These family notices printed in local newspapers 12 months after the tragedy confirm the extent of loss felt by bereaved families in Holyhead.

 

Engineer William Thomas Jones  survived the sinking of RMS Leinster. He was in the Stokehold when the first torpedo struck. He instructed the Firemen to leave and soon followed them when the Leinster was again torpedoed causing catastrophic damage. As the vessel was sinking Mr Jones jumped into the water and clung onto a raft with a number of others until rescued by a destroyer and taken to Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire).

The photograph above is of part of the Leinster display at the Holyhead Maritime Museum. It includes William Thomas Jones’ Mercantile Marine Medal and also two ‘Torpedo Badges’ issued to those surviving a submarine attack. Those shown are of gold thread and were issued to ship’s officers. Ordinary seamen would have received similar badges but coloured red.

The account of Mr. Jones’ experience was extracted from an article published in the Chronicle shortly after the tragedy.

This link will take you the latest update for the commemorations planned at Dun Laoghaire for October 2018. – Bulletin March 2018 Final

With thanks to Philip Lecane of the National Maritime Museum of Ireland.

Photo of the inside of the maritime museum by Miguel Mendez from Malahide, Ireland.