Robert Edward Wright

A Skipper with the Trawler Willing Boys, Robert died on 2nd of October 1917 at the age of 42. 

Robert was born at Lowestoft on 23 April 1876, a son of Benjamin Webster and Susan Ann Wright. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church on 4 June 1876. In 1881 his family lived at 10 The Hemplands, and in 1891 they lived at 26 Crown Street and Robert was an errand boy. 

On 5 January 1897 Robert married Augusta Ellen Cooper at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft. Robert was a fisherman living at 26 Crown Street, and Augusta lived at 3 Hall Lane. In 1901 they lived at 5 Hall Lane, and Robert was a fisherman. By 1911 their home was at 41 Edinburgh Road and later at 22 Carlton Road.

By October 1917 Robert was the Skipper of the trawler Willing Boys, LT 67.

On 2 October 1917 the Willing Boys was fishing near Smith’s Knoll Spar Buoy, bearing south, east.  About 4.10 a.m. the Skipper of the Gold Seal saw the Willing Boys about half a mile away. He knew it was the Willing Boys because of the trawler's fore topsail and his mizzen topsail which is a peculiar shape.
At 6.30 a.m. there was suddenly a heavy explosion. By this time the Willing Boys was about a mile away from the Golden Seal. The stern had been blown off the Willing Boys, by a mine, and the trawler was sinking by the stern. The trawler disappeared almost at once with the loss of her crew of five. Other trawlers were not able to help because they could not reach the Willing Boys because of the lack of wind.

See: World War One – History of Lowestoft's Fishing Industry (wordpress.com)