Current Information:

Age-29

84, Hayday Road, Canning Town

On 10th June, 1915, HM Torpedo Boats 10 and 12 along with three other Torpedo Boats and five destroyers, were searching for reported German submarines in the Thames estuary when HMTB 12 hit a mine laid by the German submarine UC11. She was badly damaged but remained afloat long enough for HMTB 10  to come alongside, transfer the crew aboard and then take her in tow. But luck was not with them that night and  HMTB 10 then hit a mine herself, broke in half and sank. It was thought at first that she had been torpedoed but it was later confirmed to have been a mine. Over forty men from both crews lost their lives in this incident including Alfred Topham.