Tower Hill WW1 Memorial:|Lost on vessels Rio Colorado to Romeo

Vessels Lost in WW1: Rio Colorado to Romeo

Rio Colorado, Rio Lages, Rio Pallaresa, Rio Verde, River Forth
Roanoke, Robert Eggleton, Rochester City, Roma, Romeo

This page includes basic information about the ships and how they were lost, a photo of the relevant panel(s) of the Tower Hill Memorial and information about those that lost their lives extracted from the CWGC database. In the table I have included information about those who served on the ships but who had a normal burial as this seems appropriate to me. In some cases further family information about the individuals may be available on the CWGC website [7].

Rio Colorado

Rio Colorado was a 3,565 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1903 by W. Doxford & Sons, Ltd. for Lion Line Ltd. as Sheila. From 1915 she was owned by London-American Maritime Trading Co. Ltd and managed by Petersen & Co. Ltd. She sank on 22 March 1917 after striking a mine laid by German submarine UC-50 approximately 0.75 nautical miles East of the mouth of the River Tyne. She was en route from La Plata to the Tyne with a cargo of wheat.

Casualties

Surname	Forename	Age	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial	Grave Ref.	Additional Information
Ali Abdullah			22/03/1917	Fireman	Bombay 1914-1918 Memorial, Mumbai
Aylasen	John		22/03/1917	Able Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial		Born In Norway.
Bowie	C.M.	46	22/03/1917	Mate	Tower Hill Memorial		Husband Of Mrs. Bowie, Of 46, Gleneagles Cottages, Scotstoun, Glasgow. Born At Edinburgh.
Codde	Joseph	46	22/03/1917	Fireman	Tower Hill Memorial		Husband Of Sophie Codde (Nee Goole), Of Rue Au Sas 33, Ghent. Born In Belgium.
Cromack	Arthur Garbutt	45	22/03/1917	Master Mariner	Scarborough (Manor Road) Cemetery	The Oval. 9.	Husband Of Florence Cromack, Of 195, Prospect Rd., Scarborough.
Jessop	George	32	22/03/1917	Second Engineer	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of Mrs. Jessop, Of 47, Milton St., Westoe, South Shields. Born At South Shields.
Nilsen	Oaubak	27	22/03/1917	Fireman	Tower Hill Memorial		(May Have Been Named Nielsen). Born In Denmark.
Quesada	Jose	27	25/03/1917	Donkeyman	Tower Hill Memorial		Husband Of Francisco Gomez De Quesada (Nee Ruiz), Of Puerto De Nazarron, Murcia, Corunna, Spain. Born In Spain.
Svensson	Karl Raganr	24	29/03/1917	Able Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of Maria Svensson, Of Kristianstad, Sweden. Born In Sweden.

Rio Lages

Rio Lages was a 3,591 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1900 by J. Readhead & Sons for North Moor Steamships Ltd. as Westmoor. From 1916 she was owned by Lewis Steamship Co. Ltd. and managed by T. Lewis. She was sunk on 26 April 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine U-69 at position 51° 38' N, 12° 52' W - approximately 155 nautical miles North-West by West of Fastnet. She was en route from Cienfuegos to Queenstown with a cargo of sugar.

Casualties

Surname	Forename	Age	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial	Additional Information
Driscoll	John	36	26/04/1917	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Michael And Ellen Driscoll; Husband Of Lizzie Driscoll (Nee Fitzgerald), Of Convent Rd., Blackrock, Co. Cork. Born At Blackrock, Co. Cork.
Goodfellow	Edward James Leonard	20	26/04/1917	Sailor	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of William James Edward And Mary Jane Goodfellow, Of Trefusis St., Flushing, Cornwall.
Simmonds	John Sidney	26	26/04/1917	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of David Simmonds And The Late Mrs. Simmonds; Husband Of Alice Emily Simmonds (Nee Bishop), Of 35, Bassett St., Barry Dock, Glam. Born At Cadoxton.

Rio Pallaresa

Rio Pallaresa was a 4,034 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1904 by W. Pickersgill & Sons for Rover Shipping Co. Ltd. as Incharran. From 1915 she was owne by Kyle Transport Co. Ltd. and managed by Alex. Bickett. She was sunk on 29 July 1918 by torpedo fired by German submarine UC-25 approximately 62 nautical miles East-North-East of Malta. She was en route from Alexandia to Hull.

Casualties

Surname	Forename	Age	Honours/ Awards	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial	Grave Ref.	Additional Information
Brown	Charlie	25		29/07/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial		Born In Sierra Leone.
Davies	Joseph	25		29/07/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial		Born In Sierra Leone.

