Seaman 2094D, H.M.S. Goliath, Royal Naval Reserve. Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action 13 May 1915. Born 4 March 1870 at Mousehole, Cornwall. Husabnd of Sarah J.Bennetts, of 7, Wesley Place, Newlyn, Penzance, Cornwall. No Known grave. Commemorated on PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Devon. Panel 8.

Note: HMS Goliath was one of the six Canopus-class pre-dreadnought battleships built by the Royal Navy in the late 19th century. On 13 May 1915 Goliath was sunk in Morto Bay off Cape Helles by two torpedoes from the Turkish torpedo boat destroyer Muâvenet-i Millîye, which was manned by a combined German and Turkish crew, taking 570 of the 700-strong crew to the bottom including her commanding officer, Captain Thomas Lawrie Shelford. [Source: Wikipedia: HMS Goliath]

Details researched by St Agnes Museum

Charles John COLBRAN was born on 30th December 1884. In the 1891 Census, age 7, he is living at 1, Priory Road Summer Hill Cottage, Ore, Sussex with his father Thomas (William) 38 Excavating Labourer and mother Mary J. (Jane) 40 Charwoman and brother and sisters, Elizabeth A. (Ann) 13, Caroline R. 12, Thomas G. 8 and Phyllis J. 4, all five children were born in Hastings.

Conning tower of H5 probably on return to harbour after sinking U51.

He joined the Royal Navy on 1st March 1900 as a Boy 2nd Class, Official Number 208778. He started in H.M.S. Impregnable, a training ship at Devonport, joining H.M.S. St. Vincent, the Boys’ training establishment in Gosport, on 27th July 1900 staying there until 7th August 1901. He is recorded there in the 1901 Census. On 8th August 1901 he joined H.M.S. Agincourt, a training ship at Portland, as a Boy 1st Class before joining H.M.S. Pomone, a protected cruiser, on 26th September 1901. While in H.M.S. Pomone he was rated Ordinary Seaman on his eighteenth birthday, when his 12 year engagement started, rated Able Seaman on 9th January 1904 and awarded the Africa General Service Medal. He left H.M.S. Pomone on 23rd August 1904, serving for nearly two years in H.M.S. Goliath before training on torpedoes at H.M.S. Vernon, the torpedo school in Portsmouth, in 1907. After nine months in H.M.S. Grafton he spent his time in submarine depot ships in Portsmouth until 1913. He was probably borne for service in the attached submarines. He was then sixteen weeks at H.M.S. Dolphin, the submarine school at Portsmouth, followed by a short spell in barracks.

His service certificate is then marked “Western St Agnes Btn” from 10th October 1913 to 31st July 1914. Research is needed to determine what was the naval connection. He must have made an impression in the village to have been commemorated here.

He joined H.M.S. Eclipse on 1st August 1914 as the Navy mobilised. She was a lightly armoured 6 inch cruiser and was with Cruiser Force G in the Channel, capturing a German merchantman on 10th August and another on the 10th September. For some misdemeanour he did 7 days in cells at the end of November and left the ship on 6th March 1915. After time in various shore establishments he joined H.M.S. Alecto (depot ship in Portsmouth), for submarine H5, on 22nd October 1915. H5 had been built at Ottawa in somewhat peculiar political circumstances, another story.

He was rated Leading Seaman on 20th January 1916. He was gazetted with the Distinguished Service Medal on 5th September 1916, for which there is sadly no citation but almost certainly as recognition of the torpedoing of U51 by H5 on 14th July 1916. H5 was transferred to the care of H.M.S. Vulcan on 1st March 1917. COLBRAN was rated Petty Officer on 1st October 1917. By this time H5 had five holders of the Distinguished Service Medal in her ship’s company.

On February 26th 1918 H5 sailed from Berehaven to carry out a patrol in Carnarvon Bay. At 2030 on the 2nd March S.S. Rutherglen spotted a submarine crossing her bow in time for her to steer to ram her thinking it was a U-Boat. H5 failed to return so that the conclusion is that it was her whom S.S. Rutherglen rammed, particularly as the position reported was on H5’s patrol line. Thereby hangs another less savoury tale.

His sister, Elizabeth Ann CAPON of 3, Moores Road, Dorking was notified of Charles’ death. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, the St. Agnes Village Memorial, the St. Agnes Church Roll of Honour and the Dorking War Memorial.

Medals: Distinguished Service Medal, Africa General Service Medal (Clasp for Somaliland 1902-04), 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Sapper 121844, 183rd Tunnelling Comapny, Royal Engineers. Killed in action 1 December 1915. Aged 42. Born Redruth, enlisted Camborne, resident St Agnes. Husband of Bessie Davey, of British Rd., St. Agnes, Cornwall. No known grave. Commemorated on THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Pier and Face 8 A and 8 D.

Lieutenant (adjutant), 63rd Battery, 10th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds 3 July 1915. at Nasyeriah, Mesopotamia. Aged 25. Son of Major George and Mrs R M Gilpin of Goonown House, St Agnes, Cornwall. Twice Mentoned in Despatches. Buried in BASRA WAR CEMETERY, Iraq. Plot V. Row W. Grave 17.

