Ken Carruthers Posted 16 April , 2007 Share Posted 16 April , 2007 Hello all The recent posting about the two graves in Portsmouth raises the same question about Sub-Lt John McD Cooper RNR, HMS Viknor, who is buried in St Mary's Churchyard, Longfleet, Poole. Does anyone know what the circumstances were? Many thanks Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBelcher Posted 16 April , 2007 Share Posted 16 April , 2007 A search of Yahoo gives HMS Viknor details January 13, 1915: The armed merchant cruiser HMS Viknor disappeared off Tory Island, Ireland. Built by Robert Napier in 1888 as the Atrato for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. she was 421' X 50' and registered at 5,347 tons. The Atrato could carry 279 passengers and was used for the routes between England and the West Indies. In 1912 she was renamed The Viking for her new owners, the Viking Cruising Co. With the outbreak of World War 1 most passenger liners were requisitioned by the Admiralty for war service and so was The Viking. In 1914 she was converted into an armed merchant cruiser and renamed HMS Viknor. The Viknor was assigned to the 10th cruiser squadron and was used to patrol the waters between Scotland and Iceland. It was while on this duty that the Viknor came to grief. For unknown reasons the ship, which had been in wireless contact with shore, sank without ever sending a distress signal. It is known that the German's had recently mined the area in which Viknor was operating and there was also a violent storm at the time. Weather it was the storm a mine or a combination of both is not known. What is known is that not one man of the two hundred and ninety five on board survived. Some of the bodies of the crew washed up on Irish soil over the course of several days. Presumably his body washed up on shore and returned to the NoK for burial. CWGC has the ship as "H.M.S. "Viknot."" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Carruthers Posted 16 April , 2007 Author Share Posted 16 April , 2007 Thanks John, but I would be interested to know: . where the body was picked up . if it was washed ashore why it wasn't buried in the nearest graveyard (most of the others were) . could NoK request repatriation of the body? . and did they have to pay? . is there a funeral notice? . something about Sub-Lt Cooper A long list I know! Many thanks Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eltoro1960 Posted 16 April , 2007 Share Posted 16 April , 2007 Hi there , if you look at the Viknor thread I put on details of the Captain Cmdr Ernest O Ballantyne, he was washed up on the Scottish side of the Irish Sea at Castlebay, the body was taken home to Dalkeith and buried with full military honours. Any man dying at home was entitled to be buried at the discretion of his next of kin. I don't know any thing about Sub-Lt Cooper unfortunately, could almost guarantee that there would be a funeral notice in the local paper. I have seen reports of several men who died at home and were buried with military honours in local cemeteries. (Just realised you posted there too and will have read it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 19 April , 2007 Share Posted 19 April , 2007 Welcome to the forum Ken His there should be an entry in ADM 240 for him, his service card is probably in ADM 340 (alphabetical order) and later in the same class there may be service documents for him (also alphabetical order), both at Kew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Carruthers Posted 21 April , 2007 Author Share Posted 21 April , 2007 Thank you all - the list of jobs for Kew and Colindale keeps growing! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Carruthers Posted 23 April , 2007 Author Share Posted 23 April , 2007 A search of Yahoo gives HMS Viknor details Presumably his body washed up on shore and returned to the NoK for burial. CWGC has the ship as "H.M.S. "Viknot."" Very impressive service by CWGC - one email later and they've corrected this. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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