HMS Hogue, Aboukir and Cressy

[Titanicfan]

Is there anyone researching their family history who has an ancestor that served on HMS Aboukir, Cressy or Hogue during WWI?

My great grandfather served on HMS Hogue when all three ships were torpedoed by the U9 German submarine on 22nd September 1914. Luckily, my great grandfather survived the sinking and was rescued.

[watchman]

My Grandfather was a plumber aboard HMS Aboukir and I have found his name on the Navy Memorial which looks down on Chatham. I also found the Admiralty reports on the incident which firmly blames the captains for stopping their engines to pick up survivors; thereby allowing das boot pick them off at leisure!!

Pete

[sandiep]

My grandfather was a stoker on board the Cressy early part of 1914 but had transferred to the Juno just before that sinking...........he was lucky he survived the war......just as well for me as my mum wasnt born till 1923!!

sandie

[kentish kate]

Hiya, my grandads brother was on the Cressy. His name was Charles Albert Flaxman( stoker 1st class). Unfortunately he didn't survive. I have copies of photos of the Cressey,and the u-boat that sunk her and u-boat crew. There is also a site that has the entire incident,how it came about, and the inquiry that came afterwards. I'm not sure if I am allowed to post the photos or mention the site on the forum, perhaps one of the mods can let me know.

[Titanicfan]

Hi all, it's really interesting to read about your ancestors' info. Could someone please PM me with the website details regarding the inquiry, etc. My great grandfather rescued the HMS Hogue's flag before he was rescued and my family told me that the flag is in a museum.

[Geoffers]

There is also a site that has the entire incident,how it came about, and the inquiry that came afterwards. I'm not sure if I am allowed to post the photos or mention the site on the forum, perhaps one of the mods can let me know.

Links to non-commercial sites that benefit all researchers are permitted.

Commercial sites in competition with the forum's sponsor The Parish Chest are not permitted.

[Ronald Knight]

My grandfather JOSEPH KNIGHT was a pensioner CPO Stoker o/b Hogue, and went down with the ship. Luckily I have photos, and subsequent death documentation, medals and bronze plaque. He died on his birthday, only a few weeks away from final retirement from the naval reserve.

[Titanicfan]

I'm very sorry to hear about your grandfather, Ronald.

[Lesley Robertson]

Is there anyone researching their family history who has an ancestor that served on HMS Aboukir, Cressy or Hogue during WWI?

My great grandfather served on HMS Hogue when all three ships were torpedoed by the U9 German submarine on 22nd September 1914. Luckily, my great grandfather survived the sinking and was rescued.

I've spent time this autumn photographing war graves for the CWGC-associated War Graves Photographic Project. Virtually every cemetary I've visited along the Dutch coast includes men from these 3 ships, many of them unidentified. I've seen so many of them that it hadn't occurred to me (until I saw your message) that people had survived!

Lesley

[Ronald Knight]

Presumably we all know about the book [I]Three before breakfast[I] by Alan Coles in 1979. There was also The Times HISTORY OF WAR part 14, Vol. 2. November 1924; The Illustrated War News September 30th 1914 and October 21st 1914.
Apparently the three wrecks have been discovered and considered war graves in their own right, some 22 miles out from Scheveningen, and having been dived by British and Dutch divers - see <www.divernet.com/wrecks/0702qanda.htm> & <www.divernet.com/wrecks/0804qanda.shtml>
Visits are organised to land-based war graves, but has one ever been made to this sea-based site? How about the 95th anniversary in 2009? - I may not be here in 2014!
Ronald