HMS/s E18 in the Baltic

[submarine]

Dear All

I have two trios to Stokers Percy and Phillips ,both lost on E18.

Submarine E18 was lost to a Mine or Q Ship ,depending on which

account you read ,in the Baltic in 1916.

In his book "Baltic Assignment" (p141),Wilson." The Tsar sent Cromie

a letter of sympathy for the loss of the Submarine , awarded Halahan

the Cross of St George,the other two Officers the Order of St Vladimir

and a Medal for each of the Crew".

I know of Halahan`s group and he did receive the Cross so it is

Possable that the others did ?.

Has anyone got or know of a Group to E18 with a Russian Medal on the end ?

or any ideas ?. I have tried the on line L Gaz` without any thing (that

may have been me though.) I have also checked out other books on the

Baltic,but nothing.

Any help or thoughts would be much appreciated.

Colin

[sadsac]

Colin, here's one with Rusky `gong'.

PRITCHETT HORACE EDWARD AB C/J 4417 CSTG RN

SM E.18 11.06.16 Z 23 120393 F CHATHAM 16 CHATHAM 3 - 287

Son of Charles and Susannah Pritchett, of 79 St. Mary's Rd., Barking, Essex.

Killed in loss of vessel in the Baltic.

Awarded Cross of St. George 4th Class (Russian).

Chatham Memorial is open 0830 - 1700.

For entry Telephone Guard Room at Brompton Barracks, 01634 - 822442.

HMS MAIDSTONE. ADM 188 / 655. A.G 568 / 16.

P.o.B ; Barking, Essex. Occ ; Milk Boy.

KOKO Sadsac

[sadsac]

Colin, yet another re Rusky gongs to E.18 crew ;

POWELL WILLIAM GEORGE AB P/ 182354 CSG RN SM E.18

11.06.16 Z 47 181270 F PORTSMOUTH 13 PORTSMOUTH 5 - 359

Husband of May Louisa Powell, of 123 Toronto Rd., Buckland, Portsmouth.

Killed in loss of vessel in the Baltic.

Awarded Cross of St. George 3rd Class - Russia.

HMS MAIDSTONE. ADM 188 / 304.

P.o.B ; Soho, London. Occ ; Seaman.

Good Hunting, Sadsac

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Have you looked for the original Admiralty file dealing with the awards or in the meda roll in ADM 171/61l?

See the thread on ADM 12

I would expect Percy and Phillips both to have entries in the indexes as well as E18 and Halahan. You could also check Powell and Pritchett's service registers to see if anything different is written on those to Percy and Phillips; plus of course the former 2 should also have entries in the same indexes leading to the Admiralty file.

[submarine]

Hi

Thank you for your replys,

odd that Powell received the cross 3rd class and

Prit chett the cross 4th class ?.

I will also try the ADM file.

Many Thanks

Colin

[sadsac]

Colin, info for these gongs comes from Submarine Service Record Card ; note, these card are not definitive docs, so it MAY be that they both received 4 / 3 Class of award !

Sadsac

[espiegle]

Hi Colin

I have the scroll/plaque/letter signed by Cromie to his wife forwarding his effects to ERA 3rd class CW Holland who was killed aboard E 18 on 11th June 1916. I have done some research into his background (not got his service record yet) and have found no mention of Russian award, but I will now follow this up.

There is a book by Leslie Ashmore called Forgotten Flotilla which has a good write up on E 18 with crew photos. Ashmore was the navigating officer on E 18 from Sept to November 1915. He was then appointed first Lt on E1, thus not suffering the fate of the rest of the crew.

Powell was not in the original crew which took E18 out to the Baltic in Sept 1915. He transferred from E9 later.

