On the Plymouth Naval Memorial is the name of Fireman John William Sayers serving on H.M.S. Viknor with the Mercantile Marine Reserve who died 13/01/1915.
In Jarrow Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:-
In loving memory of
Roland A. Adam
who died 1st Aug. 1909 aged 63 years
also Mary Jane Adam beloved wife of the above
who died 18th July 1918 aged 69 years
also James Adam beloved son of the above
who was drowned at sea off H.M.S. Viknor
Jan. 13th 1915 aged 30 years
Also John Sayers son in law of the above
who was drowned at sea off H.M.S. Viknor
Jan. 13th 1915 aged 39 years
John William Sayers was born in Chester le Street in 1875, the son of John and Mary Ann Sayers (nee Jackson) of Hartlepool.
John was married on the 3rd September 1898, to Alice Adams, born 1876, Barrow. In 1901 they were residing at 61 South Street, Jarrow with their daughter Mary Jane, born 1900, in Jarrow.
By 1911, they were living at 72 Ellison Street Jarrow with another five children, Mary Jane born 1901, John born 1902, Roland born 1904, Samuel born March 1911, Jesse born 1907 and George born 1909. Another child, Michael, had died.
John Sayer was a Shipyard Labourer.
John William Sayer 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, like many of his fellow crew members, was never recovered or identified.
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 travelling 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 were thought to be travelling to Germany to join the war effort.
Source: Maritime Quest with thanks.
The Viknor commenced signing on her mercantile marine crew on the 2nd December. She completed articles on the 22nd and left the Tyne on the evening of the 28th.
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 S21W), 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).
John’s widow and the family had moved to 11 Hibernian Road, Back, Jarrow, during the War.
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.
John’s brother-in-law James Adams was also lost on the Viknor.
Research: Cynthia Kent/James Pasby
Acknowledgments: Vin Mullen
Stephen Smith says: “I have a photo that I realise is John William Sayers passed down by my Gran, Alice Sayers, his daughter.” He would like to know anything more which may be discovered.
John William Sayers is remembered at Jarrow on J2.10 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.
