Roll of Honour

Lost on the Protected Cruiser HMS Hawke.

Arthur Cockrill was born to Edwin Cockrill and his wife Frances on 7^th June, 1889, in Ada Street, West Hartlepool, and was the youngest in the family, having four older brothers, Edwin b.1869, Herbert b.1871, Thomas b.1877, James b.1885 and sisters Elizabeth b.1874 and Mary b.1883.

Both Edwin and Frances had been born in Chatham, Kent, where Edwin was a shoemaker. They first settled in Stockton where Edwin junior and Herbert, their first sons, were born and at this point Edwin was a shipyard labourer. The next two children were born back in the Rochester/Chatham area and in 1881 Edwin senior was shown on the Census living alone in Francis Street on the Headland and was an iron labourer.

By 1891, Edwin was once again given as a shoemaker and the family, including baby Arthur, were all together in Hartlepool. In 1901, the family were in Streatham Street and Edwin was a Repairer in the shipyard, his brothers having similar occupations.

In early 1914, Arthur Cockrill married Grace Annie Hartley in Hartlepool and later in the year became an Able Seaman on board the large cruiser HMS Hawke, which had been built at Chatham, the home of Cockrill’s parents and ancestors. In October 1914, HMS Hawke along with the other cruisers in the 10^th Cruiser Squadron were on patrol in the North Sea off Aberdeen. Their task was to protect Canadian troop carriers from German warships. On 15^th October, 1914, HMS Hawke was torpedoed by the German submarine U-9 and sank almost immediately. Some 525 sailors lost their lives, but there were 75 survivors who were later rescued.

Arthur Cockrill was sadly one of the many who were lost and his new wife , Grace Annie Cockrill of School Row Hamsterley Colliery, was informed. Arthur was also listed at his brother Herbert’s address at 3, Sydenham Road, West Hartlepool.