Regards

Andrew

[sadsac]

Andrew, herewith C W HOLLAND Record Card detailes ;

HOLLAND CHARLES WILLIAM ERA 3 C/ 271983 NE RN

D.o.B ; 280390 240415 DD E18 110616 JOINED RN 290308

SENIOR IN RATING 310313 AGE 26 CHATHAM 17 - 3 - 266

Son of George Holland , of School House, West Wycombe, Bucks ; husband of Agnes Sarah Holland, of Mid Town, Rosgill Shap, Westmorland.

Killed in loss of vessel in the Baltic.

Chatham Memorial is open 0830 - 1700. For entry Telephone Guard Room at Brompton Barracks, 01634 - 822442.

HMS MAIDSTONE. ADM 188 / 436. A.G 568 / 16. P.o.B ; West Wycombe, Bucks.

Good Hunting, Sadsac

[espiegle]

Andrew, herewith C W HOLLAND Record Card detailes ;

HOLLAND CHARLES WILLIAM ERA 3 C/ 271983 NE RN

D.o.B ; 280390 240415 DD E18 110616 JOINED RN 290308

SENIOR IN RATING 310313 AGE 26 CHATHAM 17 - 3 - 266

Son of George Holland , of School House, West Wycombe, Bucks ; husband of Agnes Sarah Holland, of Mid Town, Rosgill Shap, Westmorland.

Killed in loss of vessel in the Baltic.

Chatham Memorial is open 0830 - 1700. For entry Telephone Guard Room at Brompton Barracks, 01634 - 822442.

HMS MAIDSTONE. ADM 188 / 436. A.G 568 / 16. P.o.B ; West Wycombe, Bucks.

Good Hunting, Sadsac

Thank you for that sadsac.

Andrew

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Here's the link to his service register, or you can download for free at Kew

Name Holland, Charles William

Official Number: 271983

Place of Birth: West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

Date of Birth: 29 March 1890

Catalogue reference ADM 188/436

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

[submarine]

Hi Andrew

I have copy of Ashmores book ,pity there is no Index and the

paper is of such poor quality the photos seem to suffer ,still a good

read though,but no mention the Russian awards.

Colin

[Igor Ostapenko]

Able seaman H. Prittchet

receive cross 4th class 2/06/1916

Order of Admiral of Baltic Fleet #401

(in russian archive)

Colin, here's one with Rusky `gong'.

PRITCHETT HORACE EDWARD AB C/J 4417 CSTG RN

SM E.18 11.06.16 Z 23 120393 F CHATHAM 16 CHATHAM 3 - 287

Son of Charles and Susannah Pritchett, of 79 St. Mary's Rd., Barking, Essex.

Killed in loss of vessel in the Baltic.

Awarded Cross of St. George 4th Class (Russian).

Chatham Memorial is open 0830 - 1700.

For entry Telephone Guard Room at Brompton Barracks, 01634 - 822442.

HMS MAIDSTONE. ADM 188 / 655. A.G 568 / 16.

P.o.B ; Barking, Essex. Occ ; Milk Boy.

KOKO Sadsac

[Igor Ostapenko]

Leading Seaman W. Powell

receive cross of st. George 3rd class

15/ 06/ 1916

Order of Admiral Kanin # 804

(russ. archives)

Colin, yet another re Rusky gongs to E.18 crew ;

POWELL WILLIAM GEORGE AB P/ 182354 CSG RN SM E.18

11.06.16 Z 47 181270 F PORTSMOUTH 13 PORTSMOUTH 5 - 359

Husband of May Louisa Powell, of 123 Toronto Rd., Buckland, Portsmouth.

Killed in loss of vessel in the Baltic.

Awarded Cross of St. George 3rd Class - Russia.

HMS MAIDSTONE. ADM 188 / 304.

P.o.B ; Soho, London. Occ ; Seaman.

Good Hunting, Sadsac

[Igor Ostapenko]

and

Leading Seaman W. Powell

receive cross of st. George 4th class

16/ 03/ 1915

Order of Admiral von Essen # 375

TWO CROSSES !!!