His father was Major George Gilpin O.B.E of the Royal Sussex Regiment. when he lived at Goonbell, St Agnes. The Seagoe Parish Magazine of July 1926 states:

Private 9101, 3rd Regiment (Infantry), South African Infantry. Died 20th September 1917. Aged 27. Son of the late Thomas Henry and Louisa Harris, husband of Charlotte Jane Webber (formerly Harris) of Alma Cottages, Higher Town, Truro, Cornwall. Commemorated on the YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 15 - 16 and 16A

Gunner, H.M.S. "Laurel," Royal Navy. Killed in action off Heligoland 28 August 1914. Born 10 May 1878. Enrolled in Navy 17 December 1904, assigned H.M.S. Laurel 11 March 1914. Baptised 19 September 1877 in St. Agnes (near Truro), Cornwall, son of Robert and Elizabeth Jane Radcliffe. Medals sent to his widow. In the 1881 census he was aged 3, born St. Agnes, Cornwall, a scholar, resident with his mother, Elizabeth Jane Radcliffe, in Cottage Row, St Agnes, Truro, Cornwall. In the 1891 census he was listed as Ratcliffe, he was aged 14, born St. Agens, Cornwall, assistant in store, resident with his mother at Peterville, St Agnes, Cornwall. In the 1911 census he was aged 33, born St. Agnes, married, in the Navy, a Gunner T, aboard H.M.S. Exe, a torpedo boat destroyer, moored in Portland Pens. Buried at sea. No known grave. Commemorated on PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Devon. Panel 1.

Extract from the “Cornishman” - Thursday 3 September 1914:

CORNISH GUNNER KILLED IN ACTION
MR. SAMUEL RADCLIFFE, OF ST. AGNES.

Cornish folk will learn with profound regret that Gunner Samuel Radcliffe, who is among the killed in the recent naval engagement with the German cruisers and torpedo boats in the North Sea, is Warrant Officer Radcliffe, a brother of Mr. Radcliffe, schoolmaster, of Hayle, and a native of St. Agnes. Deceased was a handsome and genial young officer, who attended the last Hayle Regatta, and took part in the races. He married Miss Hill, daughter of Mr. Joseph Hill, builder, of The Lizard, and was therefore brother-in- law of Mr. Frederic Pope, formerly of the "Cornish Post," Camborne, whom he was accustomed to visit when leave. He leaves a widow and child named Edna, with whom the greatest sympathy will be felt in this terrible bereavement. Deceased had lived at Sheerness and at Plymouth when ashore, and was smart debonair officer in his gold laced uniform and sword. Quiet and genial he was popular at Hayle, St. Agnes, and everywhere where he was well-known, and the announcement, of his death—although earned nobly defending his country-will be lamented far and wide.

Details researched by St Agnes Museum

In the 1881 Census Alfred RICKARD, age 6, Scholar, was living on Town Hill with his family: Elisha, his father, 44 Hairdresser, his mother Susan 46, Anna Jane 24 Dressmaker, Edward 21 Hairdresser, Fredrick 19 Iron Miner, James 17 Blacksmith, William H. 15 Scholar, John 13 Hairdresser, Bessie 10 Scholar. With them was John RICKARD 60 a Visitor and an Iron Miner. All the children were born in St. Agnes and his parents had been born in St. Austell. St. Agnes Boys’ School Log for 9th December 1885 reads "Alfred Rickard fell while racing and carrying Willie Weston and broke his thigh".

In the 1891 Census Alfred 16 Hairdresser and Carrier (Employee) was living on Town Hill with his father Elisha 54 Hairdresser and Carrier (Employer) and his mother Susan 56. Living with them was George TAMLING 18 as a servant but also employed as a General Labourer. By the 1901 Census he is living with his brother John, Hairdresser and Tobacconist, and his family at 11, Harbour View, Fowey. He is working as a Hairdresser, apparently with his brother. His brother’s wife Florence is 32 and his children are Rupert W. 5 and Catherine I. 4. Elizabeth RICKARD 60 and single is also with the family recorded as General Servant Domestic. He married Wilhelmina FLYNN (born Feltham, Middlesex) in the June quarter of 1905. In 1911 he is at Town Hill with his wife 35 and daughter Lorna 5 and working as a Hairdresser on his own account. Journal No.3 of the St. Agnes Museum Trust contains an article on Elisha.

Alfred was called up and attested at Bodmin on 23rd July 1918. His Medical Record states his occupation as Farming although there is no evidence for that. His medical category was B(1). He was posted to the 3rd Reserve Battalion, Army Service Corps (Horse Transport) at Woolwich with the rank of Driver and given the regimental number T/425723. He spent five weeks in Brook War Hospital in Woolwich with Sciatica (Right) in August 1918. His family believes that he was employed as an Ambulance Driver. He was on Christmas leave when he was admitted to hospital on 8th December with Erysipelas of the face and died on the 14th December 1918. Dr. W. C. Whitworth attended later sending his invoice for one guinea to Woolwich. Some of the records are difficult to read but it seems possible his wife, known as Minnie and surviving until 1960, was present at his death. She was granted a pension and a smaller one to his daughter Lorna.

He is buried in Stile Fields Cemetery (C 859A), close to the Museum entrance. His Bronze Memorial Plaque eventually fell off his headstone and was recovered by the Museum and displayed with the permission of his great niece. He is commemorated on the St. Agnes Village Memorial, and on the St. Agnes Church Memorial and Roll of Honour.

Ordinary Seaman Bristol Z/621, 4th Battalion, Royal Naval Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Died from disease 12 February 1915. Aged 19. Born 16 June 1896. Son of the late John and Elizabeth Strike of Quay, St Agnes, Cornwall. Buried in BECKENHAM CREMATORIUM AND CEMETERY, Kent. Grave reference W4. 6816.

1939 - 1945

Flight Lieutenant 60856, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died during the Japanese invasion of Singapore 14 February 1942. No known grave. Commemorated on SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore. Column 412.