Rio Verde

Rio Verde was a 4,025 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1901 by Irvine’s Shipbuilding & Dockyard Co. Ltd. for British Maritime Trust Ltd. as Austriana. From 1915 she was owned by London-American Maritime Trading Co. Ltd., renamed Rio Verde, and managed by Petersen & Co. Ltd. She was sunk on 21 February 1918 by torpedo fired by German submarine U-100 approximately 4 nautical miles West of Crammock Head, Mull of Galloway. She was en route from Glasgow to Milford Haven with a cargo of coal.

Initially the sinking was attributed to U-86 but later evidence emerged.

Casualties

Surname	Forename	Age	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial	Grave Ref.	Additional Information
Appleyard	William Watson	26	21/02/1918	Carpenter	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of Jane Appleyard (Nee Watson), Of 21, James St., Gateshead, Co. Durham, And The Late Abraham Appleyard.
Arlow	W		21/02/1918	Assistant Cook	Kirkmaiden Parish Churchyard
Brown	Charlie	25	21/02/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial		Born At Warri, West Africa.
Buchanan	J.T.		21/02/1918	Second Mate	Kirkmaiden Parish Churchyard	144
Bull	John	29	21/02/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial		Born At Calabar.
Coker	John	24	21/02/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial		Born In Mendi.
Cole	John	22	21/02/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial		Born In Sierra Leone.
Davison	George Robertson	39	21/02/1918	First Engineer	Tower Hill Memorial		Born At South Shields.
Estill	W.H.		21/02/1918	Master	Tower Hill Memorial
MacDonald	John	20	21/02/1918	Assistant Steward	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of Donald And Jessie MacDonald, Of Belspardon, Gollanfield, Inverness.
Martyn	Francis Joseph Leslie	24	21/02/1918	First Mate	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of Francis Edward And Lydia Martyn, Of 4, Upfold St., Hamilton, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Born In Australia.
McClure	Thomas	31	21/02/1918	Boatswain	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of Ellen And The Late James McClure; Husband Of Mary Bridget McClure (Nee White), Of 35, Hyndland St., Patrick, Glasgow. Born At Crosshaven, Co. Cork.
McInnes	Donald	32	21/02/1918	Able Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of Jessie McInnes, Of Borrcraig, Dunvegan, Skye, Inverness, And The Late Neil McInnes.
Mukro	John	26	21/02/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial		Born At Warri, West Africa.
Richardson	W		21/02/1918	Third Engineer	Kirkmaiden Parish Churchyard	145
Russell	Alexander	36	21/02/1918	Second Engineer	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of John Russell, Of Highpark , Nelson St., Dunoon, Argyllshire, And The Late Mary Russell. Born At Glasgow.
Wallace	G		21/02/1918	Donkeyman	Kirkmaiden Parish Churchyard	148

River Forth

River Forth was a 4,413 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1907 by R. Stephenson & Co. Ltd. for SS River Forth Co. Ltd. From 1915 she was owned by and managed London-American Maritime Trading Co. Ltd. and managed by Petersen & Co. Ltd. She was sunk on 3 March 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine UC-35 at position 34° 54' N, 15° 00' E - approximately 60 nautical miles South by East of Malta. She was en route from Barry to Alexandria with coal and a general cargo.

Casualties

Surname	Forename	Age	Honours/ Awards	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial	Grave Ref.	Additional Information
Boreham	Joseph Freeman	41		03/03/1917	Fireman	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of John Freeman Boreham And Elizabeth Boreham; Husband Of Annie Boreham, Of Bakehouse Yard, Haggersgate, Whitby. Born At Whitby.
Creighton	A	26		03/03/1917	Fireman	Tower Hill Memorial		Born At Mayo.

Roanoke

Roanoke was built as a 3,705 GRT steam cargo ship and completed in 1907 by Furness Withy & Co. for Chesapeake & Ohio Steamship Co. Ltd. She was rebuilt to 3,755 GRT and from 1914 was owned by Furness Withy & Co. She was damaged on 11 February 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine UC-29 approximately 3.5 nautical miles South-East of Aberdeen but she was towed to safety and repaired. One seaman was killed in this attack. She was attacked again and sunk on 12 August 1917 whilst 100 nautical miles West-North-West of the Butt of Lewis. There were no fatalities from the second attack.

