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Wartime Heritage
ASSOCIATION
Remembering World War I
Yarmouth Connections
William H. Foster
Name:
William H. Foster
Service:
Merchant Seaman
William Foster was the son of Charles and Jane Foster of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He had three brothers, Wallace, Edward, and
Harvey, and two sisters, Mary (Alice) and Annie.
William Foster did not enlist in the military during World War I; however, was a merchant seaman aboard the SS George Royle
that transported material between England and the continent during the war. The ship was a coal cargo ship (collier).
On January 18, 1915, the SS George Royle, owned by James Westoll and built in 1892 by Short Bros., was bound from the
Tyne to Saint Nazaire, in France when the ship encountered a blizzard. The ship was reported to be in a sinking condition. A
RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) lifeboat was sent out from Cromer in Norfolk but found no trace of the SS George
Royle. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) provided lifeboats to lifeboat stations in the United Kingdom and
Ireland. There are conflicting reports concerning survivors. One account claims that all the crew were lost; another that five
survived.
No word had been received from William since June 1914 and his family initiated enquires. It was learned from a shipping
company in London that William had shipped out as a cook on the SS George Royle and the ship had been lost at sea in January
1915.
Sources:
“A Monument Speaks” A Thurston; 1989 (p 149)
Article: Loss of the George Royle: (The Times)
THE LOSS OF THE GEORGE ROYLE
The
George
Royle,
a
vessel
of
2,525
tons,
which
left
the
Tyne
last
Friday
bound
for
St.
Nazaire,
foundered
during
the
early
hours
of
yesterday
morning
a
mile
to
the
east
of
Sheringham
shoal
and
three
to
four
miles
due
north of the coast-guard station at
Weybourne.
Of
her
crew
of
12
to
18
hands
it
is
feared
that
all
were
lost
save
five,
who
were
taken
off
by
a Lowestoft craft which had arrived at that port.
Between
8
and
10
yesterday
morning
five
bodies
were
recovered
from
the
sea
at
Weybourne.
Other
bodies
were
seen
floating
past
too
far
out
to
be
recovered
by
the
people
on
the
shore,
who
included
coastguards
and
Territorials.
One
was
that
of
a
little
boy
not
more
than
10
years of age.
Later
in
the
morning
some
other
bodies
were
washed
ashore
at
Mundesley,
16
miles
to
the
eastward,
for
the
wind
and
set
of
the
current
would
take
them
well
out
past
Cromer,
which
is
midway between there and Weybourne.
At 3 o'clock in the morning the Cromer lifeboat
was
launched
in
response
to
flares
seen
from
the
north-west
of
the
town,
which
would
be
in
the
direction of Sheringham Shoal.
The
tide
was
about
dead
low
and
it
was
in
the
teeth
of
a
perfect
blizzard
that
her
crew
put
off.
No
sooner
had
she
taken
the
water
than
a
huge
wave
swept her broadside towards the eastern breakwater.
To
the
onlookers,
among
whom
was
Mr.
Noel
Buxton,
M.P.,
only
a
dark
speck
was
visible
perilously
near
in,
and
only
very
smart
seaman-ship
on
the
part
of
her
coxswain
and
crew
saved
them
from
being
dashed
against
the
breakwater.
Once
more
they
got
her
head
on
to
the
seas
and
at
last
she
got
safely
off.
By
8
o'clock
the
wreckage
on
the
shore
at
Cromer
told
of
disaster
along
the
coast,
and
two
empty
boats
came
in
at
Weybourne,
one
being
dashed
as
soon
as
it
touched
the
shingle.
The
contained
provisions.
Later
in
the
morning
the
Cromer
lifeboat
passed
eastward,
making
for
Yarmouth,
where
she
arrived
in
the
afternoon
having
aboard
the
crew
of
a
sailing craft.
