THIS week I recall perhaps the worst single disaster to happen in Thurrock during the First World War .

The training ship Cornwall, moored off Purfleet, was used from 1859 to house 260 “juvenile delinquent” boys sent for training as a court sentence for minor offences.

The ship was run by the Marine Society, founded in 1756. The original aim was to recruit boys and young men for the Royal Navy.

From 1914 it was called HM Training Ship Cornwall. On August 30 2015, training that day included sailing and a group of lads went out with a sailing master Mr Lane in the ship’s cutter that morning.

Following the Essex coastline alongside Purfleet Garrison and the Royal Hotel, she manoeuvred across the river towards Kent.

The steam tug A44, owned by the Government, hit her broadside and at first became entangled with her sails. The cutter broke away but sank, and all the crew were throw n in to the water. The officerin charge and 15 boys were drowned, although three cadets escaped.

A subsequent inquiry found the captain of the tug negligent for not given way to sail and not keeping a proper look-out.

The funeral service was held on September 8 at St Clement’ s Church, West Thurrock and wa s attended by 4,000 mourners and dignitaries representing the organisations who ran the ship and military authorities.

The 15 boys are all buried in the mass grave (incidentally dug by boysfrom the Cornwall), the officer is buried close by. The tombstone to the mass grave was replaced by Procter & Gambleafew years back as the stone had laminated and the boys’ names were becoming unreadable.

A special open day has been arranged by the friends of St Clement’s Church, 100 years to the day of the accident and a Thurrock Heritage Plaque explaining about the accident will be unveiled by the Mayor of Thurrock of Sunday.

I will be giving a short talk at 2.30pm to explain the details of the accident and at 3pm a graveside service will be undertaken by the Rev Michelle Reynolds, the Vicar of St Clement’s Church, and Mrs Sue Witham, chaplain to the Thurrock Sea Cadets. The church will be opened by the friends group from noon to 4.40pm and everybody is welcome to come along and discover the history of the church and witness the service, especially those who served in the Royal and Merchant Navy

DOWN MEMORY LANE is written by JONATHAN CATTON, Thurrock Heritage and Museum Office. Memories, photographs or objects relating to Thurrock’s past will be gratefully received for the Thurrock Museum collections. Contact by letter at Thurrock Museum, Thameside Complex, Orsett Road, Grays, RM17 5DX, call 01375 413965, make a personal visit or e-mail jcatton@thurrock.gov.uk