John Hern (1893-1919)
Sunderland engineer was lost in the sinking of HM Yacht Iolaire
John Hern was born in Sunderland in 1893. His father was John Hern senior (1858-1931), a Sunderland-born master mariner. His mother was Ann Isabella Hern nee Lamb (1859-1931), a local blacksmith’s daughter. His parents married around 1884 and had four known children, giving John three sisters. In 1901 the Hern family lived at 45 Dock Street, Sunderland. By 1911 they had moved to 13 Roxburgh Street, Sunderland. John junior was working as an apprentice engineer in 1911.
John served as a second engineer in the Mercantile Marine Reserve (MMR) during World War One. On New Year’s Day 1919 he was a member of the crew of HMY (His Majesty’s Yacht) Iolaire. This was a relatively small ship pressed into service to bring sailors who had fought in the war back to the Scottish island of Lewis. ‘Iolaire’ sank off the island’s coast as it made its approach to the port of Stornaway. There were 280 men on board, including 24 crew, and at least 201 including John perished. This remains the worst peacetime maritime disaster in British waters.
John’s body was recovered and he was buried in Mere Knolls Cemetery, Sunderland. He was honoured on two memorials at the Church of St Peter Sunderland and in the Book of Remembrance 1914-18, Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland. He was honoured more recently when in 2018 pupils on the Isle of Lewis collected a stone from the home village of each of the 201 sailors lost on the Iolaire. These stones were incorporated into a unique memorial in the form of a cairn in Stornoway town centre.
John Hern was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service in World War One.
Civil Parish: Sunderland
Birth date: 1893
Death date: 01-Jan-1919
Armed force/civilian: Navy
Residence: 45 Dock Street East, Sunderland (1901 census)
13 Roxburgh Street, Sunderland (1911 census)
Employment: Apprentice engineer (1911 census)
Family: Parents: John Hern (1858-1931), Ann Isabella Hern nee Lamb (1859-1931)
Siblings: Ann Isabella Hern 9b 1886), Mary Gertrude Hern (b 1888), Jennie Hern (b 1895)
Military service:
Second engineer
Mercantile Marine Reserve
HM Yacht Iolaire
Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal
Memorial(s): Mere Knolls Cemetery, Sunderland (grave 2.298)
Book of Remembrance 1914-18, Church of St Peter, Sunderland
Book of Remembrance 1914-18, Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland
Plaque 1914-18, Church of St Peter, Sunderland
Gender: Male
Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham
