Burials at sea and other recorded deaths

[Randi]

For earlier entries, please see:

• RN Burials at sea and other recorded deaths...
• American Burials at sea and other recorded deaths...

[Randi]

It is with great sadness that I report that Craig Gaston died on October 6.

Craig [aka gastcra] was a dedicated member of the Old Weather team. His first of 2,746 posts was Feb 23, 2012 and his final post, wishing Dean a happy birthday was July 20 this year. He was a great help to me when I started using AutoHotKeys, and again when I was learning to use LIbreCalc macros. We had lots of correspondence and a few Skype chats.

Craig worked on the following ships and entered at least 644,500 WRs:

• Albatross (1900) 22,500 WRs;
• Bear 77,000;
• Concord 73,000;
• Jamestown (1844) 18,500;
• Jamestown (1879), Captain, 54,000;
• Jeannette, Captain, 12,000;
• Patterson 141,500;
• Pioneer 48,000;
• Rush 500;
• Thetis 1,500;
• Unalga (I) 46,000;
• Unalga (II) 1,500;
• Yorktown 138,500; and,
• Yukon, Captain, 10,000.

He became a good friend, and I will miss him.

He will indeed be missed.
He last logged in here on 20 September.

I knew he was terminally ill, but this still comes as a shock.

Rest in Peace Craig.
Your ship came into port to early.
Stuart.

Rest in Peace Craig

Sorry to hear. RIP Craig.

Rest In Peace Craig

I am sorry to hear such a sad news.
My deepest sympathy to his family.
Craig will be remembered with great affection by all OW transcribers.

:'( :'( :'( I second your words Sylvia :'( :'( :'(

I am so sorry and sad to hear this. Rest in peace, Craig.

Such sad news.
Rest in peace, Craig.

It is with great sadness that I report that Craig Gaston died on October 6.

Only just found out - so sad! :'( :'( :'(

I liked Craig. We were both heavily motivated by the science, and communicated a lot via PM and the occasional Skype chat.

I will miss him and remember him fondly. Requiescat in Pace, my friend.

[Randi]

It is with great sadness that I must report the passing of Robert Hurlock. Robert lived in Selby, Yorkshire, and he joined OW five years ago in April, 2015. He died on February 25.

Robert's last upload of XML data was on the 22nd and his last post on the forum was on the 23rd, so he was active right almost right up to the last. I liked Robert for his sense of humour, which was understated and clever. He was very active in OW, with almost 1,000 posts, and thousands of transcriptions. We have a great bunch of transcribers, but I can honestly say he was the best in terms of accuracy and completeness. I cannot remember ever seeing any typos from him, although there must have been a few over the years. He was very interested in the history of our ships and in the daily events of life on board.

About OW, Robert said: "OW is a reassuring routine for me early every morning before things get busy."

He lost his lovely wife Lorna three years ago and he leaves behind three sons: Ryan, Alex and Travis. We know, from some of his messages to us, that he was very close to Lorna and his three sons, especially the youngest, Travis, who still lived at home.

We had not heard from him for a while, which was unusual; he usually works on OW each day, so Randi did an internet search and found a brief obituary. We know it was our Robert because of his town, Selby, and his birth date.

He will be sorely missed. Rest in peace, Robert, husband, father and friend.

https://www.dignityfunerals.co.uk/funer ... t-hurlock/

A lovely person and a dedicated OW member.
Very much missed indeed.

https://forum.oldweather.org/index.php? ... #msg162846
https://forum.oldweather.org/index.php? ... #msg164063

Fair winds, Robert.

I'm very sorry to hear that Hurlock has gone aloft. He was always dedicated to unwinding the knotty bits that turn up in the logs. A lovely member of the OW crew.

Fair winds and following seas Robert.

I am saddened to hear this. Rest in peace, and smooth seas, Robert.

I am very sorry to hear this as well. Robert was very dedicated indeed, as can be seen from his work on the knotty bits.

So sorry to hear this :'(

Rest in peace Robert

I am so sorry to hear of this, and godspeed Hurlock.

Hurlock's work is an inspiration and a call-to-duty for the science team to ensure the highest and best use of these invaluable data so painstakingly brought to light.

[Randi]

On 14 July 1845 Jack Musquito, described as Krooman, died at Palmas on board USS Jamestown. His body was sent ashore for burial.

http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ow3/ ... _115_0.jpg

RIP Jack Musquito

[Randi]

Lucretia 1883-1884
At approximately Latitude 59:56 N Longitude 176:46 E which is about 2 degrees below Cape Navarin in the Bering Sea

Wednesday April 9th 1884

[...] at 7.20 A.M. Mr Randal died at 4 PM hawled aback sat the colors at half mast held services and commited him to the deep [...]



