Seaman, Samuel Crellin, Royal Naval Reserve was born 23rd August 1886, Ramsey, Isle of Man, son of William Henry and Frances Crellin (née Haile), one of six children. His siblings were Thomas, John, William, Frances and Sarah.

His Mother was born in Cumberland and his father in Liverpool. The couple married in Whitehaven, Cumberland in 1881.

His family suffered so much bereavement during WW1. His mother was widowed when her second husband James Quayle was killed in the H.M.S. Goliath disaster on 13th May 1915 during the Gallipoli Campaign. Her son-in-law Seaman Daniel Kinrade, married to her daughter Frances, was also killed in the disaster. Of the crew of around 750 men, 570 died in the sinking of Goliath. By the time the war ended she would also have lost three of her four sons.

1901 census Water St. Maughold, Ramsey he’s with his parents and siblings William, John, Sarah and Frances. His father is described as a “Hawker of Paraffin Oil”. In the 1911 census Samuel was single and working as a fisherman, at sea on the Eryer (?)

Samuel enrolled in the Royal Naval Reserve on the 22nd January 1908, training on the King Alfred February/March 1912. He married Jennie Thomas on the 10th of September 1912, Maughold, Isle of Man.

Samuel joined the Royal Naval Division, Howe Battalion in September 1914. The division was formed on the outbreak of war when the newly-mobilised Royal Navy found it had too many men and too few duties for them. The unused sailors were formed into battalions, joined Royal Marines Light Infantry and Royal Marines Artillery and formed the Royal Naval Division. After rudimentary training the first elements of the division were dispatched to the Continent to help with the defence of Antwerp September – October 1914. They had no engineers, no medical services, no logistical support. Many of the men didn’t even have canteens or packs.

Jennie Crellin lived at 3 Corlett Court, Ramsey, Isle of Man, and later at 16 Harrogate St., Everton, Liverpool.

Five members of the family died in World War 1. Thomas Henry died 28th September 1918. He had been sitting on top of the railway embankment at Battalion Headquarters, during an attack on the enemy, when a shell burst close by, killing him instantly . He is buried in Quarry Wood Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Another brother William was a seaman on board a government transport. His fate was officially unknown although it’s believed that he survived the war. His brother John died 23rd March 1918 while serving in France with the 20th Hussars age 29.

Samuel’s body was never recovered.