Let's consider whether the castaway might have been one of the men presumed to have been drowned or taken by sharks in the Norwich City disaster. After all, they represent a known population of men who went missing in the immediate vicinity of the island. At first glance they would seem to be the most likely source for the castaway whose remains were discovered roughly ten and a half years later. Let's take more than a first glance.
Thirty-five men went into the water. Twenty-four are known to have made it to the beach alive. We have detailed information of some of the other eleven from the accounts of survivors and from the "Central Index Register of Seaman, 1918-1941" at the Public Records Office in Kew, England:
John Thomas Jones, age 30, height 5 ft 5.25 in., birthplace Loogan, Wales. Jones was the ship's steward.
Hamer, "
The steward, poor chap, was the most unfortunate of all. He had practically reached safety when he collapsed and was drowned before anyone could give him assistance. He was brought up on the beach, artificial respiration was tried for about an hour without avail, and we were all reluctant to give up. He was a very popular fellow and everyone expressed their sympathy for his relatives in their sad bereavement. Later we all paid him our last respects, gave him a Christian burial and placed a cross of coral at his head."
Lott, "
The steward's body was washed up about half an hour after we landed. We tried artificial respiration for about an hour but without result."
Arab, age unknown, height unknown, birthplace probably Yemen.
Hamer: "
When the lifeboat with all hands was leaving the ship it was drawn up into the tremendous surf and capsized throwing most of the crew into the sea, eleven of them losing their lives. Four were imprisoned under the boat, one of them was found drowned when the bottom was cut out of the boat. The other three had managed to keep their heads above until help came."
Lott: "
The next body was an Arab who was under the upturned boat and we got him out in the evening."
[Think about that for a second. Four guys get trapped under the lifeboat when it capsizes before dawn. Three of the four manage to stay alive until the boat washes ashore and then spend the entire day stuck under the boat with the dead Arab until their shipmates discover the upturned boat. Apparently the boat was too heavy to turn over so they had to cut out the bottom.]
John James Leslie, age 56, height unknown, birthplace unknown. Leslie was the ship's carpenter.
Lott: "
Later on during our stay on the Island the Carpenter's body was found, by the Capt. and 3rd Mate. These bodies were buried on the island. No further bodies were washed up till the time of our leaving."
So three of the eleven were buried on the island. There is no mention of exactly where they were buried.
Of the eight men who are unaccounted-for, three were European:
James William Horne, age 31, height unknown, birthplace unknown. Horne was the ship's Third Engineer.
Thomas Edward Scott, age 27, height 5 ft 9 in., birthplace West Hartlepool, England. Scott was the ship's Fourth Engineer.
Francis Sumner, age 18, height 5 ft 3 in., birthplace Hull, England. Sumner was an Ordinary Seaman.
Six of the ship's ten Arab crewmen were lost. All were "firemen" (engine room workers).
Redman Yousef, age 23, height unknown, birthplace Aden, Yemen
Saleh Ragee, age 22, height 5 ft. 6 in., birthplace Aden, Yemen
Said Metanna, age 29, height 5 ft. 4 in., birthplace Aden, Yemen
Ayed Naif, age 30, height unknown, birthplace unknown
Ahmed Hassan, age 27, height unknown, birthplace unknown
Ali Hassan, age 31, height unknown, birthplace unknown
One of the above was buried but there is no record of which one.
Next we'll consider how the above data compare with what we know about the castaway.