RootsChat.Com

My Great grandfather was John Smith from Isle of Lewis also killed on this trawler. Below is is all I know about it.
CAMPBELL, John M. Deck Hand, RNR, DA 8271, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
COOK, George S. Deck Hand, RNR, SD 3722, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
CUSHING, Godfrey L. Deck Hand, RNR, DA 6203, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
EWING, William G. Trimmer, RNR, TS 5019, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
GRAHAM, James R. Petty Officer (RFR A 1835), 140041 (Ch), John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
HIGH, John, Temporary Skipper, RNR, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
Mc KENZIE, William, Trimmer, RNR, TS 5018, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
NEWSON, Robert, Engineman, RNR, ES 4397, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
PARKS, William, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 1696, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
PERRY, Thomas H. Deck Hand, RNR, SD 2793, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
SANDERSON, George, Engineman, RNR, TS 2733, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
SMITH, John, Deck Hand, RNR, SD 1963, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
THOMAS, Daniel, Signalman, RNVR, Wales Z 2028, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost
WOOD, Reuben W. Deck Hand, RNR, DA 10410, John High, 7 August 1916, ship lost

The loss of the JOHN HIGH is described in "Under the Black Ensign" by Captain RS Gwatkin-Williams, page 83.
"... the JOHN HIGH, commanded by her skipper of the same name, who, sweeping with a group of other trawlers over the new minefield [in the approaches to Archangel], was sudenly blown to matchwood by a mine which rose under her bottom. There was a raging sea at the time, and out of her crew of sixteen there was only one survivor, the mate, who happened to be right in the bow with his lifebelt on. When the mine exploded he was blown overboard, and suffered no injury beyond shock caused by immersion in that icy, turbulent sea; his companions were never seen again. ... In such mine-sweeping, while the tide was running at its greatest strength, the mines would be dragged down by its force to a depth of perhaps fifty feet; the trawlers, who themselves drew sixteen feet of water, could consequently pass safely over them. But when the tide slackened, and this it generally did suddenly, the mines would rise close to the surface, and if a ship happened to be over the spot it meant "good-by-ee," that being what had actually happened in the case of the JOHN HIGH."