Mary Dorothea Kathleen BOLUS

Mary Dorothea Kathleen BOLUS. Volunteer, VAD SAMNS.

Born 1888 to Mrs. Louise Bolus, of "Maisonnette," Kenilworth, Cape Town, South Africa.

Died when the Royal Mail Ship Kenilworth Castle was abandoned as a result of depth charges exploding under her stern 4 June 1918. The order was given to abandon ship. Some of the life boats were lowered but became swamped and 15 people were drowned, among them was Mary, she was aged 30.

Her epitaph on her memorial reads. ‘She lost her life at sea whilst on a voyage to England to tend the sick and the wounded and was laid to rest, with full military honours on the 10 June 1918’

At rest in Efford Cemetery, Plymouth, Devon.

The following extract is credited to Martin Carrack on find a grave -

In June 1918 the hospital ship RMS Kenilworth Castle was bound for England. Amongst those on board were thirty six nurses including Dorothea. The cruiser HMS Kent and five destroyers, one of them HMS Rival, were escorting the ship up the English Channel when an unusual incident occurred.

On the 4th June 1918 at 12.30am, HMS Kent was due to leave the convoy as they were only 35 miles from Plymouth. In the darkness all ships were sailing without lights. HMS Kent changed course as planned but some confusion arose and it resulted in her bearing down on the Kenilworth Castle In order to avoid a collision RMS Kenilworth Castle duly swung clear of HMS Kent, only to collide with the destroyer HMS Rival, cutting off that vessel’s stern. Unfortunately, on the stern of HMS Rival, were several depth charges meant for German submarines. These, however, exploded with terrific force underneath the Kenilworth Castle, causing a gaping hole in her hull. The water rushed in forward, and before long the ship was well down by her bows.

At first everybody thought she had been torpedoed, but as she was not sinking it was not thought necessary to put everyone in the lifeboats.

However, in the confusion, a misunderstanding meant that a few boats were lowered and Dorothea along with four other nurses were placed in one of these boats. Sadly, two of the boats were swamped including Dorothea’s boat. In all 15 people drowned including Dorothea and some of the other nurses.

'The Kenilworth Castle, meanwhile, limped towards port, and by 8 am she had reached Plymouth where her passengers were safely put ashore. The ship was eventually repaired and put to sea again.