Illustrated Chronicle 21/01/1915

Headstone for 3 HMS Viknor unknown crew

Viknor Crew

Arthur Hartley was born 1890 near Burnley, Lancashire the eldest of 5 children, 3 sons and 2 daughters of whom only 4 survived, his parents having lost their youngest child Edith Hannah aged 3 years in 1901. His parents Samuel Hartley (April 26th) and Elizabeth Radcliffe both natives of Burnley born 1866 were married May 11th 1889 and settled at 111, Coal Clough Lane, Burnley, where Samuel was employed as a cabinet maker. Between 1901 and 1911 they migrated to the north east and were living at 21 George Street, Prelaw-on-Tyne, near Gateshead, County Durham, Arthur now aged 20 years was a ship-wright for a ship builder, brother Fred (!9) worked as a store keeper at a paint factory, Frank (17) was a messenger boy for a drysaltery (trader in salts, chemicals and dyes).

Married in the district of Gateshead in 1913 to Esther Blythman with whom he had a son Edgar born in 1914, Arthur joined the Mercantile Marine Reserve as a carpenter assigned to HMS Viknor.

Awarded the Mercantile Marine Medal sent to his widow Esther at East High View, Heworth, Gateshead, County Durham.

Arthur 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.

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 travelling 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)”.

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.

Arthur Hartley served on the Viknor with Carpenter Thomas Henderson Bow also remembered at Heworth.

Arthur Hartley is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 at Jarrow on J2.01 and on our List of Ships’ crews.

The Wreck of H.M.S. Viknor
H.M.S. Viknor Roll of Honour
The CWGC entry for Carpenter Hartley