William Richard Field – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Cynthia

Signaller William Richard Field – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Cynthia

Richard William Field and Emma Jane Mainwaring
marriage certificate
St Peter’s Church, Swansea

William Richard Field was born in 1898 in Swansea, the son of Richard William Field and Emma Jane Mainwaring, who were married in 1897 at St Peter’s Church, Swansea.

Family Background and Early Life

1901 Census

At the time of the 1901 Census, the Field family were living at Bank y Bryn, Cockett, Swansea. Richard William Field (33), born in Somerset, was employed as a railway platelayer, while his wife Emma Jane (33) managed the household. Their children were William Richard (3) and Mabel Louisa (1 month). Also residing in the household were Richard’s mother, Eliza Penny (73), and a boarder, Thomas Phillips (24).

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the family had moved to Somerville Villas, Raven Hill, Swansea. Richard William (42) was still employed as a platelayer, and Emma Jane (42) was recorded as a housekeeper. Their children were William Richard (12), Mabel Louisa (10), Lilly Madeline (7), and Archibald John (4), all of whom were attending school.

Naval Service

William Richard Field enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and served as a Signaller aboard H.M.S. Cynthia. His duties would have included visual signalling using flags and lamps, maintaining communications between ships and shore stations, and assisting with navigation and watchkeeping—an essential role in wartime naval operations.

H.M.S. Cynthia

H.M.S. Cynthia was an armed patrol vessel of the Royal Navy, employed during the First World War on coastal defence and escort duties. Like many smaller naval vessels, she played a vital role in protecting British shipping lanes from enemy submarines, mines, and surface raiders, particularly in home waters and the approaches to major ports.

Patrol ships such as Cynthia were tasked with anti-submarine patrols, convoy escort, and minesweeping support, often operating in hazardous conditions with limited protection. Crews faced constant danger from enemy mines and U-boat activity, as well as the risks posed by severe weather and navigation in confined coastal waters.

On 23^rd February 1916, H.M.S. Cynthia was lost at sea, resulting in the deaths of those aboard, including Signaller William Richard Field.

Death and Commemoration

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records

William Richard Field
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth
credit - findagrave

William Richard Field
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth
credit - findagrave

The British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records record that William Richard Field lost his life on 23^rd February 1916. With no known grave, he is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, which honours members of the Royal Navy and associated services who died at sea during the First World War.