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Mercantile Marine War Medal  

James Hosking

Killed on 8 December 1939 after the SS Corea struck a mine off Cromer, Norfolk

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Mercantile Marine War Medal (Impressed James Hosking)

James Hosking was born in 1881. He was the son of Mr and Mrs William Henry Hosking and husband of A.M. Hosking of Goole, Yorkshire.  He died on 8 December 1939 following the loss of the SS Corea off Cromer, Norfolk.  

Loss of the SS Corea In the early hours of 8 December 1939, the SS Corea, sank after striking a mine of Cromer, Norfolk. Sadly eight of the crew died leaving seven survivors who were rescued by the Cormer lifeboat.  Owned by the Bennett Steamship Company the 751-ton Corea was heading for Goole from Boulogne. Goole men among the victims were Harry Needham (33), the ship's captain; Henry Watmough (26), the first officer; Hugh Miller (58), chief engineer; Charles Wilson (58), engineer; James Hosking (58), able seaman; Arthur Harrison (32) and John William Tomlinson (62), both firemen, together with a third fireman, Robert Thornton (29), of Howden.

The survivors who struggled to escape in a fierce, bitter wind and a heavy sea were Goole's Eric Heworth, the second officer; Amos Gates, steward; E Pantry, T Woodhead, A Dawson and S Wimsey, all able seamen and John Boxall, a 53-year-old fireman, of Thorne.  Amos Gates who had sailed with the Bennett Company for 30 years, told how he and four other survivors attracted the attention of a lifeboat crew by using a torch. "I was suffering from a bad cold and was lying in bed when the explosion occurred," he said. "I grabbed for my lifebelt but it had been damaged in the explosion and I had to grope for it in the dark. As I ran up the cabin steps, a door which had been torn off struck me on the shoulder. On deck I found two men trying to climb up on the back of the bridge. As there was no sign of any other vessels nearby, I decided to stick to the ship. Four men had already gone overboard expecting the ship to go down straightaway. The skipper was in the water. He hailed us and wanted us to join him, shouting, "We're all right here. Jump." Four men had jumped with him and we learned later that two of them died because of the cold."

Amos Gates also recalled how crewmen Pantry, Woodhead, who had cut his head in the explosion, Dawson and Boxall, who was injured, were also left on board. "We were only half dressed but I don't think there was a sign of selfishness among us as we stuck there in the cold. Then we saw a glimmer of light. Luckily Dawson had a torch with him and he was able to signal to the lifeboat. Without that torch they wouldn't have seen us for they had partly turned away."

Seaman Dawson found Boxall lying injured. "I helped him as best I could," he said. "I pulled him to the mast and found him a rope to hold on to." Later when Dawson, Gates, Woodhead and Pantry were picked up by the life boat they found Wimesy handing onto a box. Dawson recalls "He was in a very bad state. A rope was thrown to him but he had only the strength to tie it round his wrist and he was then hauled aboard. We found Heworth on a raft after the lifeboat coxswain had heard a whistle blowing. He was picked up and the search for other survivors continued, but no one else was found. When we were on the bridge Captain Needham shouted to us from the sea. But after the lifeboat arrived we didn't hear the skipper again and we couldn't find him."

Rescued after an hour in the sea, Seaman Wimsey, aged 33 at the time, said, "I was just going to relieve the wheel when there was a terrific explosion. The wheelhouse was shattered and one side of the bridge was blown away. The skipper said, "Get your lifebelts lads and we'll jump for it." In the sea, the skipper was on one side of an overturned lifeboat and I was on the other. Eventually I managed to grab a box and tried to get near the skipper with it, but I couldn't. He was shouting to the lads on the ship to take a chance and he kept our spirits up for over half an hour. I shall never understand how he went. I was talking to him for over half an hour."

Later survivor Eric Heworth left the Merchant Navy to join the RAF's air-sea rescue service and gained the rank of Squadron Leader.


LIFEBOAT, "THE H. F. BAILEY"

S. S. "COREA" OF GOOLE

About 11pm, on the 8th of December, the Coxswain was informed by the Assistant Motor Mechanic that a heavy explosion had been heard and white flashing lights seen afterwards.

The Coxswain immediately got in touch with the Coastguard, who said that he had heard the explosion and seen the lights, but the signals were so erratic that he had not been able to understand them. The Coxswain suggested that the District Officer be informed. The Lifeboat was launched as quickly as possible after conferring with the D.O.. The Lifeboat reached the position of lights about 11.35 pm. And found a vessel which proved to be the S.S. "Corea" with three parts of her hull under water and with a very heavy list to port. Men could be heard shouting on the starboard side and the Lifeboat headed for that position. The Vessel was keeling over at such an angle that the Lifeboat stern struck the ship's bottom and was damaged before we could get near enough to take the 5 men clinging to the Bridge of the Vessel. As soon as we had got the men on board, they told us that there were others of the crew in the water. The Lifeboat proceeded round to the port side of the Vessel and after searching among the wreckage, found a man clinging to a piece of wreckage.

The Lifeboat continued to follow the drift of the wreckage searching for any other survivors and eventually heard a whistle being blown and by this means was guided to a raft to which one of the mates was clinging. The lifeboat continued to search around until 1-15am and when no one else had been seen, the Coxswain decided to return to the Slipway. After trying to connect ropes to the mooring buoys, but failing, owing to the strong wind and tide, it was decided to land the rescued men onto the Slipway. During this operation, the Lifeboat's stern unfortunately became jammed under the Slipway and owing to the range and rising tide, the Lifeboat could not be pulled clear until the whole of the stern-head was broken off. The Lifeboat then had to drop anchor until 7-30am, when she was returned to the Slipway.

Type, Name and Port of Vessel: S. S. "Corea" of Goole.
Number of persons on Board: 15
Tonnage and where from and To: 750 tons. Loaded. Boulogne to Goole.
Exact location of Casualty: 2 Miles East of Station.
Cause of Casualty: Mined. Total wreck.
Wind. N.W.
Sea: Moderate swell.
Weather: Clear.
Authority: Coxswain and D. O. Coastguard.
Time Signal was Received: About 11pm. Coxswain received information from Assistant Mechanic.
Time Lifeboat was launched: 11-20pm.
Time Reached the Wreck: 11-35pm.
Time returned to Station: 1-30am. Arrived at Slipway.
Number of Lives Saved: Seven.
Number of Lives Lost: Eight.
Sails or Motive Power: Motive Power.
Damage to Lifeboat: Boat stern damaged, repairs in hand.
Stores Required: Bottle Rum. 1 Veering Line. New Log-book and Rotator.