So what was the answer?

Perhaps, there was an explanation other than a vessel being lost. I noted that one of the tactics used by Q-Ships was that when a submarine appeared, some of the crew would feign panic, and abandon ship into lifeboats in order to lure the U-Boat in closer. Could it be that the crew of Q.36 had carried out this manoeuvre? Had George Cawley got into a lifeboat and something gone wrong when he tried to return? Perhaps he hadn't come off a ship that had sunk; rather he had got separated from one? Unfortunately, a further internet search didn't shed any more light, and nothing was mentioned in any of the books I consulted. Certainly the local newspapers had nothing to support this theory. One intriguing item the Internet search did reveal however was that another a young man is listed as being killed in action that day, with the ship's name also given as HMS Q.36. Clearly, something must have happened on this day; the CWGC surely wouldn't make two errors?

Needing to conclude the narrative I decided - for the time being - to leave the subject of Q.36 for another day. However, at the last minute, some further information was forthcoming. Having posted several questions on this subject on internet forums and not received any replies, I imagined nothing would be forthcoming. However, after spotting a discussion thread on Q-Ships, I tried hanging a question about Q-36 on the bottom. To my surprise, and pleasure, I got back a response that threw new light on the situation.

It was claimed that Q.36, whilst masquerading as SS Puma, was torpedoed on the 30th of March 1917 by an unknown submarine, thirty miles South-west of Lizard Point in Cornwall. She was then engaged by the U-Boat with its deck gun, receiving some ten hits during the attack. She wasn't sunk however, being rescued by HMS "Rovenska", who escorted her back to port. It was reported that one crew member was killed, and eight were drowned in the incident. if the details are correct, would explain how a member of the crew of Q.36 could have lost their life without the ship actually being sunk. One of the eight men drowned must have been George Cawley.

What remains unclear is how it happened? Did George Cawley loose his life during the battle? Or did he get into a decoy lifeboat, and then get separated during the action? The answer will have to wait. The contact in the Internet forum said that had come across details of the incident whilst looking at a file at the National Record Office . So it may take a visit to Kew to fully understand what happened on that day. Something to plan for a future day … unless someone else is going?

Assuming the report on the battle is correct, one further mystery remains for me. How did he die? If indeed he had become separated from Q.36 during this action, at least he was in a lifeboat. Dr Symons found no pre-death injuries on the body, so he does not appear to have been hurt in the battle. He was washed ashore in Jersey on the 11th of April; a full twelve days after the CWGC gives his date of death. At the inquest Dr Symons initially concluded that he had been dead for between two days and week, but that he had been in boat for some time before that. At the second inquest however, he stated that because a small amount of water had been found in the stomach, that death had been by drowning. This doesn't seem to add-up to me. Although I cannot claim any medical knowledge, how did a man in boat drown? For me, every indication is that George Cawley died in the boat between the 30th of March and the 11th of April. The fact that he had life preservers on; the fact that Doctor originally concluded that he had been in the boat prior to his death; the boy's right arm gripping a chain; the reaction of the public of Jersey.