Death of a Drifter Skipper in RNR: the RIVETT Brothers.

[djanej]

I would be grateful for some assistance please with an acronym and some general WW1 Naval tactics.

Several of my Mum's family, from Great Yarmouth, Gorleston and other smaller Norfolk and Suffolk ports close by, served in WW1, mostly in the RNR. Three brothers/half brothers, all the sons of a Fisherman, served on Drifters, and were lost between 1916 and 1918.

One, Charles Henry RIVETT, was the Skipper of a Drifter, and the CWGC Register states that he was killed in action in the Straites of Dover on 15 Feb 1918 'with T.B.Ds'. His body was recovered and he is buried in Gorleston Cemetery.

I would be grateful to know what a T.B.D is/was. And I would be grateful to know what function Drifters served. They seem to have gone reasonably far afield, as Charles' half brother Algar James was killed and lost in a Drifter off the Belgian coast in April 1916. Another half brother, Reginald Richard, also served in a Drifter, and died in October 1918. He is also buried in Gorleston.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide,

Jane

[Falloden]

The fast warship known as a Destroyer was originally called a Torpedo Boat Destroyer or TBD. A British Drifter working in the Dover Straits in early 1918 was probably involved in maintaining the anti-submarine nets laid across the straits to block German submarines from gaining easy access to the English Channel and causing havoc with allied shipping there.

[helpjpl]

The attached may be of interest:

The Dover Patrol, 1915-1917

Chapter XV The Drifters And Their Tasks - page 415

The Loss of the Clover Bank - page 429

JP

[kenmorrison]

Jane

There has been some discussion about Algar Rivett here

 

which might help?

Ken

[Falloden]

From "British Vessels Lost at Sea 1914-1918" published by HMSO there appears to have been a serious incident on 15.02.1918 as seven hired drifters were listed as "lost in action off Dover" on that day.

The drifters were named as follows:

Christina Craig

Clover Bank

Cosmos

Jeannie Murray

Silver Queen

Veracity

W.Elliott

[Falloden]

Charles Rivett was skipper of the Jeannie Murray which was lost in "The Massacre of the Drifters" when German Torpedo Boat Destroyers attacked them off Dover. The drifters would have been sitting ducks.

The casualty list for the crews of the drifters was huge. Jeannie Murray lost the following crewmen:

Jeannie Murray, hired net drifter, sunk,

BUTTON, Walter S, Engineman, RNR, DA 3458

CARSS, John W, Deck Hand, RNR, SD 2558

CLARKSON, Thomas A, Telegraphist, RNVR, Tyneside Z 10264

COWIE, John A, 2nd Hand, RNR, SA 1640

EASTON, Ernest, Deck Boy, SBD 1034

FRASER, Norman, Ty/Lieutenant, RNR

HENNISON, Bertie E, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 6164

NEWRICK, William H C, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 16437

RICHARDSON, Clarence, Ordinary Telegraphist, RNVR, Mersey Z 3821

RIVETT, Charles H, Ty/Skipper, RNR

ROSSER, Christopher, Trimmer, RNR, TS 7487

SEED, Frederick, Telegraphist, RNVR, Tyneside Z 10273

STOCK, Charles, Ordinary Seaman, J 75524 (Dev)

TERRIS, James, Engineman, RNR, TS 2010

WHALEY, Amos R, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 18415

http://sussexhistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=5204.0;wap2

 

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/166358-drifter/

[midshipmanrayley]

Hi Jane,

Happy New Year!

Are you familiar with the online Great Yarmouth Roll of Honour?

It list the various "Rivett" casualties, army and Navy.

John

[djanej]

Thank you very much everyone, there is some really useful information here, and some fantastic pointers to where I can take my research. I am very grateful. Happy New Year to you all.

I have found out some more information about the family since posting my original query, and it is very humbling, but also probably typical. It is worth mentioning too, that the father, Robert RIVETT, was a fisherman, and had drowned when his boat was lost in an infamous gale in December 1894.

