lionboxer Posted 29 April , 2006 Share Posted 29 April , 2006 Chris, Don very kindly emailed me the complete list. Does anyone have a photo of the ship? I've "googled" to no avail. Lionboxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 29 April , 2006 Share Posted 29 April , 2006 Any Surgeons, Sick Berth Attendants etc on that list please Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 29 April , 2006 Share Posted 29 April , 2006 This was posted on the net by a Ken Wilson-Wheeler a couple of years ago. He proposes that loss was due to weather and instability due to modifications. Phil B I have long been fascinated by this ship and her loss. I have read and re-read every scrap information I can find on her. She was a pre-war merchant ship, which was requisitioned in November 1914 when she returned to her home port of Tilbury. She was then hastily converted into something she was never intended to be - a warship, which would have included mounting guns up on deck - well above her normal centre of gravity. A hotch potch crew was then cobbled together for her: Career RN officers, although her engineer officers had all been Merchant Navy, some career RN Ratings, but many of the rest of her crew were reservists including some men from Newfoundland, one or two RN pensioners, plus no less than 50 boys straight out of the training shore base at Shotley, H.M.S. Ganges. All in all, a motley bunch who would have been completely unfamiliar with the ship and how she sailed. She sailed for patrol duties in the North Atlantic a few days before Christmas 1914, but had to put into Liverpool on the way, seemingly for some problem to be sorted but I have never been able to find out what it was. She returned to Liverpool certainly once, perhaps twice before her loss in February 1915. She was in radio contact at about 6 a.m. on the morning of 3 February 1915 and reported terrible weather conditions. Nothing further was ever heard of her. Some floating wreckage was found about fortnight later in the approximate area of her last known position but it could not be identified as having come from her. The truth is that no one knows for certain what did happen to her. The mine theory was put forward as a possible cause of the loss. But, if you think about it, surely the odds must be seriously stacked against a ship encountering a drifting mine out in the Atlantic Ocean? Personally speaking, I believe that the real cause of her loss was a combination of three factors: An Atlantic gale, she had been converted into something she had never been designed to be with those guns quite possibly making her top heavy in such weather, and real mixture of a crew, who had only limited experience of the ship and how she sailed. Regards, Ken. (In West Sussex, UK) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 29 April , 2006 Share Posted 29 April , 2006 Ken is it OK if I use that photo please for a memorial website I'm preparing for my church as one of the casualties is commemorated there Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 29 April , 2006 Share Posted 29 April , 2006 Chris - the picture wasn`t from Ken`s site. It was from google images. Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionboxer Posted 29 April , 2006 Share Posted 29 April , 2006 Any Surgeons, Sick Berth Attendants etc on that list please Chris Don would you like to do the honours or should I? I don't want to steal your thunder!! Lionboxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionboxer Posted 29 April , 2006 Share Posted 29 April , 2006 PhilB Thanks for that. I think that's about as difinitive a description I'll get. I tried "googling" images for HMS Clan Macnaughton but nothing come up, and now tried SS in the search and two images came up though none like yours which is the better one. My reason for posting the topic is that my G/grandfathers step-son was lost on her. My sister has his death plaque, medals, Kings letter and photo of him who until now hadn't realised their significance as they were "put away". There was only a dim memory of someone with family connections drowning in the war. Lionboxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 3 May , 2006 Share Posted 3 May , 2006 See here for an obituary of one of the casualties Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopag Posted 3 July , 2006 Share Posted 3 July , 2006 See here for an obituary of one of the casualties Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 3 July , 2006 Share Posted 3 July , 2006 And an Ashfordian - KNIGHT E.G Boy 1st Class J/27640 (note similar number to A.W Taylor’s) Ernest George KNIGHT. H.M.S “Clan McNaughton”. Royal Navy. Died 3rd February 1915 aged only 16 years. Son of Sam Knight of 1 Lewis Cottage, Vicarage Lane, Kennington, Ashford, Kent. Formerly Vicarage Lane, Kenninton. Ernest has no known grave. His name appears on the Chatham Memorial, Chatham, Kent. Panel reference 10. The Ashford Absentee Voters List for 1918 gives – Burton Cottage, Kennington Company Sergeant Major 22188 William Frederick KNIGHT. Machine Gun Corps. The 1901 census gives – Vicarage Lane, Kennington Sam KNIGHT 36 years Foreman Timber Yard Newchurch Emily 11 years Kennington Bessie 10 years Kennington Mabel 8 years Kennington William 6 years Kennington Ernest G 2 years Kennington H.M.S Clan McNaughton a Chatham (Kent) based ship was employed on blockade duty when she disappeared. Wreckage but no survivors were found and it is presumed that she was mined. The ships captain was Cdr Robert Jefferys. A total of 261 men lost their lives, mainly sailors from the Kent area. There were no survivors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cabanks Posted 22 August , 2006 Share Posted 22 August , 2006 My Grandfather was a Royal Marine aboard the ill-fated Clan McNaughton. His name was William Banks,a private in, Royal Marine Light Infantry (Chat.18934) who died Intestate on the 3rd February 1915. I have the Certificate of the inspector of seamen's wills. His residue of wages 18 shillings and 1 pence, Compensation for loss of effects 7 pounds 10shillings and 5 pence, War gratuity 5 pounds, Naval prize fund 12 pounds 10 shillings, Final share of naval prize fund 18 pounds 15 shillings(paid 17 Nov 1922), Supplementary prize share paid 2pounds 10 shillings(paid 17 