Andrew Hesketh Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 I have a Driver Pendleton of the ASC (Base HT Depot, Salonika) who was drowned when his vessel was torpedoed on 3 June 1917. He was travelling home for his first ever leave. I presume the attack took place in the Mediterranean as he is commemorated on the Chatby Memorial in Egypt. Question: Could anyone suggest the name of the vessel he was travelling upon and and the U-Boat (presumably) which fired the torpedo? Thanks, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 Only two British ships were sunk in the Med on that day - 03.06.17. 'Islandmore' - an RN collier 3046 tons - sunk by gunfire from submarine 20 miles NW of Cape Falcon, Algeria - 2 killed. 'Greenbank' - merchant vessel 3881 tons - sunk by torpedo from submarine 12 miles north of Cape Falcon, Algeria - 1 killed. Looks like the second one! The same sub presumably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 No clues in Official History - Naval Operations. What a shame no such thing as Sailors Died in the Great War exists, preferably on CDrom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 A complete roll of Royal Naval casualties for WW1 and WW2 is held at the PRO. Includes all details including burial place (WW1 only) and exact cause of death (WW2 only). I have used these often & some of the causes of death are grim (suicides and nasty diseases). WW1 officers are held on index cards & ratings in huge volumes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt York Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 The Mitchell Library in Glasgow has three Great War Royal Navy casualty books for Portsmouth, Plymouth and Chatham, which lists the rating and marines KIA/DOW etc. These books were printed in the 1920's. Ronnie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 I'm pretty sure your man was drowned on the Cameronian which sunk on the 2nd June 1917. CWGC shows Pendleton as having died on the 2nd June 1917 and the casualties were commemorated on the Chatby Memorial. The Cameronian had an interesting background. Originally she was the Hamburg-Amerika liner "Kamerun" 5,861 tons, built in 1913 by J Frerichs & Co. In 1914-15 she was in service in West Africa and was found derelect on the Kamerun River by the British naval vessel "Cumberland" in 1915. Sent to Liverpool with a prize crew on board, a prize court gave her to the Leyland Line. The following is a description of her sinking off Alexandria in 1917 (from the Dictionary of Disasters During the Age of Steam 1824-1962 by Charles Hocking) "In the early morning of June 2nd, 1917, the Cameronian, Capt R Roberts, carrying a large number of mules, with a few soldiers to look after them, was torpedoed by a submarine when 50 miles N.W. by N. one quarter N. of Alexandria, her destination. Unfortunately a number of men were asleep in hammocks on the lower deck. The explosion flooded this deck and all the men were drowned, the ship sinking in five minutes. Those lost included Capt Roberts, two army officers and 30 other ranks, and one officer and nine men of the crew." Hope this solves the mystery Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Seymour Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 Yes, I agree with Terry , “Soldiers Died in the Great War” has a John William Pendleton, Dvr. T4/062258 A.S.C., born Derby, enlisted Mansfield, residence Alfreton, died at sea, 2.6.17. A check on the C.W.G.C. site confirms the name, rank, number and date. John William Pendleton, Driver, T4/062258 Army Service Corps who died on Saturday 2 June 1917. On the same page in the historical information the possible ship he was on - HT "Cameronian" - torpedoed and sunk north of Alexandria 2 June 1917 The Times Diary & Index of the Great War confirms the date & ship - H.M.T. Cameronian sunk by U-Boat N.W. from Alexandria, 2.6.17. Out of interest the "Soldiers Died in the Great War" CDROM lists 47 men from the A.S.C. died ‘at sea’ on that day - 1 x Officer 4 NCO's & 42 Dvr's. Alan Seymour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 The Cameronia was sunk east of Malta by the U -33, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Gustav Siess (an alternative spelling of his name in 'Mediterannean Submarines' is 'Siese') Theo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 Theo The Cameronia was a different ship which was sunk on April 15th 1917. Fortunately the loss of life was relatively small. She was carrying 2,630 officers and men from Marseilles to Egypt of which one officer and 128 men were drowned. Interestingly, the Leyland Line who became the "owners" of the Cameronian, also owned the "SS Californian" which featured in the loss of the "Titanic". Her master, Capt Lord, was, as it turned out, unjustly villified for his part in the incident. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 ....sunk by U 33: Type U 31 Shipyard Germaniawerft, Kiel (Werk 193) Ordered 29 Mar, 1912 Laid down 7 Nov, 1912 Launched 19 May, 1914 Commissioned 27 Sep, 1914 Commanders 27 Sep, 1914 - 23 Sep, 1916 Konrad Gansser 24 Sep, 1916 - 1 Apr, 1917 Gustav Sieß 2 Apr, 1917 - 30 Nov, 1918 Hellmuth von Doemming Career 16 patrols start date unknown - 1 Aug, 1915 IV Flotilla 16 Sep, 1915 - 11 Mar, 1916 Pola Flotilla 11 Mar, 1916 - 27 Nov, 1916 Constantinople Flotilla 27 Nov, 1916 - 11 Nov, 1918 Pola/Mittelmeer I Flotilla Successes 84 ships sunk for a total of 229.598 tons (warships excluded). Fate 16 Jan, 1919 - Surrendered. Broken up at Blyth in 1919-20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 11 January , 2003 Share Posted 11 January , 2003 A "Sailors Died in the Great War" type book does exist. It's in the "Cross of Sacrifice" series ,available from the N & MP.(Vol.2 for officers, Vol.4 for N.C.O.s and men).These two volumes also list casualties from the air services (incl. R.A.F.), Commonwealth as well as British. Merchant Navy casualties can be found in Vol.5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 12 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 12 January , 2003 Dear all, This forum never ceases to astound me. Within half a day I've got as much information as I could want!! Thankyou all so much, each of you have added to my knowledge immensely and many of you have obviously spent some time on my behalf looking things up and then posting your suggestions. It makes me feel quite humble. The initial date of 3 June, as opposed to 2 June, was a typo, sorry if that caused confusion (Terry Denham - sorry I sent you on a wild goose chase with that!). Thanks again, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshTricky Posted 10 April Share Posted 10 April Brilliant forum and thanks for the information - thanks for all the info. My auntie's grandfather Service Record confirms he was aboard both the Cameronia and Cameronian (he was a Horse keeper/Driver) so I can share with my auntie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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