

Ordinary Seaman William Lewis – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Killingholme

Early Life

William Lewis was born in 1897 in Swansea, the son of David and Catherine Lewis of Llynfell, Bethel Road, Llansamlet, Swansea. He grew up in a close‑knit industrial community where many young men worked in the collieries and tinplate works of the Swansea Valley. William chose instead to serve at sea, joining the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the First World War.

Royal Naval Service

William enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, serving as an Ordinary Seaman. RNVR ratings were frequently assigned to auxiliary vessels, patrol craft, and support ships—roles that carried constant danger from mines, submarine activity, and the harsh conditions of the North Sea and English Channel. William was posted to H.M.S. Killingholme, a vessel with a long and varied career both before and during the war.

History of H.M.S. Killingholme

H.M.S. Killingholme

Killingholme was launched on 24^th February 1912 by Earle’s Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd., Hull, as Yard No. 584, for the Great Central Railway Company, Grimsby. Completed in March 1912, she entered service as a double‑ended Humber ferry, designed to carry passengers and vehicles across the busy estuary. Her early career included a moment of national significance: on 22 July 1912, she was selected to carry King George V and Queen Mary during the official opening of Immingham Dock, a major event in the maritime history of the Humber.

With the outbreak of the First World War, the Admiralty urgently required vessels suitable for coastal duties, and Killingholme was requisitioned on 21 February 1916. Converted for naval use, she became H.M.S. Killingholme and served as a Fleet Messenger, transporting personnel, dispatches, and supplies. Alongside her sister ship H.M.S. Brocklesby, she also operated as a seaplane carrier, supporting early naval aviation from RNAS Killingholme on the Humber Estuary. This air station played an important role in reconnaissance, anti‑submarine patrols, and coastal defence during the war.

Between 26^th and 27^th April 1916, Killingholme was believed to have struck a mine off the Humber. The explosion caused severe damage and resulted in the loss of 18 lives, including several RNVR ratings. The suddenness of the incident meant that many of those aboard were never recovered.

After repairs, the vessel was returned to her owners on 21^st April 1917, resuming her civilian name Killingholme. She later passed to the London & North Eastern Railway Company on 1^st January 1923, continuing in ferry service for many years. During the Second World War, she was again requisitioned in May 1941, this time serving as a Barrage Balloon Depot Ship in the River Humber. She saw several commanding officers during this period, including Lieutenant Walter C. Base RNR (appointed 11 August 1941) and Lieutenant Constantine J. Triscott RNR (appointed 25^th May 1942). After the war, she was returned to her owners in March 1945, and finally arrived at Paull on 30^th July 1945 for demolition by J.R. Hepworth & Co.

Loss of Ordinary Seaman William Lewis – 27^th April 1916

During the mining incident of 26^th–27^th April 1916, Ordinary Seaman William Lewis was among those who lost their lives. The force of the explosion and the conditions at sea meant that several crew members were never recovered. William was recorded as having died on 27^th April 1916, one of many naval personnel whose service ended in the dangerous coastal waters around Britain during the First World War.

Commemoration

William Lewis
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth
credit - findagrave

As his body was not recovered, William Lewis is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, which honours members of the Royal Navy who have no known grave but the sea