Mystery of prayer book belonging to sailor killed in HMS Bulwark explosion traced to Newbury

A man is appealing to the people of Newbury to help him trace the rightful owner of an old naval prayer book.

The book belonged to a sailor killed in the First World War.

And Bryan Burnikell, from North Essex, is keen to reunite it with any descendants still living in West Berkshire.

Mr Burnikell discovered the book, dated 1900, among his late father-in-law’s effects in the 1970s.

But he has no idea how or why this came into his possession.

He wants to know if the book was standard issue to recruits or if it belonged to a chaplain.

The book belonged to Harry Ernest Brocks, a ship’s corporal first class born in Kingston upon Thames on March 17, 1884.

Mr Brocks was killed aboard the HMS Bulward after an accidental explosion killed more than 700 sailors on November 26, 1914.

His widow, Edith Brocks, lived at ‘Iona’ 9 Priory Road, Newbury, today 13 Priory Road.

She never remarried and died in 1955, writes West Berkshire War Memorials.

Harry and Edith Brocks married in Newbury, possibly at St John’s Church.

His cousin, Horace Benjamin Baldwin, was an apprentice at the Newbury Weekly News and a part-time member of the the Royal Berkshire Regiment Territorials when he was called up on the outbreak of war.

A Newbury Weekly News report dated June 24, 1915, mentions the service of the Baldwin family and later in the same passage announces Mr Brocks’ death.

The report reads: “Mrs Baldwin had also three nephews on service, Ernest Harry Brocks, who went down on the Bulwark at about the same time his brother, William, was gazetted second-lieutenant.”

Mr Baldwin was also killed in 1917.

Mr Brocks was the eldest of six children born to William Henry Brocks, from Tilehurst, and Fanny Brocks (née Baldwin), from Cholsey, near Wallingford.

Contact newsdesk@newburynews.co.uk if you have any information that could assist Mr Burnikell in his query.