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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Tom Scotson

Search for Liverpool family to reunite them with WWI veteran's plaque

A retired postman wants to reunite a sailor's special item with his Liverpool family.

Edward Timmins was born in 1880 and served in the Royal Navy for more than 20 years. He joined the naval warfare as a 16-year-old and worked on HMMS Blackmorevale throughout WWI.

The Great War sailor died after the naval reserve hit a mine off Todd Heath, Aberdeenshire on May, 1, 1918. The explosion killed 26 of the 72 crew members and sank into the Scottish sea.

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Chris Hubbard, 80, from Hertfordshire has had Edward’s plaque for years. But he wanted to appeal to the ECHO’s readers and track down any of his living relatives.

The retired postman told the ECHO: “If there are any of the Timmins family, or any descendants still around, I think it’s about time I returned it. This plaque issued in honour to Edward belongs with the family and not me. I hope this appeal will meet with a positive result, which is what the family deserve."

WWI memorial plaques, known as death plaques, were made out of bronze. After the family were told about a family members death by telegram they were sent a disk to commemorate their life.

More than 13,000 men from Liverpool lost their lives during WWI. The city's Hall of Remembrance, which was opened by Edward VIII, has the names of the brave soldiers who died in battle.

Records indicate more than 50,000 Royal Navy sailors died in the Great War.

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