Casualties

Surname	Forename	Age	Honours/ Awards	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial	Grave Ref.	Additional Information
McMillan	Daniel	52		11/02/1917	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of The Late Hugh And Agnes McMillan; Husband Of Euphemia McMillan (Nee Ewan), Of 45, Cotton Rd., Dundee. Born At Edinburgh.

Robert Eggleton

Robert Eggleton was a 2,308 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1890 by Short Bros. for James Westoll. She was sunk on 28 Decamber 1917 by torpedo fired by German submarine U-91 approximately 10 nautical miles South-West of Bardsey Island, St. George's Channel. She was en route from Glasgow to Livorno with a cargo of coal.

Casualties

Surname	Forename	Age	Honours/ Awards	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial	Grave Ref.	Additional Information
Soudyn	J	39		28/12/1917	Chief Boatswain	Tower Hill Memorial		Born At Rotterdam.

Rochester City

Rochester City was a 1,239 GRT steam cargo ship completed in 1910 by Sir Raylton Dixon & Co. Ltd for Rochester City Steamship Co. Ltd. and managed by W. A. Watson. She sank on 2 May 1916 after striking a mine laid by German submarine UC-10 at position 52° 10' N, o1° 47' E - approximately 3 nautical miles off Southwold. She was en route from Sunderland and Seaham to Rochester with a cargo of coal.

Casualties

Surname	Forename	Age	Honours/ Awards	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial	Grave Ref.	Additional Information
Kelly	Joseph	28		02/05/1916	Fireman	Tower Hill Memorial		Son Of James And Mary Ann Kelly; Husband Of Isabella Kelly (Nee Robson), Of 9, Fenwick Row, Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham. Born At Seaham.

Roma

It has been difficult to confirm the details of Roma but I believe she was a 46 GRT sailing ketch (fishing vessel) completed in 1906 in Brixham for Samuel G. Grews. It seems that, whatever happened to her, the entire crew were lost.

There were no survivors

Casualties

Surname	Forename	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial
George	James	14/04/1915	Skipper	Tower Hill Memorial
George	William Ernest	14/04/1915	Third Hand	Tower Hill Memorial
Meadows	Richard Charles	14/04/1915	Fourth Hand	Tower Hill Memorial
Parker	Alfred Robert	14/04/1915	Second Hand	Tower Hill Memorial

Romeo

Romeo was a 1,855 GRT steam passenger/cargo ship completed in 1881 by Earle's Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. for Ellerman's Wilson Line Ltd. She was sunk on 3 March 1918 by torpedo fired by German submarine U-102 at position 54° 22' N, 04° 52' W - approximately 10.9 nautical miles North-West of Peel. She was en route from Scapa Flow to Liverpool in ballast. The vessel was sailing with all lights shielded but revealed herself when the submarine showed a green and red light on her bow. Within minutes she had been torpedoed on the port side between the stoke hold and the engine room leading to a very large explosion that broke the ship in two. She sunk within two minutes leaving no opportunity to launch the boats.

