| William Semple was the son of John and Eliza Semple. They were married about 1857.
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| William Semple was born in Magherafelt. He was one of ten children. The 1911 census records that seven of those were still living by that time.
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| Known family: John Semple, Eliza Semple, Mary Ann Semple (born about 1863), William Semple, Rachel Semple (born about 1875).
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| The 1901 census not list William as living with the family at house 29 in Killyfaddy, Ballymoghan, County Londonderry. His father was a 75 year old farm labourer.
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| The 1911 census does not list William as living with the family at house 18 in Killyfaddy. Killyfaddy is a neighbouring townland of Dunarnon.
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| The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company initially planned for Ebro to operate on the West Indies service in the Caribbean, but due to the start of the First World War, RMS Ebro made only a single voyage on this service, in April 1915.
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| William Semple volunteered in Glasgow in March 1916 and joined the Merchant Navy.
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| Some military records have his surname as ‘Simple’. Ireland’s Memorial Record’s give him the Service No 953417.
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| The Ebro was then requisitioned, together with her sister ship RMS Essequibo and four other liners of the company, by the Royal Navy to serve as auxiliary cruisers armed with eight 6-inch guns, depth charges and mines.
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| Fireman William Semple was attached to H.M.S. Ebro, and saw service in a good part of the world.
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| HMS Ebro was integrated into the 10th Auxiliary cruiser squadron, where it served as a convoy escort throughout the war.
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| Logs from the HMS Ebro show that from 1st August 1918, the crew started to contract influenza. By 6th August they had 79 men on the ‘sick list’.
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| On 11th October the ship was near Plymouth. Seven ratings and eight marines were taken from the ship to hospital in Plymouth.
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| Fireman Semple contracted influenza and died of the ‘Spanish Flu’ in the Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth, on Monday 28th October 1918.
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| His sister, Rachael, and cousin, Annie Semple, attended the funeral, which was carried out with full naval honours.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 16th November 1918:
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| SEMPLE – 28th October, 1918 (died of influenza), at the Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth, England, Stoker William Semple, late of H.M.S. Ebro, beloved son of the late Mr and Mrs Semple, Dunarnon, Magherafelt.
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‘In the blossom of life, death claimed him,
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In the pride of his manhood days;
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None knew him but to love him,
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None mentioned his name but with praise.
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We little thought when he left home,
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That he would never return;
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That he so soon in death would sleep,
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And leave us here to mourn.’
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| Deeply regretted by his sorrowing sisters, Mary Ann and Rachel Semple.
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| From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 16th November 1918: Stoke William Semple
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| Stoker William Semple, Dunarnon, Magherafelt, who volunteered in Glasgow in March 1916, and joined the Navy. He was attached to H.M.S. Ebro, and saw service in a good part of the world. He contracted influenza and died in the Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth, on 28th October. His sister, Rachael, and cousin, Annie Semple, attended the funeral, which was carried out with full naval honours.
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| Fireman William Semple is buried in Plymouth (Ford Park) Cemetery in England.
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