In Memory of Commander JOHN SHARPEY SCHAFER H.M.S. "Gaillardia.", Royal Navy who died age 36 on 22 March 1918 Son of Sir Edward Sharpey Schafer, F.R.S., and Maud Schafer, of North Berwick; husband of Ruth Bateman-Champain (formerly Schafer) of Greystones, Shanklin, Isle of Wight. Served in H.M.S. King George V. for the greater part of the war, was at Jutland, and was specially lent for the surveying operations for the North Sea minefield. Remembered with honour CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL SCHAFER John Sharpey Commander, H.M.S. "Gaillardia", Royal Navy. Died 22nd March 1918. Aged 36. Employed as a Planter on the Devon Estate. Son of Sir Edward Sharpey Schafer, F.R.S., and Maud Schafer, of North Berwick; husband of Ruth Bateman-Champain (formerly Schafer) of Greystones, Shanklin, Isle of Wight. Served in H.M.S. King George V. for the greater part of the war, was at Jutland, and was specially lent for the surveying operations for the North Sea minefield. No known grave. Commemorated on CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL, Kent. Panel 27. Extract from de Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-18 - Part Five - Page 148: SCHAFER, JOHN SHARPEY, Acting Commander, Royal Navy, elder s. of Sir Edward Sharpey Schafer, Kt. Bach., LL.I)., F.R.S., of Edinburgh University and Marly Knowe, North Berwick, Co. Haddington, by his wife, Maud, eldest dau. of Adolphus William Dixey; and brother to Liout. T. S. K. Schafer (see Vol. II., page 270); b. Elstree, Co. Hertford, 29 June, 1881; educ. Ascham Rouse, Bournemouth, and R.M.8. Britannia (passing in second on the list); served as Midshipman on H.M.S. Bonaventure, on the China Station, and took part in the operations Consequent on the Boxer Rebellion in 1890 (China Medal); subsequently served as Sub-Lieut. in home waters, and as Lieut. on the Indian Station, where he was engaged in various expeditions connected with the suppression of the slave trade and the illicit importation of arms on the Somaliland coast and in the Persian Gulf; was appointed Naval Assistant in the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty in March, 1907; was placed, at his own request, on the Retired List as Lieut.-Commander in 1912 ; went to Malacea in May of the same year, being engaged in rubber planting; on the outbreak of war rejoined the Navy, being appointed to the Staff of the Admiral in command. of the China Station at Singapore: in Jan. 1915, was appointed to H.M.S. King George, Flagship of the 2nd Battle Squadron; was present in her at the Battle of Jutland 31 May, 1916; promoted Acting Commander and Navigator on the Staff soon after that engagement. He was instrumental in introducing improvements in tactics which have been adopted by the Admiralty; In Nov. 1917, he was selected for special surveying service, in connection with the establishment of the Great Northern Barrage Mine Field between Scotland and Norway, and temporarily appointed to H.M.S. Gaillardia for this purpose, and was lost when that ship was sunk by a mine 22 March, 1918. He m. at St. Mary Abbott s, Kensington, W., 9 Nov. 1907, Ruth, yst. dau. of William Hutchinson, and had two sons: Edward Peter, b. 22 Sept. 1908, and John Michael, b. 18 Oct. 1911. Note: H.M.S. Gaillardia was an Aubretia Class Convoy Sloop, 1,250 tons, 17 knots, 92 crew and was built with mercantile appearances and used as Q-ship. On 22nd March 1918, in the North Sea, off