HMS Aboukir

[watend]

Hello Ric,

This is the first time I have looked at this forum and I noticed that you had an interest in Stoker 1st class William Henry Rylance, HMS Aboukir. He was also my Uncle, Rose Annie Watson was my fathers sister.

The story I have was that he was a reservist, he worked at John Lysaghts Steelworks but was recalled at the outbreak of WW1. He married Rose Annie and they had a son Richard Born 1911 who died the same year.

His name is on the memorial at Crosby School Scunthorpe and also on the Lysaghts memorial.His name is also on the Chatham Memorial.

Eric Watson.

[MichaelBully]

As mentioned in post 3, I can also recommend Alan Coles' 'Three Before Breakfast'. The author got to know Commander Kit Wykeham-Musgrave , who as a midshipman in 1914, and managed to survive the sinking of Aboukir, swim to the Hogue and when this ship was sunk, reached the Cressy,one again surviving the sinking.

A new book in Dutch has been published 'Drie Massagraven voor de Nederlandse Kust' (Three mass-graves off the Dutch coast) by Henk van der Linden last year. Quite a number of bodies from the sinking of the three ships were washed up on the Dutch coast, and buried in The Hague, Vlissingen and Nordwijk. The official book launch saw representatives of both the British and German embassies present as well as the mayor of The Hague.

WIll be in The Netherlands this Autumn, so hope to find a copy of the book and visit some of the graves.

Edit : translation of title of 'Drie Massagraven voor de de Nederlandse Kust'

[Phil Eyden]

Just as a little aside, probably around twenty to twenty-five survivors of the sinking of the three cruisers were moved from Chatham dockyard to Dover in October 1914. There they were stationed to HMS Arrogant permanently moored in the harbour and formed the small Active Service contingent of the new Dover Anti-Aircraft Corps. As such they maintained the searchlight equipment, communications and engineering issues surrounding operation of the Dover searchlights by the RNVR local volunteers.

[MichaelBully]

Already booked time off work to go The Netherlands, would be pleased to hear from anyone who has visited the graves of the sailors buried at The Hague, Vlissingen and Nordwijk. Also having another attempt at getting hold of

'Drie Massagraven voor de Nederlandse Kust' .

[toofatfortakeoff]

There shoudl be a photo o him in the Crosby Angel book you can get a copy of this direct from the author or from Scunthorpe Library;.

[dabtoe]

Hi,

 

Tomorrow 3rd March 2017  HMS  Aboukir shipwreck will have the protection under The Protection of Military Remains Act 1986- Order 2017, see link:-

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2017/147

 

Regards

 

dabtoe