Lloyd, Edward Samuel

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Edward Samuel Lloyd

J/39238, Able Seaman, HMS Bombala, Royal Navy
Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action, 3 May 1918, aged 19
Buried on beach on coast of Mauritania, NW Africa (Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton)

CWGC registered (no family details)

Edward Samuel Lloyd was born on 28 September 1898 at Llandudno. His parents were Llewelyn Lloyd and Ellen Lloyd (née Williams). The family lived at Penrhynside before moving to 18 David Street, Penmaenmawr; Llewelyn Lloyd was a workman at Derbishire Quarries. There were three children to the marriage: Margaret, Edward and [unknown]. Llewelyn Lloyd died in 1905 and Ellen Lloyd married Hugh Hughes in 1908. The Census for 1911 records Hugh and Ellen Hughes and Edward S Lloyd (12) living at “Pant y wenol”, Bodafon Road, Llandudno.

Edward Samuel Lloyd volunteered to join the Royal Navy in 1915. He had previously been an agricultural labourer. His date of engagement was from his future 18th birthday on 28 September 1916. The engagement was for a period of 12 years from that date. He joined HMS Powerful, a training establishment at Devonport as a boy 2 on 1 May 1915. As a boy 1, he was posted to HMS Africa on 26 August 1915 and as an ordinary seaman to HMS King Alfred on 23 April 1917. On 1 July 1917, he was posted to HMS Bombala. Built as the Willow Branch, HMS Bombala was a Q-ship – a heavily armed merchant ship designed to lure U-boats into making surfaces attacks.

On 25 April 1918, HMS Bombala encountered U-153 and U-154 off the Cape Verde Islands. A gun battle resulted in casualties on both sides and the crew of the Bombala escaped in two lifeboats before it sank. One of the lifeboats was never seen again, but the other reached the coast of Mauritania on 2 May 1917. Half of the original survivors had died at sea and the two strongest to make landfall set off in search of water. They returned to find their shipmates, including Edward, aged 19, had died. He was buried on the beach and the two survivors were rescued by friendly Arabs. Edward’s date of death was officially recorded as 3 May 1917. Recovering the bodies of those who are buried on the beach was deemed impossible or impractical and he is remembered on the Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton.

Known memorials:

  • Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton
  • Llandudno Roll of Honour
  • Llandudno War Memorial
  • Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
  • Penrhynside War Memorial

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