Ernest Head

Military Information

  • Date of enlistment: April 1900
  • Place of enlistment:
  • Service no: 193392
  • Rank: Leading Seaman
  • Service Occupation:
  • Awards:
  • Regiment/Service: H.M. Submarine C-19
  • Unit/Ship: Royal Navy
  • Place of Death:
  • Age at Death: 36
  • Date of Death: 05.09.1914
  • Burial Country: England
  • Cemetery: Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery
  • Grave/Mem Ref no: K.C.12126

Personal Information

  • Date of Birth:
  • Place of Birth: Cromer
  • Address: 51 Crescent Street, Dundee
  • Occupation:
  • Mother:
  • Father:
  • Siblings:
  • Spouse:

    Georgina Head, 21 Cornelia St, Barnsbury, London

  • Children:

    Davina, born 28.07.1904, James, born 27.05.1908 & 2 other childeren, names unknown.

More about Ernest Head

Ernest was a crew member of H.M.S. C 19 which was launched in 1909 and was based in Dundee, attached to Depot Ship H.M.S. Vulcan and the 7th Submarine Flotilla between 1910 & 1912. From there she moved to the Tyne, attached to H.M.S. Alecto as part of the 10th Flotilla in 1914. She was finally sold for scrap in 1920.

Ernest Head   193392   H.M. Submarine C19

DUNDEE NAVYMAN IS DROWNED.

WASHED OFF SUBMARINE.

Leading Seaman Ernest Head, of H.M. Submarine C19, one of the flotilla attached to Dundee, has been lost overboard.

Mrs Head, who resides at 51 Crescent Street, Dundee, yesterday received official intimation of the sad occurrence from the Admiralty.  The statement is couched in the laconic terms characteristic of the Admiralty, and reads :–“Telegraphic information has reached this Department that Ernest Head Leading Seaman, official number 193392 belonging to His Majesty’s submarine C19, tender to H.M.S. Alecto, has been lost overboard from the first-named vessel.  (Here is stated the location of the vessel.)  The date of death is not stated, but the telegram reporting the occurrence was forwarded to-day.”

The Admiralty’s notification was followed immediately by a letter of sympathy from one of Leading Seaman Head’s officers.

The unfortunate man was in his thirty-sixth year, and was a native of Cromer.  He settled down in Dundee when the naval base was established in the Tay.  Deceased is survived by a widow and four children.

Mrs Head has already been visited by one of the lady visitors in the Dundee Branch of the Soldiers and Sailors’ Families’ Association.

Dundee Courier 9th September 1914

Ernest Head was the husband of Mrs Georgina Head, 51 Crescent Street, Dundee and then 21, Cornelia Street, Barnsbury, London. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy in April 1900 and trained as a Seaman. After eight years afloat and ashore he joined the Submarine Service. HM Submarine C19 was based at Dundee attached to the depot ship HMS Vulcan and the 7th Submarine Flotilla between 1910 and 1912. From there, the C19 moved to the Tyne in 1914 and was attached to HMS Alecto as part of the 10th Flotilla in 1914 just before the outbreak of war. It is reported on his documents that he was lost overboard from the C19. Ernest Head is buried in the Tynemouth (Preston) Cemetery in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Iain Stewart and Iain Birnie

Information supplied by Gary Thomson, additional information and image kindly supplied by Michael Caldwell.

Further information supplied by Iain Stewart and Iain Birnie

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