HMS Cressy sunk 1914 - info pls

[patrexjax]

Hello all, I have found a collateral rellie listed in 1908 as a Lt. (Francis Stewart Mc Gachen) on board the HMS Cressy.  I was shocked to see a wikipedia article that stated the Cressy had been sunk by a German U-Boat in Sept. 1914.  Can anyone tell me if the crew of the Cressy survived?  I searched cgwc and could not seem to find Francis S. McGachen there.  ANY information appreciated. Thank you kindly!  Pat

[liverpool annie]

Hi Pat !

This site gives 562 names on the casualty list ......... Admiralty records show a total of 564 men were lost including the one man who died in hospital at a later date.

http://www.clarke-rowland.freeserve.co.uk/CressyRoll.htm

I couldn't see your man I'm afraid .... but maybe you could go over the list just in case !  .... but I wonder if you could find him at the Archives

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=131&j=1

Annie 

[patrexjax]

Hello Annie, Thank you so much for the information and the web-sites. I agree, he doesn't seem to be there. Perhaps he was re-assigned to another ship after the 1908 roster.  I'll just keep digging.  Thanks again and I want you to know how much I appreciate ALL you do for all Rootschatters everywhere.    May 2009 be a wonderful year for you.  Pat

[Peter Bathe]

Another good site about the action when Cressy, Aboukir and Hogue were lost is

http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/cressy.htm

Also

http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1914-09Sept.htm

is a record of Naval personnel who were lost, ship by ship - the page I've given you is for the month Cressy was sunk - there were survivors, some 837 were saved, but 1,459 were lost from the three ships

[patrexjax]

Thank you, siegebatteries.  I have found my man marrying after the sinking, so it appears he was reassigned to another vessel. Thanks for your interest.  Pat

[kadear]

I don't know if this is the right site to place a remark regarding the loss of HMS Cressy. So much has been made of the TITANIC sinking in 1912 - is it not time there should be a commemmoration of the sinking in 1914 of these three ship of the "live bait" squadron - a far greater loss of life than in 1912.

[GrahamSimons]

If he was serving in Cressy in 1908 he would certainly be elsewhere 8 years later - from my researches posting rarely lasted more than two years.

I have located him in http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/navy.asp - search the ADM340 records with surname only - he has two records which you'll be abe to download (you will have to pay, unless you can get to Kew, when you'll only need to pay the print cost). These records of service can be fascinating.

Looks like he was promoted to Lt Cdr.

Good luck

[patrexjax]

Hello kadear and GrahamSimons, thank you both for the additional information.     Pat

[crimea1854]

According to the 1914 Navy List Lt. Com McGachen was serving on HMS Ocean.

Martin