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Peter McCourt (1898-1918)


Blackhill labourer served as a stoker in the Royal Navy and was lost when HMS Louvain was sunk


Peter McCourt was born in Blackhill on 30 October 1898. His father was ironworks labourer John McCourt (1872) from Blackhill. His mother was Annie McCourt nee Ruddy (1873-1904), who was originally from Workington, Cumberland. The McCourt family moved to Stockton after Peter’s birth and were living at 2 Clarence Row, Stockton at the time of the 1901 census. A sister named Margaret was born there in 1902. Mother Annie died in 1904 and at the time of the 1911 census Peter, his father and his sister were living with an uncle’s family at 5 William Street, Blackhill.

Peter joined the Royal Navy on 1 February 1917 to serve for the duration of hostilities. He was initially rated as a stoker 2nd class and given the service number K40720. He was rated as a stoker 1st class on 15 September 1917. In January 1918 Peter was onboard HMS Louvain. This was originally the steamship SS Dresden in peacetime, when it operated as a passenger and goods ferry between Harwich, England and Antwerp, Belgium. It was requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1915 when it was renamed HMS Louvain. It was based in the Aegean Sea and carried troops and supplies between the various Allied bases in the region. She left Malta on 15 January 1918 headed for Mudros, Lemnos, Greece. She was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine on 20 January 1918. A total of 224 people were lost in the sinking. Of the casualties 24 were part of Louvain’s crew the remainder were passengers. Many of them were naval ratings on their way to take up postings with other ships.

Peter’s body was not recovered for burial and he was honoured on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. He was remembered in his home town on the Cross 1914-18, St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Blackhill. He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service in World War One.

Civil Parish: Benfieldside

Birth date: 30-Oct-1898

Death date: 20-Jan-1918

Armed force/civilian: Navy

Residence: 2 Clarence Row, Stockton-on-Tees (1901 census)
5 William Street, Blackhill (1911 census)

Employment: Labourer (1917 service record)

Family: Parents: John McCourt (1872), Annie McCourt nee Ruddy (1873-1904)
Siblings: Margaret McCourt (1902)

Military service:

K40720
Royal Navy
Stoker 2nd class, 1 February 1917
Stoker 1st class, 15 September 1917

Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal

Memorial(s): Portsmouth Naval Memorial
Crucifix 1914-18, St Mary’s RC Church, Blackhill

Gender: Male

Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham

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