William Boggis

A Seaman with Steam Drifter Reliance (Lowestoft), William died on 7th of October 1917 at the age of 47. 

No details of William’s parents, or background before 1902, are known. He may have been born at Lowestoft in 1871. 

On 21 January 1902 William married Frances Agnes Portle at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft. William was a fisherman living at Rotterdam Road and Frances lived at Saint Peter’s Street. Neither of them gave their fathers’ details. In 1911 they lived at 6 High Street and later Frances lived at 40 Crown Street. Frances married James Cross in 1926. 

In 1917 William was a seaman with the Drifter Reliance, LT 694. The Reliance sailed from Lowestoft, on Saturday 29 September, to fish between Wintertons Ridge and Smiths Knoll, and was due to return on Monday 8 October. The Reliance was seen by several boats outside Winterton Ridge during the evening of October 6. A member of the crew of the Lord Roberts, William Westmate, stated at an inquiry that his crew had hauled their nest and gone below when, about five minutes later, they heard an explosion. This was presumed to be the Reliance striking a mine. All ten of the Reliance’s crew were lost. 

See: 1914 – 1918 Lowestoft Fisherman: killed by enemy action – History of Lowestoft's Fishing Industry