[Igor Ostapenko]

If your Philips -

Able seaman A. Phillips -

receive cross 4th class

2/ 06/ 1916

Order # 401 of Admiral Kanin

Dear All

I have two trios to Stokers Percy and Phillips ,both lost on E18.

Submarine E18 was lost to a Mine or Q Ship ,depending on which

account you read ,in the Baltic in 1916.

In his book "Baltic Assignment" (p141),Wilson." The Tsar sent Cromie

a letter of sympathy for the loss of the Submarine , awarded Halahan

the Cross of St George,the other two Officers the Order of St Vladimir

and a Medal for each of the Crew".

I know of Halahan`s group and he did receive the Cross so it is

Possable that the others did ?.

Has anyone got or know of a Group to E18 with a Russian Medal on the end ?

or any ideas ?. I have tried the on line L Gaz` without any thing (that

may have been me though.) I have also checked out other books on the

Baltic,but nothing.

Any help or thoughts would be much appreciated.

Colin

[maryh]

I have two trios to Stokers Percy and Phillips ,both lost on E18.

Submarine E18 was lost to a Mine or Q Ship ,depending on which

account you read ,in the Baltic in 1916.

Hi Colin,

Is Stoker Phillips, Arthur Percy Phillips, service no 309511?

He is recorded on my village War Memorial which I am researching. I have a little biographical information on him which you are more than welcome to and I would love to include any more information on him in the information sheet I compile for each man named.

Mary

[submarine]

Hi Mary

Yes this is Arthur Percy Phillips that i am researching , and i am more than happy

to share my research with you .give me a few days as i am away from my records,

I purchased his medals some years ago.they came with his Brothers pair and two

Photos of his brother and his wife and child + group of wounded men on a hospital

steps his brother was in the RE, i think he servived the War.

I do not have to much info on Arthur,mostly on the Submarine, if you could spare a Photo

of the War Memorial that would be great.

Colin B

[maryh]

Hi Colin,

I'll PM you with the photo and the information I have.

Many thanks

Mary

[Igor Ostapenko]

Medals group with Russian Medal ?

I purchased his medals some years ago

[jimmyjames]

Purely for info I attach a photo of the skipper of E18, Lt Cmdr R C Halahan, RN. He is commemorated on a Roll of Honour in Christ Church, Cheltenham, though I have not as yet been able to establish his connection with the town.

Also aboard the submarine when it was lost (24th May 1916, officially 11th June 1916) was Cheltonian Lt Walter Luke Landale, RN.

I have a copy of their service papers. It is recorded that Halahan was awarded the Order of St Vladimir 4th Class and Landale was "granted permission to accept and wear insignia of 3rd Class of Order of St Anne with Swords".

Regards

Jimmy

[Igor Ostapenko]

Thank you !

May be you have more photos ?

[Signals]

Hi all,

this is my first use of this site so here it goes. For those who have the book Forgotten Flotilla there is one name missing from the crew of E18. You will notice that E18 when lost was unusual in that she carried two British telegraphists. George Gaby was actually the telegraphist from E8. In October 1915 Gaby was found guilty of stealing vodka from E8 and was sentenced to 90 days in the cells, when released he didn't rejoin E8 and went to what was known as spare crew. Before sailing on her last patrol E18 was short of crew and Gaby was taken from spare crew to fill the role of the British signalman. That signalman was my great grandfather, Albert Edward Robinson. He had been with E18 while she was being built and only missed this last patrol, we have no idea why he missed this patrol but he became known as a good luck charm. I have his medals which for obvious reasons don't contain a Russian one. He remained unknown to the story of E18 until i recently made contact with the submarine museum.

In the crew photo of E18 in the Forgotten Flotilla he is sitting on our right next to the one that is marked as Charles Sexton. Of interest is the man named Sexton is wrongly marked, this is actually Powell who had come over from E9 and the Russian medal he's wearing was won on E9.

