CWGC Headstone for Viknor

Viknor Naval Crew

Ronald Laking was born at 7, East Hartburn, Stockton, on the 29th April 1897, the only child of Thomas (a farmer born 1870 at Over Silton, Yorks, died 1918) and Louie Ann (nee Palmer, born 1870 at Charlton, Oxford, died 1947 in Oxfordshire). They were married at Northallerton in 1894.

In 1901 he was residing at 7 East Hartburn, Stockton-on-Tees. By 1911 he was residing at 8 Parkin Street, Merrington Lane, Spennymoor.

Ronald was working as a labourer when he signed up for 12 years in the Royal Navy on the 18th December 1913, (J28854), as a boy, when he reached his 18th Birthday, he would then serve for 12 years as an adult. His engagement would have started on the 29th April 1915. At the time of his enlistment he was described as 5 ft 3 inches tall, light brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion.

He joined up at Portsmouth, as a seaman. Served at HMS Ganges as a Boy (2nd class), from the 18th December 1913. He then spent four months at the shore basedHMS Ganges at Shotley, near Ipswich.

He then served on HMS Impregnable from the 21st March 1914, first as a Boy (2nd class) and later (from 13th June 1914) as a Telegraph Boy. Then served at HMS Vernon from the 15th October 1914 until the 11th December.

From the 12th December he served on HMS Viknor, as a boy telegraphist, (No. J/28854) and died on the 13th January 1915, when the ship was lost in the Irish Sea.

Ronald was one of the crew members of the HMS Viknor, part of the (10th Cruiser) Squadron, which sunk with all of its crew on the 13th January 1915 by a mine which had been laid by the vessel Berlin

His body was never recovered or identified like many of his fellow crew members.

His father was notified of his death on the 28th January 1915.

Also on board the Viknor were eight Germans who had been taken prisoner when SS Bergensfjord was captured on January 11th 1915. These included Graf Hans Adam Wedell and Dr. Rasmus Bjornstad. Wedell was a high level German spy traveling from New York to Germany. It is unclear who Bjornstad was or if this was even his real name. The other (unnamed) six Germans were stowaways and suspected to be traveling to Germany to join the war effort.

Source: Maritime Quest with thanks.

Naval History WW1. Official Account.VIKNOR, armed merchant cruiser, 13 January 1915, Atlantic off N Ireland - ex-Viking or The Viking, ex-cruise ship, 5,386grt, built 1888, Viking Cruise Co, 15kts, hired 19/11/14, Pendant No.M.82, 10th CS Grand Fleet, Cdr Ernest Ballantyne, most northerly ship on Northern Patrol line B north of the Shetlands. On the 11th, at around 62N, 02.24W, intercepted Norwegian SS Bergensfiord carrying an important German secret service agent and other nationals from New York, Viknor ordered to put prize crew on board, escort the Norwegian ship towards Lerwick, then continue on to Liverpool with a total of eight German prisoners. Last message from Viknor on 13th (He – off Malin Head; ss - at 1600 in 56.18N, 09W, course S21ºW), nothing more was heard of her. Probably 13th - Believed sunk off Northern Ireland by one of Berlin's mines broken free by heavy gales off Tory Island (Rn - foundered in heavy weather; C - Wrecked on north coast of Ireland), wreckage and bodies washed ashore at Portrush; 294 lives lost - 22 officers, 196 ratings, 74 MN and 1 canteen staff plus prisoners, no survivors (He – 259, ke - 295) (H/J/Rn/C/D/bi/dk/gf/ke/ss; ADM.137/185, ADM.116/1442)

At the time of his death his father’s address was given as 26 Williamson Buildings, Langley Moor, Co Durham.

Explanation about Naval numbers:- By 1907 there was a danger of the blocks of numbers over spilling into other blocks, so from the 1st January 1908 [which lasted until 1925] the Admiralty decided to add a PREFIX to a new series of numbers. They used the letters J, K, L and M, where 'J' became executive [seamen and communicators], 'K' for Stokers, 'L' for Cooks and Stewards and 'M' for the other three Branches listed.

In 1925, Admiralty introduced a major change in pay scales, so that those joining from this year would enter on a lower pay scale than those who were already serving whose pay would remain the same. To be able to readily recognise the men on the Lower pay scale from those on the Upper scale, they changed the Official Number system. At the time of the change, the official numbers of the four lettered prefix systems had reach J115433; K66973; L15101 and M39555, so to differentiate, they started yet another series of numbers and added the letter 'X'

Source: Are you Official with thanks.

Note his date of death is shown as the 11th, not the 13th, this is a transcription error. He died on the 13th.

In 2006 the survey ship Celtic Explorer located the wreck of HMS Viknor, according to Dr Ian Lawler, the wreck is located on the outer edge of a minefield laid by SMS Berlin which lends some credibility to the theory that she could have hit a mine, but at this time there is still no definitive answer as to the cause of the loss.

Acknowledgements: Peter Storey/Cynthia Kent

Ronald Laking is remembered at Brancepeth on B151.01 and our List of Ships crews.

Complement list of HMS Viknor crew
Official History of Naval Operations Vol II (NEW)
H.M.S. Viknor
H.M.S. Viknor Roll of Honour
The CWGC entry for Boy Telegraphist Laking