Nov 1923). I have lost touch with my grandfather's family. clark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 22 August , 2006 Share Posted 22 August , 2006 The concensus opinion seems to be that she foundered in a gale.. She was part of the 'D' Patrol west of the Hebrides (see Julian Thompson - 'The War at Sea 1914-1918'). My wife's great-uncle served in HMS ESKIMO on these patrols and she had to be taken out of service because of stability problems caused by her new armament. From his diary "We were on patrol for four days [NW of Orkney] when we encountered bad weather, and, owing to using coal in the bottom of the ship and the heavy topweight of the guns on deck, the ship took a heavy list to starboard which rendered her unsafe. We then had instructions to return to Scapa Flow and we had a list of forty degrees on our arrival there. ... she was unstable...was then considered unfit for service and we paid off [on 31 Mar 1915]." The combination of an unstable ship and foul weather could have sealed CLAN McNAUGHTON's fate. H2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 22 August , 2006 Share Posted 22 August , 2006 Previous thread here Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionboxer Posted 26 August , 2006 Share Posted 26 August , 2006 Would there have been a board of enquiry or any such thing as to the circumstances of Clan M's loss? Are there any reports or ships logs still extant anywhere? Lionboxer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve Baybut Posted 12 March , 2008 Share Posted 12 March , 2008 Hi. I´m currently researching the war dead of the village where i work. One of these was the Captain, Commander robert Jeffreys. Does anyone know anything about him? Steve Baybut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vealnet Posted 21 August , 2009 Share Posted 21 August , 2009 Okay, I'm confused... First please excuse me if I get something wrong as I am new to this, but I have just got my great-grandfather's Navy service record and he served on the Clan McNaughton from 23 Dec 1914 to 3 Feb 1915. But he certainly wasn't lost as he is then registered as being on Pembroke II from the 4 Feb 1915 and served on many other ships. He was a shipwright so I was wondering whether my great-grandfather could have been involved in fitting out the Clan McNaughton. If the Clan McNaughton left port on the 3 Feb 1915 then it is possible my grandfather was not on it as he had finished the fitting out. This of course assumes the Clan McNaughton left port on the 3 Feb 1915, is this the case as I have been unable to find any evidence of this? The only alternative is that he was a survivor, but this is contrary to eveyone saying that all hands were lost. All help to clear up this mystery is very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vealnet Posted 21 August , 2009 Share Posted 21 August , 2009 Okay, I'm confused... First please excuse me if I get something wrong as I am new to this, but I have just got my great-grandfather's Navy service record and he served on the Clan McNaughton from 23 Dec 1914 to 3 Feb 1915. But he certainly wasn't lost as he is then registered as being on Pembroke II from the 4 Feb 1915 and served on many other ships. He was a shipwright so I was wondering whether my great-grandfather could have been involved in fitting out the Clan McNaughton. If the Clan McNaughton left port on the 3 Feb 1915 then it is possible my great-grandfather was not on it as he had finished the fitting out. This of course assumes the Clan McNaughton left port on the 3 Feb 1915, is this the case as I have been unable to find any evidence of this? The only alternative is that he was a survivor, but this is contrary to eveyone saying that all hands were lost. All help to clear up this mystery is very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lonesome Cowboy Posted 25 November , 2013 Share Posted 25 November , 2013 I found this painting in a Devon pub which suggests the wreckage was found at Cape Wrath off the Scottish coast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 23 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 23 January , 2014 Dredging up this old thread. Has any more come to light about the fate of the 'Clan McNaughton'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheilmar27 Posted 11 March , 2014 Share Posted 11 March , 2014 Hi. I have had a quick look through this thread & cannot see the name of the Royal Marine Light Infantry man I am researching. He was Corporal Arthur Galtress CH/16717. He died when the ship foundered. he was from York & was 21. Regards, sheilmar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Munson Posted 11 March , 2014 Share Posted 11 March , 2014 He is listed as one of the 255 casualties on the CWGC site: Click Link Note the ship's name is given as Clan McNaughton (not Mac). Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheilmar27 Posted 12 March , 2014 Share Posted 12 March , 2014 Thanks Terry & everyone else. I have a lot of info now. Regards, sheilmar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheilmar27 Posted 18 March , 2014 Share Posted 18 March , 2014 Hi Robin. I am researching your great uncle, Arthur Galtress. I have photos of the Prayer-stool dedicated to him in St Helen's Church, York. Could we exchange notes please? Regards sheilmar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robindad Posted 19 March , 2014 Share Posted 19 March , 2014 Hi Robin. I am researching your great uncle, Arthur Galtress. I have photos of the Prayer-stool dedicated to him in St Helen's Church, York. Could we exchange notes please? Regards sheilmar Pleased to have contact .. followed up elsewhere R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robindad Posted 27 May , 2014 Share Posted 27 May , 2014 I now have the 'Attestation Pack' for my great Uncle Arthur Gltress who was lost on Clan McNaughton any thanks to the Fleet Air Arrm Museum archives for their help ... Yse these documents are held by FAAM. Arthur Gatress is named on several memorials and a 20 page memorial document is now being added to the list at St Martnin, Coney Street, York (aka St MArtin Le Grand) where he had been a choir boy. Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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