There is no direct evidence that the details here refer to the same John Cawthorne Cree who went to Westoe Secondary School, but the relatively unusual name suggests that it is likely.

John Cawthorne Cree was born in early 1898, son of Tyne Pilot, John Thomas Cree, and his wife, Elizabeth.

After he left school, John followed in his father's footsteps, and became a Pilot apprentice.

On the night of 31-Dec-1916 he was Pilot Assistant on board the pilot cutter "Protector", which went out on a routine trip to escort a vessel into harbour, excpecting to return in time to see in the New Year.

Protector was waiting at rest, about a mile north-east of the entrance to the Tyne, when she was struck by a newly-laid German mine and sank with the loss of all 19 men on board.

John's body was never recovered, and he is commemorated on the Merchant Navy Memorial in Tower Hill, near the Tower of London.