In Larne New Cemetery is the Commonwealth War Grave of Greaser Lewis Ogle, serving on H.M.S. Viknor with the Mercantile Marine Reserve who died 13/01/1915.
Lewis was born in 1883 at 28 Edward Street, South Shields and was one of a family of five comprising three sons and two daughters. His brothers and sisters were all born in South Shields: John Robert (1879-1960); Elizabeth H (1881-1952); Mary Jane (born 1889); and Andrew Taylor (1891-1926) their parents were Lewis Ogle (1856-1933) and Mary Jane Berry (1860-1909). The couple had married in 1878 in Sunderland but lived in South Shields during their married life and started their family there.
His paternal grandparents were Robert Ogle (1827-1894) and Elizabeth Halcrow (1826-1881) and married at St Hilda’s Church, South Shields on 11th July 1847. His maternal grandparents were John Berry and Mary Jane Trenham (1832-1879) and they were married in the same church on 16th January 1853.
By 1901 the family were residing at 29 Military Road, South Shields, the father was working as a glazier and Lewis had followed him into the glass trade as a labourer. On the 19th May 1902, Lewis married Mary Jane Hill at St Cuthbert’s Church in Hebburn and they continued living in the town during their married life.
In 1911 they were residing at 4 Prince Consort Lane, Hebburn and Lewis was working in the shipyards as an engine fitter in the shipbuilding industry. At the time of his death his wife Mary Jane was residing at 2 Lyons Lane, Hebburn. They had no children.
His body was one of six that washed ashore in Northern Ireland and an inquest was held. The only way he was positively identified, was by his tattoo on his left arm, which read ‘Lewis Ogle’ and ‘Mary Jane Ogle’.
Lewis 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.
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 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).
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.
After Lewis died his wife Mary Jane married in 1918 George Charles Lye and she was found living at 110 Hope Street in Jarrow. In 1939 she was residing at 90 High Street, Jarrow with her mother-in-law Elizabeth and her husband George.
Research: Cynthia Kent/James Pasby
Lewis Ogle is remembered in our List of Ships’ Crews.
