The Live Bait Squadron Bulletin Bulletin-9 March 2015 1 INTRODUCTION, BY YOUR VIRTUAL CHAIRMAN Dear members, Welcome to this belated edition of our Bulletin - the first official issue after the Specials on the September Commemoration ceremonies. You may have wondered: ‘What happened to Henk? Has he forgotten about us, after sending a Seasons Greeting?’. No, I did not, but indeed, I took a few months off, needed some time to reflect, to organise my files, to visit some neglected friends, and take some rest. And now I have resumed my activities, as your Chairman ought to do. On my shelves are the dossiers of over 60 men on the cruisers, waiting for publication in our Bulletin. In this Bulletin you will find information about the Members I welcomed in Bulletin-8. I am welcoming some 30 more in this one, and write about them in the next Bulletin-10. And of course all will be on the website. My best wishes to you all. As always looking forward to your reactions. Henk H.M. van der Linden Chairman If you wish to unsubscribe, just let me know! 2 OUR NEW SOCIETY MEMBERS This time again we’re happy to welcome a number of new Society Members, HMS Aboukir: Mr Herbert Arthur Howe. Mr James Shepard. Mr Charles A. Sheppard. Mr Ralph Dutton. Mr Thomas E. Harrison. Mr Henry Albert Brown. Mr Christopher Cooke. Mr Alfred Libbiter. Mr G. McCloud. Mr Charles Ernest Shadrake. Mr William Frederick Farmer. Mr George Henry Case. Mr Alfred Libiter. Mr Thomas Henry Mitten. Mr Arthur Godden. HMS Cressy Mr John William Bingley. Mr Oliver Fred Hinson. Mr Frederick Henry Bishop. Mr Alfred Podrick. Mr John Thomas Ellis. Mr Alfred Sydney Rogers. Mr John James Millar. Mr Roy Neale. Mr Jeremiah McCarthy. Mr Roy Gordon Neale. Mr William Epps. HMS Hogue Mr Joseph Rawlings. Mr William Munday. Mr Henry Arnold. Mr Edgar Pryke. Mr William Edward Bowes. Mr Herbert Honey. 3 Mr Robert Johnston. Mr Joseph Pink. Mr Henry Allen. and their relatives and family members. I intend to write about them in Bulletin-10, with the exception of Oliver Hinson. I have a special reason for this. His story has been the hard work of a 12 year young lady, Rhiannon Warren. She sent it 2 September last year, and waited for publication all those months. So I do not wish to disappoint her this time. In fact: I’ll start with her story. It is quite remarkable a 12 year old girl achieved this. MEMORIALS AND MONUMENTS As this Bulletin has nearly 50 pages, no monuments this time. FROM HENK’s TREASURE CHEST For the same reason: my Treasure Chest keeps shut this time. 4 ABOUT THE MEN About Oliver Fred Hinson (HMS Cressy) This I received from Rhiannon Warren, from Cambridge. "I am 12 and a student at Chesterton Community College in Cambridge. A group of students were asked to take part in an event to be held at the city's Ascension Parish Burial Ground on 14 September by writing about someone commemorated in the cemetery who died in World War I. I chose Oliver Hinson, and my research led me to find out about his life and service through census records, local newspaper reports, and college archives." There is some interesting information about the Ascension Parish Burial Ground here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_Parish_Burial_Ground And the programme of events for 14 September can be found here: http://www.churchatcastle.org/sites/default/files/WW1dayprogramme.pdf This what she wrote about Oliver Hinson. She should be proud of this! (and her parents too, no doubt). Oliver was born to Susanna and Frederick Hinson on 30th January 1878, in Chesterton.1 In the 1891 census, he was 13, and was listed working as an errand boy.2 By the 1901 census, he 1 Information from Ancestry.co.uk 2 Information from Ancestry.co.uk 5 was an Able Seaman on HMS Boxer, off the coast of Malta.3 In 1909, he was back on land, and was working as an underporter at King’s College.4 The College Committee minutes noted his appointment and the agreement of his pay of 18s 6d per week. His work was clearly appreciated, as the minutes for 1910 record a pay rise to 20s a week.5 In 1913, he got married to Elizabeth Warr and they lived at 7 Alpha Road.6 In 1914, Oliver Hinson, as a Naval Reservist, rejoined His Majesty’s Navy, and served on HMS Cressy (Navy number 180910).7 On 22nd September 1914, the Cressy was sunk in the worst naval disaster up to that point in the war.8 The Cressy was part of a fleet of three ships, the others being HMS Aboukir, and HMS Hogue. All three were sunk about 20 miles North West