No cause of death was noted in the log.

Rest in peace Mr Randal

[Randi]

The Beluga 1897 to 1899
Death of an unnamed whalerman.
August 26th 1898 Probably close to Baillie Islands on the Canadian Northwest Territories coastline (70.58349 -128.17206)

'11 AM struck 1 man got foul in line was drowned & another was knocked over board but was saved.'

The man was buried the next day at 8-15 AM

Rest in Peace Whalerman of the Beluga

I'm sure that Captain Bodfish must have been upset to lose a crew member.

RIP :'(

[Randi]

The Whaling Bark Hunter, voyage of 1882-1883
May 31st 1883
Not far from Cape Navarin and in scattering sea ice.

'At three o'clock A.M. saw the Bk "Arnolda" with her Ensign half mast At 6 A.M. I went aboard her and found that Capt Jones was dead died at 1 o'clock this morning with dropsy.'



Rest in Peace Captain Jones of the Whaling Bark Arnolda.

[AvastMH]

A sad day in the struggle to live through the Arctic winter. The Belvedere has taken the crew of the Orca on board. The Orca sank the previous autumn as the ice trapped these ships, and the ship 'Freeman'. The Orca's log stops at that time. The Freeman burnt to the water line and so the Belvedere is crammed full. The crew works to keep the sea ice from forming around the stern of the ship to prevent damage to the rudders and propellers whilst trapped.

On the 30th March 1898 the log reports:
'J Kelly one of Orca crew committed suicide jumping in stern hole found him dead'



The twin logbook of Belvedere also reports Mr Kelly's passing:
'Kelly the Orcas sick man suicided in the stern hole'



Rest In Peace Mr Kelly, so far from home.

[Randi]

USCGC Manning 1915

On April 21 the crew was enjoying some time off in Sitka and then at 4:00 PM this:

received information that men from the ship were overboard among the neighboring islands. Sent otterboat and whaleboat, and many boats from
shore went out and picked up two men - Seamen Jacobs and Marquaidt and a canoe from which they had capsized. They reported that Seaman
Engelmann had been with them when the canoe capsized, and had gone down in attempting to reach the shore. The boats cruised among the islands,
but could see no trace of Engelmann. The whaleboat and otter boat dragged for his body until dark, but were unsuccessful.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 5_0134.JPG

[AvastMH]

Rest in Peace Mr Engelmann

[studentforever]

On Dec 21 1848 USS Jamestown reported the death of Alexander Stewart, Captain of the Foretop, at 3.14am. The following day at 10am his body was sent ashore to Funchal for burial. He was escorted by 4 boats, presumably of his crewmates.

RIP Alexander Stewart.

[Randi]

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0008.JPG

03-09-1945

1848 Small boat with two (2) natives alongside giving information that a body of an enlisted man was recovered from the water alongside Conway Dock, Sitka, Alaska.
1852 Pulling boat departed with Machinists Raymond S(?). Naines USCGR to investigate
1858 Body identified as Green John Jr. STM 1/c (7024-021) negro reserve(?), a member of this unit. Resuscitation in conjunction with inhalator being conducted under supervision of Captain W.E. Greenwell M.C. U.S. Army
2045 Green, John Jr. (7024-021 stm 1/c (R) negro pronounced dead by Captain W.E. Greenwell M.C. U.S. Army after all methods of resuscitation including respiratory and cardiac stimulants had been administrated
2110 Body of Green, John Jr. (7024-021) Stm 1/c (R)(N) was placed in Government Morgue. Sitka Alaska

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0009.JPG

04-09-1945

1820 The body of Green, John Jr. (deceased) removed from Pioneer Home Morgue to cold storage on Naval Base, Japonski Island.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0010.JPG

05-09-1945

1355 Body of Green, John Jr. (7024-021) StM 1/c (R)(N) delivered aboard for burial services
1400 Burial services held, conducted by Chaplain Davidson U.S.N.R. all hands except watch attending
1427 Funeral party with body of Green, John Jr. (7024-021) StM 1/c (R)(N) departed vessel for burial at Sitka National Cemetary, Sitka, Alaska
1515 Body of Green, John Jr. (2024-021) StM 1/c (R)(N) interred in plot Nan dash twenty (N-20) Sitka National Cemetary, Sitka Alaska
1535 Funeral Party returned aboard.
1715 Board of Investigation consisting of Lt (jq) C.P. Claudino as president and G.S. Plog, Ras, USPHSR and Ensign W.L. McNabb U.S.C.G.R. and additional members convened aboard to investigate into the death of Green, John Jr. (7024-021) StM 1/c (R)(N)
1800 Board of Investigation adjourned

[AvastMH]

RIP John Jr. Green STM 1/c (7024-021). I hope that his death was simply accidental.

