Pupils of Gordon's

Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1677 Samuel Olson Wilson was the son of Samuel Olson (a Dockyard Worker who was born in Norway) and Mary Ann (nee Munday). His birth was registered in Mile End, Middlesex in the 2nd quarter of 1888 but Gordon’s has his birth as the 9th February 1889 and his naval record as the 11th February 1890. In 1891 the family were living in Tower Hamlets, Middlesex and he is the youngest of five children. His place of birth is given as Mile End Old Town and his age as 3yrs. He has not positively been identified on the 1901 census but a Samuel Wilson aged 13 was at St. George in the East (a boarding) School. Only the pupils 1st and surnames were recorded and no addresses or parents given. His father, a widower, together with his brother Olaf and sister Ethel were living in West End, Chobham. His Royal Naval Service history has been retrieved from the National Archives. He enlisted on a Short Service (5yrs+) engagement on the 22nd June 1908 at Chatham as an Ordinary seaman with the number SS/2446. He was 5ft 3in (1.6m) tall with a 24in (0.6m Chest) and had dark brown hair and eyes and a fresh complexion. From engagement to the 3rd August he was at the Chatham shore barracks - “HMS Pembroke”, and then joined “HMS Cockrane” a Warrior Class Cruiser until 31st March 1909. Another 21 days were spent at “HMS Pembroke” and he then joined the armoured cruiser “HMS Cressy” on which he was promoted to Able Seaman and where he remained until the 9th May 1910. After another 20 days at “Pembroke” he joined “HMS Lancaster” on the 31st May leaving on the 20th July 1912. He is on the 1911 census as an Able Seaman aboard “HMS Lancaster” stationed at Malta. He spent another month or so at “Pembroke” and joined the cruiser “HMS Andromarche”, which had been converted into a Minelayer, until leaving on the 30th May 1913. On the 21st June 1913, after 5years service, he left the Navy and transferred to Royal Fleet Reserve at Chatham with the number B/9798. Soon after war was declared he was recalled and on the 24th August 1914 joined “HMS” Hogue” (the sister ship of “Cressy”). These two ships, old Class 1 armoured Cruisers along with “Aboukir” their other sister ship, had the task of keeping waters south of Dogger Bank clear of German torpedo craft and minelayers and also to protect troop movements across the English Channel. Due to their age and slowness they were known in some quarters as the “Live Bait Squadron”. On the 22nd September the three ships were steaming abreast, at 10kts, two miles apart and not zigzagging, in a north easterly direction towards German bases, but due to bad weather they were without their Destroyer escorts. Each with two guns loaded and crews closed up and on the lookout for submarines. At 0630 “Aboukir” was torpedoed and “Hogue” started rescue operations but was then torpedoed herself, followed by “Cressy”, all sunk by the Submarine U.9 (Lt-Cdr Otto Weddigen). 1,460 men were lost including many old reservists and young midshipmen, more than the British losses at the Battle of Trafalgar. Sixty officers and 777 men were saved in total by Dutch steamships Flora (170), Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1677 Titan (147), Lowestoft sailing trawlers Coriander and J.G.C. (280) and ships of Harwich Force which arrived at 1045. “Abourkir” losses were - 25 officers, 502 ratings and 1 canteen staff. “Hogue” - Capt Wilmot Nicholson ordered “Cressy” to look out for submarines, stopped and sent off boats to rescue “Aboukir” survivors. Almost immediately she was hit portside by two torpedoes and started to sink by the stern, her quarterdeck was awash in 5minutes, the submarine broached to and fired on “Hogue” who rolled over on her side within 10min. Abandon ship ordered and she sank, her boats now heading for Cressy with “Aboukir's” survivors. Lives lost:- 11 officers, 1 more DOW, and 361 ratings, and 1 canteen staff “Cressy” - .Capt Robert Johnson. Although now aware that one or more submarines were in the area Cressy stopped to rescue the men from “Aboukir” and “Hogue". With her boats now returning to her she sent off warning signals to Admiralty at 0717. A periscope was sighted and full speed ahead was ordered but one torpedo hit her abreast of the after funnel and a second just before the after bridge. She also turned over on her beam ends, lay awash for 15min and went down. Lives lost:- 25 officers including CO, 535 ratings and 3 canteen staff. Samuel was lost at sea on the 22nd September 1914 and is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial. His medals, the 1914-15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals were sent to one of his brothers. Sources:- 1a., 2, 3(C)?, 6(N), 8, 11(Naval Operations Vol. I by Sir Julian S Corbett) & 12 References 1. UK, Soldiers Died in WW1 (Details, often including place of enlistment) 1a. UK, Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll 1914-1919 2. Commonwealth War Graves Commission (Cemetery or Memorial) & relatives? 