(30) George Thomas Murray Jennings Able Seaman J/22016, Royal Navy
 

30th of the St Wilfrid's School, Haywards Heath Old Boys to die in WW1.

George was the fifth of eight children and was born on 30 Jul 1897 In Haywards Heath to William and Alice Susannah Jennings, he was christened at St Wilfrid’s on 24 Sep 1897 when his father was described as a solicitor’s clerk. In 1901 they lived in Haywards Road. His mother died in 1910 soon after the birth of her last child.

On 5 Jun 1916 George died aboard his ship HMS Hampshire along with 642 others (including Lord Kitchener the British Commander in Chief) off the Orkney Islands when the ship struck a mine. Not all bodies were recovered or identified, his was one of those that was found and he and his comrades are buried in the Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery, Isle of Hoy, Orkneys.

His Royal Navy Record of Seamen's Services reveals that he began his naval service on 28 Jan 1913 and had been a farm boy. His eyes were grey/brown, hair brown/auburn and by 2 July 1915 was 5ft 2 3/4 inches tall. He had served on HMS Hampshire from 27 Jan 1914. It is quite likely that his body was identified by his tattoo of a girl's head with the name "Dolly".