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Seaman William Elkin was the son of Robert and Martha Elkin, of 7 Bazaar Street, Portrush, Co. Antrim.

Seaman William (Willie) Elkin served onboard HMS Skipjack.[1] During the 31st of July 1915, William was sent to Cottage Hospital in Portrush with a sprained ankle after an accident. He returned to his ship afterwards but continued to have problems.

On the 18th of December 1915, a report of William losing his leg was made. His left leg was amputated at the knee due to a condition called sarcoma of fibula.[2] By the end of that month he was invalided home to Portrush and then officially removed from naval strength on the 7th of March 1916 while home in the seaside town. His troubles were not over as the same condition had moved to his chest.

Unfortunately, William’s illness did not improve, and he succumbed to his illness which was known as Sarcoma of the Thorax[3] while at home, only 14 months later.

William’s uncle who shared the same first name was Petty Officer (1st class) William James Elkin, service number 174504. He also served with the Royal Navy and had joined during 1895. Unfortunately, he also lost his life earlier in the war when on the 15th of October 1914, his ship, HMS Hawke[4] was sunk by U-Boat U9.[5] He was also from Coleraine, but his mother had lived at 78, Cosgrove Street, Belfast. Petty Officer William James Elkin’s body was never recovered and rests with the rest of his comrades at the bottom of the North Sea.

Both men were awarded the 1914/15 Stars, also the British War and Victory Medals.

Date of Death: 09/05/1917 (Aged 21)

Service: Seaman, H.M.S. “Skipjack.”, Royal Naval Reserve

Service Number: 8106/A

Burial Location: Ballywillan Cemetery, A. 58 (in North-West part).


[1] HMS Skipjack was a Sharpshooter class torpedo gunboat, that was launched during April 1889, and was used as a minesweeper during the war. It would survive the events and was sold for scrap during 1920.

[2] Sarcoma of fibula is basically a tumor or tumors on the leg.

[3] Sarcoma of Thorax is basically a tumor or tumors on the chest or chest wall.

[4] HMS Hawke was an Edgar-class cruiser, which was launched during March 1891. During September 1911, the ship collided with the White Star ocean liner RMS Olympic. The sister ship of the Titanic, which sunk 7 months later on its maiden voyage.

[5] HMS Hawke was hit by a torpedo. The magazine exploded, killing 524 men. Only 70 men were saved, one of them later died of wounds.

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