Illustrated Chronicle 26th January 1915

Jarrow Cemetery

Viknor Naval Crew

James Adam was born at 19 Caledonian Road, Jarrow, Durham in 1885, the youngest child of seven children to Roland Atherney Adam [born 1836 in Windsor, Berkshire], Shipwright, and Mary Jane Adam [born 1841, Stockton]. The other children were Roland, born 1873, Middlesbrough, Sarah Ann, born 1875, Barrow in Lancashire, Jean Ann, born 1881, Jarrow, Elizabeth, born 1884, Jarrow, Alice, born 1877, Barrow in Lancashire, Jane, born 1890, Jarrow and James born 1885.

James' parents moved from Barrow to Jarrow after 1878.

By 1911, James was residing at 24 Hibernian Road in Jarrow with the rest of the family and James was employed at Palmer's Shipbuilders as a ship's plater.

James married Amy Humfress 23rd September 1905. She was born 22nd January 1883.

In 1911 they were living at 44 Nixon Street, Jarrow and they had two children but the son died. The other child was a daughter called Elizabeth Casmon , born 27th March 1906, [the deceased son was called Roland].

After 1911, James and his wife moved again to 61 South Street, Jarrow, Durham. They finally moved to 11 Hibernian Road, Jarrow, Durham.

James 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 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)”.

In 1939 James's widow and his only daughter now married to a Patteson, and were residing at Raby Gardens in Jarrow.

James was brother in law to J. W. Sayers, who was also lost on the Viknor. They both remembered on a family headstone in Jarrow Cemetery.

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.

Research: Cynthia Kent/James Pasby

Acknowledgements: Vin Mullen

James Adam is remembered in Jarrow on J2.01 and J2.10 and in our List of Ships crews.

Official History of Naval Operations Vol II (NEW
Complement list of HMS Viknor crew
The Merchant History of the Navy in WW1
H.M.S. Viknor
The CWGC entry for Fireman Adam