Casualties

Surname	Forename	Age	D.O.D	Rank	Cemetery/ Memorial	Additional Information
Allen	Joseph	52	03/03/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of The Late William And Catherine Allen; Husband Of Mary Allen (Nee Worfield), Of 72, Leyden St., Off Commercial Rd., Liverpool. Born At Liverpool.
Anderson	Herbert	21	03/03/1918	Assistant Cook	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Robert Turner Anderson, Of Ethelreda Mission House, Trippett St., Hull, And The Late Martha Anderson.
Bargewell	George	48	03/03/1918	Ship's Steward	Tower Hill Memorial	Husband of Mary L. Bargewell, of 61, Station Rd., Keyham Barton, Devonport. Mr. Bargewell was a member of the Royal Navy and is also commemorated on panel 28 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
Birkinshaw	Ronald		03/03/1918	Signalman	Tower Hill Memorial	Mr. Birkinshaw was a member of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and is also commemorated on panel 31 of the Chatham Naval Memorial.
Blair	George	36	03/03/1918	Third Engineer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Agnes Blair And The Late Robert Blair; Husband Of Elsie Blair (Nee Fisher), Of 16, Blenheim St., Hull. Born At St. Andrews.
Carney	Arthur	29	03/03/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Hannah Carney And The Late William Carney; Husband Of Catherine Carney (Nee Crowley), Of 7, Blackstone St., Liverpool. Born At Liverpool.
Carr	John	40	03/03/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Mary Carr And The Late Edward Carr; Husband Of Cecilia Carr (Formerly Mcneil, Nee Power), Of 20A, Mount Vernon St., Liverpool. Born At Cavan.
Crowther	Charles	21	03/03/1918	Assistant Steward	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Charles James Crowther, Of 12 Back, Leathley Square, Leeds, And The Late Emily Crowther (Nee Robinson).
Deadman	Robert Methven	17	03/03/1918	Wireless Operator	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Ernest Bezant Deadman And Helen Deadman, Of 28, Manchester Rd., Reading, Berks.
Fromm	Theodore Howard	33	03/03/1918	Ship s Cook	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Leopold Fromm, Of 112, Palace Gates Rd., Alexandra Park, London, And The Late Florence Fromm (Nee Dell). Born At Norwood, London.
Gustafson	Hugo	42	03/03/1918	Carpenter	Tower Hill Memorial	Husband Of Margrethe Gustafson (Nee Romfog), Of 63, Venue St., Bromley Rd., Bow, London. Born In Sweden.
Harvey	Joseph	24	03/03/1918	Able Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of The Late William Joseph And Elizabeth Harvey; Husband Of Alice Harvey (Nee Tyrrell), Of 4, Cubbin St., Stanley Rd., Liverpool. Born At Birkenhead.
Helm	Richard James	19	03/03/1918	Able Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Richard And Martha Jane Helm, Of 34, Cowper St., Bootle, Lancs. Born At Seaforth.
Hines	Thomas	36	03/03/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of The Late Alexander And Sara Ann Hines; Husband Of Julia Hines (Nee Kearney), Of 370, Great Howard St., Liverpool. Born At Liverpool.
Kearney	James	19	03/03/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Ann Carney, Of 9, Newport Place, Liverpool, And The Late William Carney.
Lee	Martin	35	03/03/1918	Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of The Late John Lee; Husband Of Harriet Lee (Nee Collard), Of 72, Hayles St., Southwark, London. Born In Nova Scotia.
Linacre	John Edward	43	03/03/1918	Boatswain	Tower Hill Memorial	Born At Great Yarmouth.
Longley	John Blyth	60	03/03/1918	Second Engineer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of The Late Thomas Blyth Longley And Isabella Longley; Husband Of Mary Ann Longley (Nee Waterhouse), Of 9, Renoldson St., Newland, Hull. Born At Hull.
McLoughlin	David	30	03/03/1918	Donkeyman	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of David Henry And Annie McLoughlin; Husband Of Alieen McLoughlin (Nee McCormick), Of 94, Boundary St., Liverpool. Born At Liverpool.
Middleton	John William	20	03/03/1918	Mess Room Steward	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of William And Hannah Mary Middleton, Of 25, Normabell St., Holderness Rd., Hull. Born At Hull.
Molloy	Patrick	30	03/03/1918	Able Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial	Husband Of Charlotte Molloy (Nee Davis), Of 143, Leyden St., Kirkdale, Liverpool. Born In Co. Westmeath, Ireland.
Neale	James	48	03/03/1918	Master	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of The Late George And Mary Neale; Husband Of Selina Neale, Of Ingleton, Harland Way, Cottingham, Yorks.
Nugent	Jas. Alfred	43	03/03/1918	Chief Engineer	Tower Hill Memorial	Husband Of Maria Ellen Nugent, Of 113, Engelheart Rd., Catford, London. Born In London.
O'Brien	Andrew	30	03/03/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of The Late Patrick And Ellen O'Brien; Husband Of Anastasia O'Brien (Nee Daly), Of 92, Boundary St., Liverpool. Born At Liverpool.
O'Gorman	Thomas Christopher	22	03/03/1918	Able Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Thomas And Rose Mary O'Gorman (Nee Kearney), Of 19, O Connell St., Waterford. Born At Waterford.
Parry	John	30	03/03/1918	Fireman and Trimmer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of William And Mary Parry; Husband Of Mary Parry (Nee Hassey), Of 94, Boundary St., Liverpool. Born At Liverpool.
Pitts	Albert	43	03/03/1918	Chief Officer	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of The Late William And Ann Pitts; Husband Of Rose Pitts (Nee Wilson), Of 195, The Boulevard, Hull. Born At Hull.
White	William	37	03/03/1918	Able Seaman	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of The Late John And Sarah White; Husband Of Ellen White (Nee Brennan), Of 291, Burlington St., Scotland Rd., Liverpool. Born At Warren Point.
Williams	Bertram Percy	32	03/03/1918	Steward	Tower Hill Memorial	Son Of Louisa Williams, And The Late Frederick Joseph Williams; Husband Of Hannah Williams (Nee Curtis), Of 63, Westminster Avenue, Hull. Born At Southampton.