John's Story.
Birkenhead News 15 May 1915
POPULAR STEWARD DROWNED.
His Last Ship.
A further victim on the Lusitania is Mr. John Mills, of Elm House, Hemingford Street, who was a steward in the saloon. Mr Mills was a native of Manchester, and was 34 years of age. He had been going to sea for about 20 years. He was on the Carmania when the war broke out, then made a voyage on the Andania, and took a temporary post on the Lusitania, pending obtaining a good position on shore, which was shortly to have been offered to him, when he would have given up the sea. He had occupied the position of chief steward on one of the African boats, and had always been very popular through his kind nature. He married nearly four years ago a daughter of Mr. Samuel Hocking, of Elm House, and there is one child. His wedding was attended by the band of his boat, the chief chef serving up the wedding breakfast.
We understand that so far Mr. Mills’ remains have not yet been recovered.
RMS Lusitania
On 1st May 1915 the RMS Lusitania left New York bound for Liverpool. By 7th May she was approximately 11 miles off the coast of Kinsale Ireland when she was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. Within 18 minutes the ship had sunk with a loss of 1198 passengers and crew, including 128 American civilians. Because the ship was listing the crew were only able to launch 6 of the 48 lifeboats. Most of the casualties were due to drowning or hypothermia. In the hours after the sinking acts of heroism among the survivors and local Irish people who had heard word of the distress signals and came to help the rescue brought the survivor count to 764 – 3 died later. Most of the people saved were brought to Cobh County Cork. The funerals of many of the victims took place in local cemeteries in Ireland. Of the 289 bodies that were recovered, 169 were buried in Cobh Old Church Cemetery -144 in 3 common graves and 25 bodies buried in 20 private graves (85 males and 84 females – 45 of whom were unidentified). A monument to commemorate those who died in the tragedy was erected in the town centre in Cobh.