LEWIS COOPER SAWYER

Born: 7th December 1893, Bosmere, Suffolk.

Died: 1st November 1919; age 26; Died from disease – Cellulitis of the neck, at the Royal Naval Hospital, Chatham.

 Enlistment Details: Location: Chatham; Occupation: Farm Labourer; Religion: Wesleyan. Next of Kin: sister Mrs Alice Robinson. Signed up for 12 years on the 7th December 1911. Height on joining: 5ft 4 1/2 ins, height at 18 years: 5ft 5 1/2ins, fresh complexion, grey eyes & dark brown hair.

Service:

Ganges – Boy II – May 1910

Ganges – Boy I – 20th December 1910 – 20th January 1911

Berwick – Boy I – 21st January 1911 – 15th February 1911

Illustious – Boy I – 16th February 1911 – 17th March 1911

Berwick – Boy I – 18th March 1911 – 15th May 1911

Pembroke I – Boy I – 16th May 1911 – 29th May 1911

Black Prince – Boy I – 30th May 1911

Black Prince – Ordinary Seaman – 7th December 1911 – 22nd April 1912

Pembroke I – Ordinary Seaman – 23rd April 1912 – 24th May 1912

Halcyon – Ordinary Seaman – 25th May 1912

Halcyon – Able Seaman – 10th December 1912 – 11th March 1913

Victory – Able Seaman – 12th March 1913 – 28th April 1913

Halcyon – Able Seaman – 29th April 1913 – 4th July 1913

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 5th July 1913 – 17th November 1913

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 21st November 1913 – 4th May 1914

King Edward – Able Seaman – 5th May 1914 – 6th January 1916

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 7th January 1916 – 24th March 1916

Vivid I – Able Seaman – 25th March 1916 – 30th April 1916

Royal Oak – Able Seaman – 1st May 1916 – 11th February 1918

Diligence – Able Seaman – 12th February – 30th June 1918

Woolwich – Able Seaman – 1st July 1918 – 31st January 1919

Hecla – Able Seaman – 1st February 1919 – 28th February 1919

Prince George – Able Seaman – 1st March 1919 – 1st April 1919

Pembroke I – Able Seaman – 2nd April 1919 – 1st November 1919

Rank: Able Seaman; Service Number: J/8399(ch)

Regiment: H.M.S. ‘Pembroke’ Royal Navy.

Grave Reference:

X.19.28.

Ipswich Old Cemetery,

Ipswich,

Suffolk.

Relatives Notified & Address: Son of the late James & Julia Sawyer; Sister – Mrs Alice Robinson, of 63, Surbiton Road, Ipswich.

CENSUS

1901   46, Waveney Road, Ipswich.

Lewis was 7 years old and living with his parents & siblings.

James Sawyer, 37, a Blacksmith’s Labourer, born Yoxford, Suffolk.

Julia Sawyer (nee Cooper), 39, born Iken, Suffolk.

Edward John Sawyer, 12, born Ipswich.

Ethel May Sawyer, 10, born Ipswich.

Henry Sawyer, 8, born Hemingstone, Suffolk.

Florence Louisa Sawyer, 5, born Ipswich.

James Sawyer, 4 months, born Ipswich.

1911   Gibralter

Lewis was 17 years old, a Boy 1st Class for the Royal Navy. He was 1 of 197 boys on board ‘Berwick’ a First Class Armoured Cruiser, Fourth Cruiser Squadron. Captain – Hugh T. Hibbert.

Lewis’s mother, Julia Sawyer died 1909, Ipswich.

Lewis is also remembered on SPRINGFIELD SCHOOL ww1 Memorial, Ipswich.