of the Hook of Holland. In the early hours of the morning, all three were attacked by a German submarine (U-9). According to the Cambridge Daily News’ report on 23rd September 1914: “The approach of the enemy was apparently unnoticed, for when the Aboukir was struck, it was thought she had collided with a floating mine. The Hogue rushed to the assistance of the Aboukir, and quickly lowered boats, which picked up a large number of survivors. The Cressy then steamed up, and also lowered boats. Two torpedoes then struck the Hogue, and it was recognised the damage was due to submarines. Several were sighted and fired at, and it is believed that two were struck. The Cressy was sunk while picking up survivors from the Hogue and the Aboukir.” At the time is was believed there must have been more than one submarine involved in the attack because no one thought just a single boat could be responsible for such a disaster.9 700 men were saved out of a total of 2100 from the three different ships.10 Sadly, Oliver was listed amongst those lost at sea, although both papers list him as Olaf Hinson of 57 Garden Walk, an 3 Information from Ancestry.co.uk 4 The Cambridge Weekly News and Express stated that he was a Front Gate Porter at King’s (23rd September 1914, page 3); King’s College Committee minutes 1909 confirm his appointment. Thank you to the people who helped me at King’s College Archive. 5 King’s College Committee Minutes 1910. 6 Information from Ancestry.co.uk 7 Information from Ancestry.co.uk 8 There are many accounts of this event. I have taken mine from information provided by two Cambridge newspapers at the time: The Cambridge Daily News of 23rd September 1914, and the Cambridge Weekly News and Express from Friday 25th September 1914. Thanks to the Cambridgeshire Collection librarian at Cambridge Central Library for help with using the microfilm. 9 My thanks to Henk van der Linden of http://www.livebaitsqn-soc.info for pointing this out. 10 Cambridge Weekly News and Express, 25th September 1914, page 3. 6 address at which his wife was living at the time.11 He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, United Kingdom, Panel 2.12 The Governing Body at King’s paid tribute to Oliver, saying, in a report in 1914: “It should be added that a number of college servants have joined or rejoined His Majesty’s forces. Of these, O.F. Hinson, underporter, was lost on HMS Cressy. His loss is a serious one to the college which he had served zealously and well for over five years.” 11 Information from Ancestry.co.uk 12 http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Cambridgeshire/CambridgeGuildhall-WW1-H.html 7 About Arthur Edmond Harwood (HMS Aboukir) Mr David Budgen sent me this: ‘I have limited information on my Great Grandfather but will share what I know. He was born around 1866 or 7 and had 9 children in total, the last was my grandfather born two months after the sinking of HMS Aboukir and so he never knew his father. According to notes in a diary I have, I have managed to establish that Arthur served on HMS Canada from April 1887 travelling around South America and the West Indies serving as a Stoker where he trained to be a signalman. He left HMS Canada in October 1889 and had a few months leave before joining HMS Duke of Wellington as signalman. In May 1890 he joined HMS Howe sailing around the UK & Ireland mainly. After HMS Howe I do not know much about his life until he took up his post as 2nd Yeoman of the signals on HMS Aboukir.’ Arthur was 47 years of age, husband of Ethel Harwood, and lived 99, Nelson Road, Wimbledon. Registered 130190. 8 About Charles Ambrose Lamkin (HMS Aboukir) Charles was Stoker 1st Class, SS/103257 (RFR/CH/B/7786), Age 27. Husband of May E.M. Vanschagen (formerly Lamkin), of 100, Upper Cobden St. Luton. He was native of Blue Town, Milstead, Sittingbourne. His great granddaughter Rosemary Martin writes: "Charles Ambrose Lamkin was born on the 1st October 1885, Sittingbourne Kent, one of 7 children born to Edwin and Julia Lamkin and was married to May (formerly Packham). Charles served on numerous ships before being drafted to HMS Aboukir in the rank of Stoker 1st Class (service no: SS/103257) but was killed in action on 22nd September 1914 when his ship was attacked and sunk by German U-boat U9. Charles' name is inscribed on the Milstead War Memorial and the Chatham Naval Memorial." About Woodman George Triggs (HMS Aboukir) Woodman was presented by his great grandson James Triggs.