Died: 10th January 1918 – Sunk by submarine off the Azores en route from Twillingate, Newfoundland to Gibraltar.
Rank: Sailor; Newfoundland Mercantile Marine Schooner ‘W.C. McKay’.
(Cargo: codfish Wooden schooner. Built in 1912 but only registered in 1913)
Beaumont-Hamel (Newfoundland Memorial),
Relatives Notified & Address: Husband of Mrs A. Licence, of 25, Station Street. Ipswich.
Merchant Navy / Mercantile Marine. Both services suffered heavy losses from German u-boat attacks, enemy ships and under water mines. U-boats sank 7,759,090 tons, with the loss of 14,660+ merchant seafarers 2,479 British merchant vessels and 675 British fishing vessels were lost. The sea trade was important to the war effort supplying food and materials as well as arms around the globe. The Mercantile Marine War Medal was instituted by the Board of Trade and approved by the King George V.