Leading Stoker William Rook
| Date of Birth | 30 June 1889 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 26 |
| Date of Death | 25 April 1916 |
| Service Number | K7179 |
| Military Service | Royal Navy |
| Merton Address | 4 Tamworth Park |
| Local Memorial | St. Mark's Church, Mitcham |
Additional Information
William was born on 30 June 1889 in Mitcham and baptised on 4 August 1889. His parents, William and Alice lived at 1 Spencer Road in 1901, later moving to 4 Tamworth Park.
William had two brothers, Sidney and Albert.
He signed on in the Navy on 8 June 1910 for a period of 12 years. He was 5ft 8ins tall with brown hair, grey eyes and fresh complexion. He had several tattoos including a butterfly, a cross, a snake and a wreath.
He served on a number of ships including SS Victory II, Renown, Essex and Good Hope but his last posting was on the submarine E22. He was Leading Stoker K7179 and died on 25 April 1916 when his ship sank. It was hit by a single torpedo fired from the German U boat UB-18 and went down with only two survivors from the crew of 33.