William Rogers – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Hampshire

Able Seaman William Rogers – Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Hampshire

Early Life and Family Background

William Rogers was born in 1894 in Swansea, the son of James Rogers and Catherine Davies.

1901 Census

By the time of the 1901 Census, the Rogers family were living at 21 Stepney Street, Swansea. James, aged 41 and born in Pembrokeshire, was employed as a Doubler at the Tin Works, while his wife Catherine, aged 40, managed the household. Their children at home were David, aged 18, who worked as a Labourer at the Tin Works; Deane, aged 13; William, aged 6; and Beatrice, aged 3.

1911 Census

A decade later, the family were still residing at 21 Stepney Street. James, now 52, continued to work as a Doubler Tinworker, and Catherine, aged 51, remained at home. Their children present were David J., aged 28, employed as a Tinworker Riser; Dianna, aged 22; William, aged 17, also working as a Tinworker Riser; and Beatrice, aged 13.

Service with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

William later enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, where he served as an Able Seaman. His wartime service placed him aboard H.M.S. Hampshire, an armoured cruiser operating with the Grand Fleet during the First World War.

The Sinking of H.M.S. Hampshire

 H.M.S. Hampshire

On 5^th June 1916, H.M.S. Hampshire departed Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands during a violent gale. She had been assigned a highly important mission: transporting Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, and his staff to Russia for urgent diplomatic discussions. The weather was so severe that two escorting destroyers were forced to turn back, leaving Hampshire to continue alone along the exposed west coast of the Orkneys.

Lord Kitchener Wants You Poster 

Unbeknown to the Royal Navy, the waters off Marwick Head had recently been mined by the German submarine U‑75. At approximately 7:40 p.m., the cruiser struck one of these mines. The explosion tore open her hull near the bow, causing catastrophic flooding and knocking out her electrical systems. Battling heavy seas and listing badly, Hampshire sank within 15 minutes.

The storm made rescue efforts almost impossible. The sea was extremely rough, visibility was poor, and the ship went down so quickly that most of the crew were unable to launch boats or rafts. Of the nearly 750 men on board, only twelve survived. Lord Kitchener and his staff were among the dead, as was Able Seaman William Rogers.

Death and Commemoration

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records

William Rogers
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth
credit - findagrave

According to the British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, William Rogers died on 5^th June 1916 in the sinking of H.M.S. Hampshire. With no known grave, he is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, which honours Royal Navy and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel lost at sea whose bodies were never recovered