the Orkney Islands she was carrying out bouying operations in the newly-laid Northern Barrage between Scotland and Norway aimed at interrupting the passage of U-boats into the North Atlantic, when she was blown up and sunk by one of the barrage mines. Although most sources put her loss down to mines, at least one suggests she was torpedoed http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Overseas/malaccaww1.html Also remembered Singapore Cenotaph SCHAFER John Sharpey Commander, H.M.S. Gaillardia, Royal Navy. Died 22nd March 1918. Aged 36. Son of Sir Edward Sharpey Schafer, F.R.S., and Maud Schafer, of North Berwick; husband of Ruth Bateman-Champain (formerly Schafer) of Greystones, Shanklin, Isle of Wight. Served in H.M.S. King George V. for the greater part of the war, was at Jutland, and was specially lent for the surveying operations for the North Sea minefield. No known grave. Commemorated on CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL, Kent. Panel 27. http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Overseas/SingaporeCenotaph.html Also memorial at St Baldreds Church Dirleton Rd North Berwick LOTHIAN SCOTLAND On top: "their name liveth for evermore" "sunset and evening star one clear call for me" "par nobile fratum" TO THE DEAR MEMORY OF THOMAS/ SYDNEY SCHAFER 2nd LIEUTENANT/ 13th BATT. NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS/ WHO FELL IN ACTIN AT LOOS/ IN FRANCE SEPTEMBER 26th 1915/ AGED 24 YEARS & OF JOHN SHARPEY/ SCHAFER COMMANDER ROYAL NAVY/ WHO WAS KILLED AT SEA MARCH 22nd/ 1918 AGED 36 YEARS ONLY SONS OF/ EDWARD SHARPEY SCHAFER KNT. F.R.S./ OF LITTLE GILLIONS CROXLEY GREEN/ AND MARLY KNOWE NORTH BERWICK/ AND OF MAUD HIS WIFE/ "DULCE AT DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI" In Memory of Lieutenant THOMAS SYDNEY SCHAFER 13th Bn., Northumberland Fusiliers who died age 24 on 26 September 1915 Son of Sir Edward Sharpey H. Schafer, F.R.S., of Marly Knowe, North Berwick, and Little Gillions, Croxley Green, Herts, and his wife, Mary Schafer. Scholar of Caius College, Cambridge. Nat. Science Tripos, 1912; Medical Student at University College Hospital, London. Enlisted Aug., 1914, in Australian Voluntary Hospital (Cpl.) and sent at once to France. Gazetted December 1914. Remembered with honour LOOS MEMORIAL
Pictures of the sloop HMS Gaillardia are very hard to come by so apologies for the poor quality of this one which is the only picture of her that I have ever seen.
Thanks Cally - that's great ... I kept looking but couldn't find anything ...... !! In case anybody else is interested ... heres the casualty list .. Gaillardia, ship lost - Mined and sunk on 22nd March 1918 AUSTIN, Herbert G J, Telegraphist, J 32620 (Ch) BENNETT, Fred, Leading Stoker, K 15843 (Ch) BLANDFORD, Arthur, Officer's Steward 1c, L 6586 (Ch) BRAGG, Sidney A, Ordinary Seaman, J 69973 (Ch) BRETT, William R, Chief Petty Officer, 183718 (Ch) BUSBY, Edward H, Stoker 1c, K 31922 (Ch) BUY, Penry W, Petty Officer, 234994 (Ch) CARGILL, George R, Stoker 1c, SS 109513 (Ch) CLEMENS, Basil S, Carpenter's Crew, M 5783 (Ch) CLIFFORD, Frederick J, Stoker 1c, K 14072 (Ch) COLLINS, William C H, Able Seaman, J 27452 (Ch) DEVELIN, Arthur J, Stoker Petty Officer, 298957 (Ch) DONALD, James, Ordinary Telegraphist, J 41205 (Ch) ENTICOTT, Alfred E, Ordinary Seaman, J 66195 (Ch) GOFF, William A, Leading Stoker, K 16670 (Ch) HANCOCK, Arthur C, Stoker 1c, K 14570 (Ch) HANSFORD, Frederick