[joke_slayer]

From the Haida 1932


28-9
https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0037.JPG  

1141 Radio information relative to S.S. Nevada 51 16 N, 179 02 W; no detail given
S.S. Oregon Maru in search in vicinity

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0038.JPG    

1500 Received information that SS Nevada was found grounded on East Point of Amatignak Island (Latitude 51.16 North; Longitude 179.02 West) by Oregon Maru. Rescue ships boat trying to reech crew seen on shore through heavy seas.

29-9

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0039.JPG     
  

1030 Received radio order from Commandant to proceed to wreck of S.S. Nevada until assumed that all survivors had been rescued.

30-9

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 9-0041.JPG   

0700 Received report from S.S. President Madison that all survivors of S.S. Nevada had been rescued from Amatignak Island. Reported by radio to Commandant

04-10

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 0-0010.JPG

0940 Sighted S.S. Oregon
0955 Sighted wreck of S.S. Nevada
1100 Surf boat, Lieutenant Commander Roe B. Hall in charge, left for wreck of S.S. Nevada. Maneuvering to maintain position two (2) miles south of Amatignak Island
1405 S.S. Oregon underway

The following is a description of scene of wreck of S.S. Nevada at Amatignak Island: States Ship Nevada broken in two or more pieces, bow still head on; midship section away broadside on; bridge superstructure above water with port list. Wreckage of masts, deck load, and fastenings scattered along beach from wreck to southerly end of island; none north of wreck. Southeast face of Island sheer rocks with small narrow stretches of beachshelf at intervals. There are numerous pinnacle rocks inshore of the wreck. No signs of life on wreck nor beach; no bodies seen.

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 0-0011.JPG  

Conferred with master S.S. Oregon by radio. Oregon had cruised around Amatignak Is. and easterly side of Ulak Is. for two (2) days and was unable to find and pieces of deck-load wreckage or boats at any point except the S.E. face of Amatignak Island. In view of the topography of the Island (Amatignak), it was apparent that the only chance for landing was in a space of one (1) mile, beginning at the wreck and from there southewestward. One lifeboat was found on the beach and the other one in the remains of the deck load. Two bodies of chinese were found in the life boat on the beach, but none in the other boat. Three survivors were taken on board the S.S. President Madison. The Oregon buried the two dead chinese. The master of the Oregon was convinced that all survivors had been accounted for, and in the absence of any encouraging signs deemed that he had done all possible. The commanding officer of the Haida agreed with this, and both ships left the scene of the wreck.

[joke_slayer]

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 5-0018.JPG

2010 William J. Geary (217-162) F. 1C transferred to Cordova General Hospital for treatment

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 5-0023.JPG

0715 William J. Geary (217-162) F. 1/c died of double labor pneumonia at the Cordova General Hospital. The nearest relative was notified thru the Commander Seattle Division.
A personal inventory of his clothing was made and all personal property was collected for safe keeping.

[Michael]

R. I. P. William Geary

[joke_slayer]

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/med ... 8-0008.JPG

1935 Informed Commanding Officer that a young boy had drowned off Flemming's spit and that fishermen in the vicinity had been attempting to locate body for an hour and thirty minutes.
2000 Watch and  reports to muster all departments reported secure
2005 began preparation for dragging party
2015 No. 6 lifeboat in the water
2025 No 8 motor Launch in the water
2045 No 6 Life boat shoved off for scene of drowning. Had difficulty in starting motor launch due to wet ignition system caused by heavy rains during the day
2105 motor launch shoved off to Fleming's Spit
2145 was notified that body of Carl Schultz age 19 years son of Mr + Mrs William Schultz of Cordova was found
2150 Instructed boatswain mate in charge of dragging party to bring body to Ocean Dock and then body over to Coroner. An attempt was made to restore life by artificial respiration due to body being submeged for a period of about four hours hope was soon abandoned
2230 Boats 6 and 8 returned to ship and were hoisted and secured for sea.

[Randi]

R.I.P. Carl Schultz

[Michael]

[studentforever]

USS Jamestown 9 August 1849

William Higgins died suddenly in the first watch. He was buried later that day.

Although the log clearly writes Paraino all the indications are that William Higgins (ordinary seaman) was buried in Piraeus, Greece.
RIP William Higgins

http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ow3/ ... _191_0.jpg