Harry Sykes

Leading Seaman. Palace Z/3594. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. SS Southborough.

Born: 1897 in Longwood.

Son of Leyland and Edith.

Brother of Lottie, James, Jack and Maggie.

Address: 107 Swallow Lane, Golcar.

Occupation: Weaver at Messrs. Smith & Wood, formerly by Titus Calverley & Sons,

Milnsbridge.

Enlisted: 1916 at Davenport.

Lost at Sea on 16th July 1918. Aged 21.

Commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. 29.

Harry had been working as a Twister In from the age of 13. He attended Parkwood United Methodist Church and was a member of Thorpe Green Working Men's Club. His name is on the Roll of Honour at Parkwood and St. John's Church Golcar.

Harry had been in the Merchant Navy since 1916. He joined at Devonport and made his first voyage to Archangel after a few weeks training. This proved a very eventful journey because shortly after arriving at their destination a big explosion occurred, destroying a number of vessels, the crews of which had to leave their ships and seek safety ashore. For four days and nights Harry found shelter in a in a thick wood and at the end of this time was piloted back to his ship by a Russian Officer.

He saw much active service and visited West Africa, Norway, Russia and France and, on his second Archangel his ship was torpedoed on 24th September 1917. Nothing was heard from him for 14 weeks until his parents received a telegram from Aberdeen saying their son was one of the survivors.

He lost his life when the SS Southborough on which he was serving, as a member of the gun crew, was sunk by an enemy submarine 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Scarborough, with a loss of 30 crew members. The ship was due back in England the following day.

He has no known grave and is commemorated with 23,207 sailors on the Plymouth Naval Memorial to the Missing.

His name appears on the Roll of Honour at St. John's Church, Golcar and Parkwood Methodist Church.