It seems that the action in which Charles Henry was lost in February 1918, was the last attack by German Destroyers on the Dover Barrage. He was the Skipper of a net Drifter the "Jeannie Murray", sunk by enemy fire. A number of ships, mostly net Drifters, were sunk that night, with a very substantial loss of life. From the casualty list, Yarmouth was badly hit, as many of the crew members came from there.

There were 5 sons from Robert's second marriage, to my relative. All 5 joined the Naval Reserve and served on net Drifters. The youngest, Algar, was only 19. Two were invalided out during the War, and of these, one died of TB just before the Armistice. Algar was lent out to the "Clover Bank 1" in 1916; it was working in the Mine and Net Barrage off the Belgian coast. It hit a mine, and was lost with all hands. Algar is commemorated on Panel 19 of the Chatham Naval Memorial. Algar incidentally, was a family name in his mother's family, but in the Navy, he used the name Albert. He is commemorated as Algar James however.

All 5 boys, and their half brother Charles Henry, received the 1914-1915 Star, as well as the War and Victory Medals. Their mother, Sarah Elizabeth, having lost her husband to the sea, was also in danger of losing all her sons to the War.

Best wishes to you all,

Jane

[Falloden]

Thanks for that update Jane, a very interesting family.

[horatio2]

Jane

You may not be aware that the JEANNIE MURRAY was leader of one of the drifter divisions, Hence the presence in the casualty list of Lieutenant FRASER RNR, commanding the division, and three RNVR telegraphists to handle his communications. Her crew of fifteen compares with the nine or ten in a 'normal' net drifter at Dover.

[Joe R]

In addition to the drifters named in post #5, The RN Trawler James Pond was sunk with 3 Kias.

Also the drifters Golden Gain 1 Killed, Golden Rule 3 Killed, Violet May 8 Killed and the paddle

mine sweeper Newbury 12 Killed were damaged.

The Second Flottila was the attacking formation and was comprised of the 3rd half flotilla G101,

G102 and 103 led by Kapitanleutnant Kolbe and the 4th half flotilla B97, B109, B110 and V100

Kapitanleutnant Heinecke

Respectfully,

Joe R

[djanej]

Thank you to the new posters.

Incidentally, Horatio2, with reference to #10, it is also interesting to note from the casualty report (as at #6), that Charles Henry was actually only Temporary Skipper of the "Jeannie Murray".

Also, for anyone coming new to this topic, I would heartily recommend #3's suggested book, The Dover Patrol, 1915-1917. It contains all the information you could possibly need as to the how, where and when of the utterly perilous use of these Drifters. The men and boys who served in them were doing a hugely important job for both the War and Home Fronts, but were just sitting ducks for any German Naval ship or U Boat that wanted to take a pop at them.

Best wishes to all

Jane

[horatio2]

Jane,

CH RIVETT was not the "temporary skipper" of JEANNIE MURRAY. Rather his rank was Temporary Skipper RNR. Temporary officers/warrant officers were those commissioned or issued with a warrant for war service only.

[djanej]

Thank you. Reading one of the other docs I found, it suggested he was only in temporary charge, but this makes more sense. I understand that he was a very experienced fishing captain. Though the Yarmouth fishermen tended only to fish in relatively small boats, they did so, out on the Dogger Bank for example, in all seasons and in appalling conditions - as his late father did in 1894 - so they were very experienced & knowledgable about the seas around Britain.

J

[FredJCarss]

If you wish I can send you a picture of the Jeannie Murray. She was from Buckie. 

Being a Carss I have long had an interest in the JM. I have seen Bertie Hennison's Death Plaque.

[djanej]

Hi Fred,

 

I apologise, I have only just seen your posting. Thank you, I'd love a picture.

 

Regards,

 

Jane

[FredJCarss]

Picture sent !

 

Fred

[djanej]

A wonderful picture from Fred. These were really quite small boats, and it must have been terrifying to find oneself pitted against a warship, even something fairly small.

 

Regards,

 

Jane

[Hyacinth1326]

They were brave men and no mistake.

[Guest]

I am a great grandson of JW Carss who was lost on the Jeannie Murray may I ask Fred Carss for a picture of the Jeannie Murray if still available kevinsmith@uwclub.net 

Thanks Kevin Smith 

[FredJCarss]

I will get one for you.