help please with boat

[johibbard]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could help me with finding information regarding the sinking of HMS Maon. I have a relative who was taken to Giessen POW camp after the sinking of this ship but can find nothing at all about it except for what I have on his Naval records.

Thankyou in advance for any help.

Jo : )

[joseph]

Jo,

Could that be HMS Maori Destroyer 1035 tons 2 x 4inch and 2 Torpedo tubes. Sunk 07/05/1915 in North Sea.

Regards Charles

[melliget]

I think your guess is odds on, Charles. The lower case "ri" could certainly look like an "n". And the surviving crew of the Maori were taken prisoner (according to the German report, seven officers and 68 men *).

Jo. Here are two articles from The Times: a brief account of the loss and a list of the missing crew.

* Actually, on re-reading it, that may be 88 men taken prisoner, the number reported by the Admiralty. Or 20 men were lost.

[halifax]

Maori, 1909

Type: Torpedo Boat Destroyer ; Armament 2 x 4 in. Tubes: 2 x 18 in.

Launched : 24 May 1909 ; Disposal date or year : 7 May 1915

Disposal Details : Mined 2 miles N.W. of Weilingen Lightship, near Zeebrugge

Displacement: 1035 tons

Machinery notes: 15,500 FD

Notes:

Aug 1914 ; Sixth Destroyer Flotilla. Tender to Attentive. War service = included Dover Patrols

Hope this is of use

Regards Steve

[joseph]

Jo,

From the Dover Patrol Admiral Bacon

The Tribals of the 6th Flotilla lost, during 1915-17, half their number owing to mines or torpedoes. The first to be mined was the Maori, Lieutenant—Commander B. W. Barrow, off Zeebrugge. The Admiralty, in April 1915, wished certain moored nets off Ostend looked up. I sent two destroyers, the Maori and Crusader, and told the captain of the Maori, after doing the work, to approach Zeebrugge and sketch the salient marks ashore to assist me in our First bombardment, for which preparations were then being made. He was not to go within 10,000 yards of the shore. I had only been two or three weeks in command at Dover, and my experience of the Belgian coast was nil. Six months later the Maori would not have been lost. I would have arranged her visit so as to be off Zeebrugge at high water. As it was, I did not appreciate the importance of such a detail; she struck a mine and sank, and her crew were all taken prisoners. It was unfortunate that they were not picked up by the Crusader, but the strict Admiralty injunction not to risk a second vessel in the vicinity of one mined no doubt exercised considerable influence on the decision of her captain. But still, occasions do arise when decisions may have to be taken against the strict letter of an order, and generally a solution may be found which accords with time honoured traditions of the Navy. I much regretted the loss of the services of Lieutenant Commander Barrow, who was a most able Destroyer Officer.

Regards Charles

[johibbard]

Thankyou all so much. It is really appreciated. I didn't feel that I would feel so sad but it really brings it home doesn't it?

Thanks again.

Jo.

[johibbard]

I have had a bit more time to look at the list of the missing crew and my relative 'Depledge E Stkr 1st class' is on there. I am not so sure what the Stkr is but that is definately him. Thanks again for helping me to unravel this. I am writing a short biography on his time in the war for a Uni assignment. It is probably the only record of his life so I really want to do it justice.

Thanks again,

Jo

[melliget]

Jo.

That is his rank, Stoker 1st Class.

There is only one E. Depledge in the RN Registers of Seamen's Services, Edmund Depledge born 29 June 1892 in Sheffield, Yorkshire. Official No is K9354 which matches that given in the article, so almost certainly him. You can download his service record for GBP3.50 here.

regards,

Martin

[johibbard]

Oh, thankyou, I thought that it meant storekeeper. I have downloaded the record and yes that is definately him.

Thanks again,

Jo.

[historydavid]

Jo, extract from Hepper:

All crew from the MAORI were in boats and all became prisoners.

The commander of the CRUSADER, Maxwell, sent his boats to take the MAORI in tow, but after coming under increasingly accurate shooting from shore batteries, decided it was too dangerous to linger in the area recovering boats, so he left the area. The Admiralty took a dim view of Maxwell's decision as the nearest boat was only 100 yards away when he pulled out. It was decided that they "take the earliest opportunity to remove him from destroyers." ADM 156/145, ADM 1/8420/124.

Hope this helps to clarify the situation for you.

Best wishes

David

[sadsac]

Jo, `Et Al', two awards for CRUSADER ;

JOHNSON Wyndham C N/E Lt. RN 79D015 Crusader

Vice Admiral Dover Patrol 23.05.17 Gazetted

Dover Patrol Operations 01.07.16 - 31.12.16 DSC

For good services performed in the Dover Patrol for the period the 1st July to 31st December, 1916.

GIBBS George L.D N/E Lt.Cdr. RN 79D002 Crusader

Rear Admiral Horace Hood 13.04.15 Gazetted

Operations of R.A. Hood's Flotilla off Belgian Coast 17.10.14 & 09.11.14 N/E

Rear Admiral Hood's flag was hoisted in "Crusader" during most of the operations.

Sadsac

[sadsac]

Jo & Co, Award for Barrow / MOARI - got his `reply' in first ;

BARROW Benjamin W N/E Cdr. RN 83P001 Moari

Rear Admiral Horace Hood 10.04.15 Gazetted

In Sinking German Submarine U.8, 04.03.15 LV & DSO

Recommended to Their Lordships' special notice for skilful handling of their boats, and discipline and efficiency of the crews in working the sweeps and guns.

Sadsac

[johibbard]

Hi all,

Sorry for not replying sooner, I wasn't aware that |I had more replys.

HistoryDavid, I am surprised by the information about Maxwell. I was under the impression that The Crusader had no choice due to heavy gunfire. That puts a new spin on things.

Thanks again all,

Jo