Frank Harold Sweet was born in Plymouth, Devon, England, on the 8th January 1893, the son of David and Elizabeth Ann Sweet (née Northmore). His father was a carpenter, and Frank was one of seven children in the family. At around the time that Frank was born, the family resided at 17. Oxford Avenue, but later moved to 23. Ivydale Road, and then 31. Penrose Street, Plymouth.
After leaving school, Frank worked as a clerk for a timber merchant, as did his older brother, Percy. Then, in April 1912, he boarded the Sicilian at Plymouth, with his 16-year-old brother, William, and they travelled to Canada in search of a new and better life. On arriving in Montreal, Quebec, they travelled on to Toronto, Ontario, where
Frank found work as a clerk.
In the spring of 1915, he decided to return to his home in Plymouth for a two month holiday and consequently, he booked as a second cabin passenger on the May sailing of the Lusitania from New York to Liverpool. Having left Ontario sometime in April, he arrived at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 on the west side of New York, on the morning of 1st May 1915, in time for the liner’s scheduled 10. o’clock departure. Once on board, he then had to wait until 12.27 p.m. before the liner actually sailed, because she had to wait to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner the S.S. Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned for war service as a troop ship at the end of April.
Then, six days out of New York on the afternoon of 7th May, and within sight of the coast of southern Ireland, the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20. At that time, she was only about 250 miles away from her Liverpool destination.
Fortunately, Frank Sweet managed to survive this action and having been rescued from the sea and landed at Queenstown, he eventually made it to his home in Plymouth.
Shortly after he had returned to his home, he was interviewed by a correspondent from a local newspaper, the Western Morning News, who published his account in their edition of the 11th May: -
… “Where were you when the torpedo struck the Lusitania?”
“I had been having lunch, and had gone on deck when I heard a long dull thud which I had no doubt indicated and attack on the ship. I was on the port side, the opposite side to that on which the attack was made. One of the crew was near me at the time and he exclaimed: “We’ve been hit.” He rushed off at once to one of the boats, and on looking along the deck from my position aft I could see the effect of the explosion of the torpedo amidships. Wreckage was flying in all directions, and a great quantity of water shot up high into the air. Following the first impulse I ran to a place of shelter, but owing to the falling woodwork at that spot I left it again. By this time everyone on board knew what had happened, and the scene was one of the greatest excitement. Although everyone was staggered by the occurrence the passengers did not lose their heads and there was nothing that could be properly described as panic.
“No time was lost in endeavouring to launch the boats, but this was most difficult owing to the serious list the ship took within so short a time. I and others tried to get one of the boats down, but finding it impossible I procured several lifebelts – eight or nine in all. Some of them I handed to women passengers, and when all the women near me were supplied I gave two of them to men. A passenger helped me to put on the remaining one. In the work of rescue, women and children were attended to first. The sea was now dotted with struggling passengers, and they were clinging to anything that would float. All kinds of things had been thrown into the water to assist them to keep above the surface until they could be picked up. Quite a number of passengers who jumped overboard lost their lives.
RESCUED ON A RAFT.
“At last the vessel, the bow of which for several minutes had been gradually going under, took its final plunge. After dropping into the water I was submerged for a short time. On coming up again I could see a lot of wreckage close to me. Being able to swim I made for a raft, and with the help of a steward I was able to get on it. I had then been in the water about twenty minutes. Passengers, some injured, others dying, were to be seen all around, and near me a man and a young child were picked up dead. Altogether the raft saved 15 of us, and frantic signals were made for help by some of the women. We were on the raft two or three hours before being picked up by H.M.S. Julia, the officers and men on board doing their utmost for us. We were afterwards taken into Queenstown, where the inhabitants also showed us every kindness.
HEROIC PASSENGERS.
Mr. Sweet added that as far as his observation went there was an ample supply of lifebelts. He believed there were lifebelts in every cabin. He witnessed several heroic acts on the part of passengers. One young gentleman who had clambered on to a raft dived into the water again three times to save a lady passenger.
“Had any special instructions been given to passengers as to what they should do in the event of a submarine attack?”
“No,” was the reply, “But everyone on board showed surprising coolness and resource. The crew also behaved splendidly and every man did his part.”
On the 24th July 1915, Frank Sweet boarded the St. Louis at Liverpool and returned to Toronto, via New York. Later, in October, he received a letter from Mrs. Prichard, whose son Richard Preston Prichard had been another second cabin passenger on the voyage, and of whom no trace had been found. Mrs. Prichard wrote to as many of the survivors as she could obtain addresses for, seeking information about her son. On the 10th October 1915, he replied: -
940. Dufferin St.,
Toronto
Ontario
Oct . 10 . 15
Dear Madam,
I duly received your letter asking for information concerning your son who was lost on the “Lusitania” and very deeply regret to say that I cannot even remember seeing your son during any part of the voyage. There were over six hundred passengers in the second cabin, and you will realize that it would be difficult to get acquainted with them all. During the voyage I made friends with several young men, but regret that your son was not one of them.
Since receiving your letter (which was forwarded on to me from Plymouth by my mother) I have been in communication with an intimate friend, who travelled with me on the “Lusitania” & who fortunately was saved, but he too regrets not remembering having seen your son.
My friend, who, since returning has enlisted & is in camp at Niagara, returned to Toronto a few days ago on leave & we then talked the matter over but could not trace your son at all.
Concerning the boatloads which were transferred to the smack, I regret again that I have no information. I was saved by putting on a lifebelt & jumping over the side immediately before the “Lusitania” took her final plunge.
I do not remember seeing any lifebelts with tubes such as you describe, the cabins, as far as I know being equipped with the “Boddy” jacket, the jacket consisting of stuffed cushions, - I enclose a brochure descriptive of this lifesaver.
It is with deep regret that I can offer you no further information concerning your son, and my friend & I both join in expressing to you our very deepest sympathy at your very great loss & trust, ere long, you will receive some information which will be a source of comfort to you.
Believe me, Madam
Yours very Sincerely
Frank H. Sweet
On the 17th January 1916, Frank Sweet enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. As 669140 Private F. H. Sweet, he was posted to the 166th battalion. He was promoted to corporal a month later, and acting sergeant in April. Then, he was listed as a deserter in May, until he was apprehended in October and returned to his unit, and a week after re-joining his unit, he left with them for England. In February 1917, while still in England, while he was being medically examined, the examining officer described him as having been “a deserter and malingerer”! Despite this report, he accompanied his unit to France in April 1917, where he was again promoted to the rank of corporal in September 1918, and a month later he was transferred back to England to attend Officer Training School. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in December 1918 and assigned to the 75th Bn, 1st Central Ontario Regiment. In March 1919, he returned to Canada where he was demobilised with a good conduct discharge.
On leaving the army, he found work as a salesman, and on the 27th June 1923, he married Isobel Brodie Gordon at St. Andrew’s Church, Toronto. The couple had at least two children.
Frank Sweet and his family moved to Windsor, Ontario, across the river from Detroit, Michigan, in the United States of America. The family resided at 878. Lawrence Road, Windsor, and Frank became a department manager for the J. L. Hudson Company in Detroit, necessitating him to cross from Canada to the United States of America on an almost daily basis! Hudson’s was one of the biggest department stores in the world at this time, and their store stood at twenty five stories and had over two million square feet of floor space!
On returning to Canada in 1915, Frank Sweet had filed a claim with the Canadian Commission seeking compensation for the loss of his personal effect in the sinking of the Lusitania and his case was settled in January 1926 when the Commission awarded him $700 with interest of 5% per annum from the date of the sinking.
Frank Harold Sweet died at the Metropolitan Hospital, Windsor, on the 17th January
1959, aged 66 years. He was interred in Block J, Plot 188, Space E, in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens, Windsor.
Register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, Ontario Canada Marriages 1826 – 1938, 1901 Census of England & Wales, 1911 Census of England & Wales, 1921 Census of Canada, Canadian Passenger Lists 1865 – 1935, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Detroit Michigan U.S. Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists 1905 – 1963, Cunard Records, National School Admission Registers & Log Books 1870 – 1914, Canada World War I CEF Personnel Files 1914 – 1918, U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards 1942, Canadian Claims Case No. 825, IWM GB62, Border Cities Star, Western Morning News, Windsor Star, UniLiv D92/2/425, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.