Another Thomas Hughes! This memorial is to Thomas Owen Hughes who was a storeman who went down on the RMS Lusitania.

The sinking of the Lusitania was a major event of World War One. Many believe it was the first in a series of events that would lead to the American`s joining the war. Lusitania is regarded as the second most famous ship to be lost at sea, after the Titanic. Much has been written about her sinking on 7th May 1915 off the coast of Ireland, when the German submarine U-20 fired a torpedo into her Hull. Lusitania sank within 18 minutes, the loss of life was on a terrible scale. 1,198 people died (785 passengers and 413 crew).

There is an interesting Lusitania collection at the Merseyside Maritime Museum within easy reach of Chester and one of the ship's propellers is exhibited there.

www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/collections/liners/lusitania/

There is a memorial to some of those lost at Our Lady's Church, Eldon Street, Liverpool (there's also some interesting newspaper cuttings here)-

www.freewebs.com/eldonmemww1/rmslusitania.htm