As for the confusion of dates on E18's loss, i have carried out some very intense research both from British and German archives. E18 departed Reval on the 25-5-1916, torpedoed V100 on the 26-5-1916, sighted by an aircraft of Memel on the 28-5-1916 and i have looked into the log of UB-30 which did sight an enemy submarine on the 1-6-1916 at 1500 hrs north west of Steinort, all other allied submarines were back in Reval at this time. E18 was due to report into the Dagerort coastguard station but didn't get there, she was due into Reval on the 2-6-1916. There is no evidence to support her being sunk by a German ship, no evidence to say she radioed a report of her attack on V100 and you can see the date of her loss as the 24-5-1916 is wrong as she was still in Reval.

You just need to view the diary of Lt Cdr Francis Goodhart who give all the correct dates that all match up with the Germans dates.

Does anyone out there realise that when E18 was lost she also had three Russians as part of her crew, a navigating officer, a telegraphist and a signalman, all i have is the surname of the navigating officer at this stage.

Hope this is of some help.

[submarine]

Hi Darren

Some very good research, a lot of which i did not have , I have a crew list

i am not sure from where it came, i always thought it came from the Museum ?, it has

Gaby listed and not Robinson, as you say,but mention of any Russians ?. I have a copy

of the crew photo,do you have the Names of any of the other un-named crew ?.

Colin

[Signals]

Hi Colin,

yes i have the name of another of the un named crew in the E18 crew photo. In the very back row on our left is Telegraphist Edwards. I was able to identify him because the submarine museum has a photo of the 4 British telegraphists and 5 British signalman in the Baltic. E9 didn't have a wireless when she first went to the Baltic thats why there were only 4 telegraphists. Only one of these telegraphists survived the was, Benson of E19, E1's being killed in the Battle of May Island when on a K class sub.

E19's telegraphist left his memiors with the Royal Navy Sub Museum. He said when they arrived in Russian they took on a Russian Navigating Officer, a telegraphist and signalman. From this point the main role of the British telegraphists and signalman were to keep the equipment in working order. The British subs were operating in the Russian system, this is why they also had Russian crew. It was a well sort after gig for the Russians as they shared in any Medals, blood money, and had better conditions, when E8 sank the Prinz Adalbert the crew received 3000 pounds in blood money, Goodhart had to set up a trust fund for the money. The surname of the Russian Officer on E18 was Polycarpoff. A photo in Baltic Assignment clearly shows the Russian crew with E19.

On page 192 of the Forgotten Flottilla, it clearly shows four member of E18's crew, compare with the crew shot, the only one of the four i can pick out of the is John (Paddy)Ryan on our left. Also the photo of E18 and E8 in the Gulf of Riga, page 110 i believe is wrong. E18 and E8 were never in the Gulf of Riga together, this is the E1 taken i believe on the 29-4-1916. On this day they were tied up alongside the battleship Slava but had to move away because of drifting ice. I believe that is Slave off E1's bow.

cathydarren@optusnet.com.au

[Signals]

Hi ALL,

just a quick follow up to those looking into the crew of E18. Able seaman Charles Sexton and Stoker Percival Stevenson were part of the original crew of E18. They were both thrown in the cells for 90 days punishment on the 19-11-1915 and didn't return to E18, not sure what they had done but in the end it saved them from the same fate as their crew mates on E18.

I think stoker Percy Duffield must have then replaced Stevenson as he wasn't an original crew member.

I believe that William Powell must have relaced Sexton as Powell had come over from E9. Powell is in the crew photo of E18.

So who had Petty Officer John Paddy Ryan replaced? He certainly wasn't an original crew member and had come over in the September draft and had been in spare crew. It is now known that Ryan was sick on shore with measles when E18 left for the last patrol. This only leaves Able Seaman Horace Prichett as the likely person to have replaced Ryan as Pritchett was not in the original crew.. So maybe there is still someone that Ryan replaced un accounted for. Ryan is in the E18 crew photo.

This was certainly the case with Gaby replacing signalman Robinson. And of corse Lt Colson replaced Ashmore.