THANKS to the hard work of the team at the Golden Lion in Port Isaac, the memory of the SS Milly and her crew will live on in the hearts and minds of locals after the placing of a special commemorative plaque by the pub to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the British steam ship by German U Boat action during WW1.

The special service, organised by Golden Lion landlords Marc and Beth Kendall on September 6, was led by the Rev Dr Elizabeth Wild, vicar at St Endellion church.

In attendance was retired marine Commodore Jamie Miller representing the armed forces, alongside members of the local RNLI and a large contingent of locals.

However, there is an extra special reason why the Milly won’t be forgotten, especially at the Golden Lion, as four days after the service, Beth and Marc became the proud parents of little Amelia Rose — Milly for short.

Proudly presenting little Milly to the world for the first time, Beth said: “We’ve always said that the Milly is a part of the fabric of Port Isaac and especially the pub, which is a huge part of our lives. I was carrying little Amelia Rose all the way through the preparations for the centenary, so when she finally arrived two days later, we took one look at her and knew that the name would just suit her perfectly.”

SS Milly, a 3,000-ton British steamer, was built in 1904 by Sunderland ship builders William Gray & Co and requisitioned for war transport work in 1914.

On September 6 1918, on a voyage from Brest to Barry, the armed merchant ship was torpedoed and sunk by German U-Boat Karl Petri (UB-87) south west of Tintagel Head, with the loss of two young mariners’ lives.

Both 18-year-old Mess Room Steward Robert Hocking from Mutley in Plymouth and 17-year-old Deck Boy William Sydney Eaton from Cardiff are named as lost at sea on the Tower Hill War Memorial site in London but as Marc added: “We wanted a local memorial for the two boys and for the entire crew here in Port Isaac and I guess working on the project it became more than that, it became a part of our lives. So, when Amelia came along so close after the service, the name just felt right.”

The commemorative plaque to the SS Milly can be seen outside the St Austell Brewery owned Golden Lion in Port Isaac, alongside the stern gun rescued from the wreck by divers.

More artefacts from the ship are on display inside the pub though as Beth and Marc confirm, little Amelia Rose herself won’t be making appearances in the pub for at least a little while.