3. 1901 census (Military (M) or (C)) 4. 1901 census (Gordon Boys Home - Age only) 5. 1911 census (Gordon Boys Home - Age, place of birth and Trade) 6. 1911 census (Military (M) Naval (N), or Civilian. (C)). 7. Army medal roll 8. Naval and marines medal roll 9. www.1914-1918 or Long Long Trail (Division, Regiment & Battalion dispositions) 10. Service Record (some survived WW2 blitz - various state of damage) 11. Reference literature (Specific) 12 National Archive Naval Records. The sinking of ABOUKIR, CRESSY AND HOGUE 22nd September 1914 Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1677 The Southern Force, under Admiral Christian, consisted of his flagship Euryalus and his attached light cruiser Amethyst, together with the 7th Cruiser Squadron under Admiral Campbell (Bacchante, Cressy, Aboukir, Hogue), and the Harwich Flotillas with their attached light cruiser Fearless. At 5 a.m., on the 20th, Admiral Christian was off the Maas Light Vessel with the Hogue and Aboukir, and there the Cressy joined him from the Nore. An hour later, since his flagship was due for coaling and had had her wireless disabled in the gale, he parted company, leaving the squadron in command of Captain Drummond of the Aboukir. His intention had been to transfer his flag to her and remain out himself, but so high a sea was running that no boat could be lowered. For the same reason the Fearless, which was bringing out the destroyer patrol, was obliged to take them back to Harwich. Thus all that day as well as the 21st the three cruisers were left to maintain the watch without a flotilla screen. The area they were to patrol was specially dangerous, since it lay between the German minefield and the Dutch coast, and thus left little room for variations of course. But as the cruisers had recently been supporting the Dogger Bank Patrol, Admiral Christian considered that this area was the one in which the enemy were least likely to look for them, and before parting company he gave special directions as to how the patrol was to be conducted so as to minimise the risk. In particular he recommended alterations of course to guard against submarines till the destroyers could come out again. On this score there was no special reason for anxiety. It was a generally received view that the short steep seas which a gale sets up in the locality, and which even the best destroyers could not face, rendered successful submarine operations impossible. Nor were the three isolated cruisers exposed for long, for during the night the weather began to abate, and Commodore Tyrwhitt started off for the Broad Fourteens with the Lowestoft and eight destroyers. He was well on his way when, early on the 22nd, the wireless room at the Admiralty began to make out the words, " Aboukir, Hogue, sinking," constantly repeated; and then the position " 52.18 N. 3.41 E.," that is, about thirty miles west by south from Ymuiden. Eight more destroyers were immediately ordered to join the Commodore, and Admiral Christian made for the scene of danger with the Amethyst at full speed. But before any of them could arrive all was over, and one more tragedy was added to the tale of those useless sacrifices which never cease to darken naval memory. It was part of the directions given to the captain of the Aboukir that he was to move to the south of his beat during the hours of darkness and patrol northward again at daylight. To steam towards the enemy's base in daylight without flotilla protection was to increase the risk of submarine attack. Since the sea had gone down the better course would have been to keep to the southward till the destroyers returned. But for some reason which we do not know this was not done, and to make matters worse the squadron was proceeding abreast two miles apart without zigzagging and at barely ten knots. Still, a special lookout for submarines was being maintained, and at least one gun on each side was kept loaded and its crew closed up. This, then, was the position when, just before 6.30 a.m., there was a violent explosion under the Aboukir's starboard side.

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