Percy Henry Brooke Smith

A Leading Deck Hand with H.M. Drifter Cosmos. Percy died on 15th of February 1918 at the age of 31. 

Percy was born at Lowestoft on 21 June 1887, a son of George Henry Brooke and Eliza Smith. (In the 1891 Census Percy is listed as living at 207 Clapham Road, with George and Eliza Smith, but Percy is noted as being a visitor and his surname is given as Brookes). Percy attended Clapham Road School and from 26 February 1892 was a pupil at Saint Margaret's School: at the time his family lived at Clapham Road. 

On 21 December 1911 Percy married Adaline Woolley at Saint Margaret's Church. They were both living at 3 Beresford Road and Percy worked as a fisherman. By 1915 they were living at 18 Seago Street. Later Adaline lived at 19 Roman Road and eventually she remarried (Manning). 

Percy joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 11 January 1915 and he served on the trawler Cosmos. 

Percy was serving on the Cosmos and was killed in an event known by some as the ‘Massacre of the Drifters’. Captain Taprell-Dorling, in his book Swept Channels described the event:

"On the night of February 14-15 1918, an enemy submarine was reported in the minefield [off Dover] by the drifters, and heavy firing began. The "P" boats, monitors and destroyers on patrol concluded that the firing was at the submarine. They were unaware that a flotilla of German destroyers had steamed through the patrol and were attacking the paddle minesweepers, trawlers and drifters who were burning lights to assist in illuminating the minefield.

The trawler James Pond, commanded by Chief Skipper A.E. Berry, D.S.C., R.N.R., was burning her flares near the French coast when he saw three destroyers approaching from the eastward at high speed. Flashing past at very close range, they each fired salvoes. It was impossible to miss. The raiders disappeared into the darkness, to leave the trawler damaged and blazing.

The enemy destroyers had not finished. After passing the James Pond they turned sharply to the north-north-west along the line of drifters, firing salvoes into them as they steamed by. These little ships did not hesitate to return the fire with the tiny guns they possessed; but 3 and 6 pounders were nothing of a match for the 4.1's of the enemy. The Christina Craig, Clover Bank, Cosmos. Jeannie Murray, Silver Queen, Veracity and W Elliott, all between 60 and 96 tons, were sunk one after the other. Still more were damaged."

On 15 February 1918 British drifters of the Dover Patrol attempted to force a German submarine to surface. The drifters were attacked by a force of German destroyers. Nine British drifters, including the Cosmos, were sunk and others badly damaged. Percy was killed during this action. 

On Saint Margaret's War Memorial (Roll of Honour has Brooksmith)