Portsmouth Naval Memorial
Southsea Common

H.M.S. Louvain was an Armed Boarding Steamer, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine UC22 on the 20th January 1918, in the Aegean Sea.

To our knowledge there were about 222 men on board at the time of the sinking, about 208 brave men lost there lives that day with only about 14 Survivors.

Commemorated on St Ouen's Parish Memorial, Jersey
and on Isle of Portland War Memorial

 

 

Stoker 1st Class Alfred Bechelet
Royal Navy. HMS "Louvain"
20/01/1918

Husband of Frances Mary Edmunds and they lived at 8 Spring Gardens, Fortuneswell, Portland

Killed in action, aged 43 years

 

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Tuesday 12 February 1918

Roll of Honour. Information has been received from one of his brothers in England to the effect that Alfred Bechelet, stoker in one of HM ships, was drowned in the Mediterranean on 21 January last. The deceased had been 14 years in the Navy and when war broke out he was on the Reserve and immediately joined up again. He was the youngest brother of Mr John Bechelet of St Ouen's.