My cousin William was a deckhand on the fishing drifter 'Eyrie', sailing out of Lowestoft, Suffolk, when World War 1 broke out. He was 18 years of age. The Admiralty sent officers up the east coast requisitioning fishing boats to act as minesweepers and on 1st September 1914, the 'Eyrie' was taken over. The entire crew volunteered to stay manning the vessel and were, it seems, sent off to sea immediately. The following day, 2nd September 1914, the 'Eyrie' hit a mine and sank with all hands.

Brian Slater