Petty Officer (Pensioner) 152439 William Leeder Laight, HMS Spey was born the 21st of October 1869 at Yarmouth; he was baptised at Acle, Norfolk on the 9th of November the son of William Laight, a groom, and Ellen Leeder. [In some records his second name is spelled “Leader” or “Loder”]

The 1871 census finds him with his family at Acle. William aged 25 was a coachman groom born at Lincoln. Ellen aged 24 was born at Acle. Children recorded are Ellen aged 4, born at Sprowston and Alice aged 3, William aged 1 and Charles aged 2 months all born at Acle. In 1877 a son, named Edward, was born but died in 1878. In 1879 another son, also called Edward was born; he died later in the year.

Still at Acle in 1881, the census records a considerable growth in the size of the family. William is a domestic groom. Ellen is a grooms wife. Children recorded are Alice, William, Charles and George aged 8, Florence aged 7, Ida aged 5, Ruth aged 4, and Ethel aged 4, all born Acle.

By 1891, William had joined the navy as a Stoker and was based at Sheppey on the Third Class Corvette Ruby with the Training Squadron. The ship's position is given as “Off the Tongue Lightship, at the entrance of the Thames”.

On the 27th of March 1897 William married Mary Jane Benge (1875 to 1920) at Boughton Monchelsea. The couple had nine children, William* 1898 to 1917, Ellen (1899 to 1962), Florence (1901 to 1972), Dorothy (born 1905), Ella (1910 to 1998), and Doris (1912 to 1997). Additionally there was a set of triplets which all died at birth.

[* Son, Private 493352 William Leeder Laight 2nd/1st (Home Counties) Field Ambulance, enlisted at Maidstone into the RAMC (TF), he died of wounds on the 2nd of September 1917 and is interred in Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.] 

The 1911 census finds him as a Petty Officer Stoker on the “Swale” at Grimsby. William had entered the Royal Navy on the 20th of January 1890 and signed up for twelve years service in 1903. Ships served on included the Ruby, Skipjack, Speedy, Sparrow, Argonaut, Crescent, Blake, Tyne, St. George. His record is unclear but as he is referred to as a 'pensioner', he had probably left the service and returned, or continued his service rather than leave.

His final posting was to the 363 ton HMS Spey, and old gunboat built In 1876 for Chinese service. The ship was removed from front line service about 1900 and by 1905 had been converted to a diving tender and operated around the Thames Estuary.

On the afternoon of the 7th of March 1917 the Spey, commanded by Lt Ernest Humphreys was involved in diving operations when winds increased to gale force and the Spey lost an anchor. The weather forced Lt Humphreys to return to Sheerness. Whilst en-route the sludge hopper SS Belvedere of the London City Council was approaching but not necessarily on a collision course.

At 3.40pm the Belvedere, travelling at 6knots, altered course towards the Spey which sounded two warning blasts on the siren and turned to port, but it was too late to avoid a collision and the two ships bumped together in a glancing collision. Numerous rivets on the Spey were sprung and she sank within three minutes. Twenty six men got away on lifeboats leaving seven men on board.

The Belvedere had stopped about half a mile away and dumped 1,000 tons of sludge before lowering boats to rescue the remaining men. The men rowing the boat became exhausted and could only rescue one man. In spite of an extensive search by other vessels, no more survivors were found and the bodies of the dead were washed ashore over the next few days and Petty Officer Laight was one of them.

The Maidstone Telegraph for the 24th of March reports upon his funeral which had taken place on the 22nd. The paper notes that he “was one of a number of bluejackets who lost their lives as a result of a collision at sea on the 7th inst.”