A dedication service for the addition of two names left off a First World War memorial at Rushen parish church was a poignant and fitting tribute agreed those present.

The service attracted around 100 people, including Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard Gozney and several people related to William Watterson and James Quine, both teenagers when they died.

James was on the ship Brae Glen when induring the black out, it collided with another vessel in the Mersey and sank in August 1918. He was 17.

William was an able seaman on the cargo ship G A Savage when she was hit and sunk in 1917 by a torpedo fired by German submarine UC-47 off Pendeen Point. William was 16.

Jack Ronan’s family has been campaigning for William’s name to be added for three generations.

’Willie was my mother’s cousin,’ said Jack.

’When I retired I used to get an ear bashing from my brother Ken that this is an awful injustice.

’He pushed me thinking I had more clout because of being a captain at the Steam Packet. I just worked on it. (Local historian) John Qualtrough contacted Juan Watterson then the Quines came on the scene (about a second missing name, that of James Quine).

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’People in Cregneash were talking about it, what had been done was wrong.’

William’s great nephew Andrew Dawson, who lives in Frodsham, visited the island for the service.

He said: ’Willie’s body was never found. It was this lack of a body that led to Willie’s name being left off the war memorial originally.

’The then vicar of the parish, who was himself traumatised by the loss of his son in war, refused to allow his name to be added - as he clung to the vain hope that the absence of a body may mean that he was still alive somewhere.’

He added: ’Such a decision seems cruel today.

’That decision and the injustice that it represented powerfully affected my grandmother and my entire family. Both my grandmother and grandfather made sure that my brothers and I knew that Willie’s name had been missed off the memorial and the injustice that that represented.’

Thoughts also went to the U-Boat commander Capt Lieutenant Paul Hundius, who led the attack that sunk the SS GA Savage.

’In the period 11 to16 March UC 47 sunk 17 vessels - (six steamers of which the SS GA Savage was one, 10 fishing vessels and a sailing vessel),’ said Andrew.

’Capt Lieut Hundius was one of Germany’s most successful U boat captains responsible for sinking some 72 vessels and damaging eight more.

He lost his life when in 1918 the submarine he was then commanding UB 103 was sunk of Flamborough Head. He was awarded the Pour la Merite posthumously.

In the Second World War the sixth Unterseebootsflottille was named after him.

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Andrew added: The tone was absolutely spot on. It was impeccable. There was no glorying in war, rather a solemn commitment that succeeding generations should do what they can to avoid war and promote real peace.’

Captain Ronan added: ’I realised the awfulness of it (the omission); those boys will not be forgotten.’