S.S MAINE - SUNK IN 1917

Searching for relatives of the crew

By Andy Gilbert and Brian Slattery

I am currently researching the list of the crew of the S.S Maine, a French registered ship, that was sunk in the channel between Newhaven and Dieppe on 21st November 1917.

Our Church, The Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Fort Road, Newhaven has a memorial stone on the outside wall for all the crew that went down with the ship. We are in the process of getting funds to refurbish the memorial and intend if funds are available to have a rededication service for all the crew on 21st November 2017, exactly 100 years after the sinking. All the necessary permissions will be applied for.

We are very keen to try as best we can to locate some of the distant relatives of the crew so they can be invited to the ceremony.

The majority of the crew were French and we are actively about to make enquiries in Dieppe to see if French relatives can be traced. It seems they were able to trace some in 2007/8.

There are two names on the memorial, P Short and C or S Mugridge that are  English. We have leads on P Short as he was in the RNVR and his details are on record. We have enquiries outstanding for him in Dorset and hope to be able to make a family connection.

As regards Mugridge, he is described as the ship’s interpreter and therefore could well have been local. On a local Newhaven war memorial he is thought to be a Stanley Mugridge, but this is not confirmed by  any other source so far. He was 26 when he died so would have been born in 1891. It is thought his family were slaughtermen or butchers.

We are very keen to try to locate and invite the relatives of these men and would appreciate any help advice or assistance you are able to offer. This could be a great moment in time to remember those who gave their lives at sea.

If anyone has any information, please email the Our Newhaven team at info@ournewhaven.org.uk and we'll pass it on and put you in touch as required. Andy - Editor