Charles Rogers
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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He was the son of Thomas and Mary Ann Rogers of Stoke Bardolph Nottinghamshire (CWGC) In 1911 Charles was an Able Seaman serving in HMS Sharpshooter at Devonport. Charles' brother, George, 123 Gordon Road, Nottingham, was notified of Charles' death. A newspaper report of Charles' death gave his address as Gordon Road.
Charles joined the Royal Navy on 16 February 1901 when he was 17 years old and entered on a 12 year engagement on 21 April 1901, his 18th birthday. He served in the following ships and shore establishments: HMS Northampton 16 February 1901-21 April 1901 (Boy 2nd Class); HMS Calliope, 22 April 1901-16 May 1901 (Boy 1st Class, 16 May 1901); Vivid, 17 May 1901-14 March 1902 (Ordinary Seaman, 23 October 1901); HMS Bulwark, 15 March 1902-2 January 1905 (Able Seaman, 1 October 1902); Vivid, 3 January 1905-15 April 1905; HMS Cambridge,16 April 1905- 7 October 1905-15 April 1905; HMS Hussar, 8 October 1905-23 October 1905; HMS Cambridge, 24 October 1905-9 April 1906; HMS Trafalgar, 10 April 1906-1 January 1907; HMS Hibernia, 2 January 1907-4 January 1909; Vivid I, 5 January 1909-27 July 1909; HMS Sharpshooter, 28 January 1909-31 August 1911; Vivid I, 1 September 1911-23 October 1911; Dartmouth, 24 October 1911-31 March 1913; Vivid I, 1 April-20 April 1913. Shore, continuous service expired. Joined Royal Fleet Reserve Devonport (B4992) on 21 April 1913. Charles was mobilised a few days before the outbreak of war and served in HMS Majestic from 2 August 1914 until his death on 27 May 1915. His service record was annotated, ‘NP 2522/15. DD [Discharged Dead] 27 May 15. Lost when HMS Majestic was sunk.’ HMS Majestic was in the Dardanelles as part of an Anglo-French battleship squadron involved in the naval attacks on the Turkish forts at the entrance to the staits. On 27 May Majestic was in a position close to shore, protected by submarine nets and surrounded by a fleet of transport ships which were discharging supplies. However, at 0645 the German submarine U-21 fired two torpedoes through gaps in the transports, and both torpedoes hit Majestic. The ship capsized in seven minutes although the order to abandon ship had been given earlier and so many lives were saved - about 40 of a ship's company of nearly 700 died either killed in the initial explosions or drowned when they became entangled in the submarine nets. Charles' body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial
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