C, Stoker 1c, K 20644 (Ch) HANSON, Arthur, Able Seaman, SS 3827 (Ch) HARRISON, William, Shipwright 2c, M 6726 (Ch) HAWKES, Albert, Stoker 1c, K 9587 (Ch) HEWSON, Albert E, Stoker Petty Officer, 307561 (Ch) HISLOP, Alexander, Ordinary Seaman, J 74987 (Ch) JACKSON, Henry G, Able Seaman, 213851 (Ch) JARVIS, George S, Chief Stoker, 283016 (Ch) JOYCE, George F, Able Seaman, J 27188 (Ch) KELTON, Victor F, Ordinary Seaman, J 64278 (Ch) KING, Thomas E, Petty Officer, 233788 (Ch) KINGWELL, William E, Stoker 1c, K 18976 (Ch) LANE, Herbert, Act/Stoker Petty Officer, K 29225 (Ch) MACKAY, John, Engine Room Artificer, RNR, EA 1500 MARSH, Frederick H, Able Seaman, J 2651 (Ch) MAWHINNEY, William, Stoker Petty Officer (RFR B 1908), 289182 (Ch) MAYNARD, William J, Able Seaman, J 27805 (Ch) MCGRADY, James, Stoker 1c, K 21819 (Ch) MCINDOE, William, Act/Engine Room Artificer 4c, M 15864 (Ch) MILLER, Henry J, Stoker 1c, 300159 (Ch) MILLER, James S, Leading Stoker, 309848 (Ch) MOUNT, Sidney G, Stoker 1c, K 530 (Ch) NAPIER, Joseph, Stoker Petty Officer, 296315 (Ch) NEWMAN, Edwin J St C, Able Seaman, 234778 (Ch) ODELL, Herbert A, 3rd Writer, M 18380 (Ch) PENDLEBURY, William H, Petty Officer, J 17815 (Ch) PHELPS, Thomas S, Ty/Assistant Paymaster, RNR POUT, Percy J, Able Seaman (RFR B 9745), 206679 (Ch) RAYNER, Sidney E, Able Seaman, J 11594 (Ch) RICHER, Arthur S, Able Seaman, SS 5621 (Ch) RUSSELL, George J A, Stoker 1c, SS 115054 (Ch) SCHAFER, John S, Commander SENTANCE, George W H, Stoker 1c, K 34787 (Ch) SHERRIFF, Lancelot B, Officer's Steward 3c, L 8456 (Ch) SINCLAIR, Charles H, Stoker 1c, K 10004 (Ch) SMITH, Arthur G, Officer's Steward 2c, L 8162 (Ch) STOTT, Fred, Leading Telegraphist, J 19834 (Dev) SWAN, Albert, Chief Engine Room Artificer, RNR, EA 1603 SWAN, George A, Stoker Petty Officer, 308396 (Ch) THACKER, Frederick, Stoker 1c, K 37866 (Ch) THOMPSON, Walter, Stoker 1c, K 21077 (Ch) UNWIN, Michael E, Stoker Petty Officer, K 3129 (Ch) VINEY, William F, Victualling Assistant, M 12321 (Ch) WADHAM, Charles, Leading Seaman, 230205 (Ch) WALDER, George, Stoker 1c, K 18987 (Ch) WANGER, Charles, Stoker 1c, SS 116194 (Ch) WATERS, George A, Signalman, RNVR, London Z 1919 WEBLEY, James J, Able Seaman, J 25374 (Ch) WEST, Frank, Engine Room Artificer 3c, M 10945 (Ch) WOOD, Charles, Leading Seaman, J 14005 (Ch)
Heres two of the men Thomas Edward King, 233788, was a Petty Officer on the HMS Gaillardia, He died on 22nd March 1918, when he was 29, and is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. The wreck lies in the North Sea. He was the husband of Emily Minnie King, of 5 Woolcomber Lane, Dover, and the son of Mr and Mrs King of 20 Noah's Ark Road, Dover MAWHINNEY William Petty Officer Stoker. HMS Gaillardia. Killed by explosion on board ship. Service no. 289182. Had 20 years’ service, enlisted as boy sailor. Next of kin Mr. Thomas McKeen, Bryan Street, Ballymena. Named Chatham Naval Memorial.
My Great Uncle was George Swan, Stoker Petty Officer. His brother, my grandfather Charles Swan was on another ship and saw the Gaillardia go down. So glad to find a picture of the Gaillardia to add to my family history, and to the special War Casualties file we have for Remembrance. Sadly my mother's family lost touch with his widow and children and we have found no trace of them. Lesley Taylor
Hi Lesley and welcome ! Thank you for posting your family story - I'm sure Cally will be really pleased the photo is of interest to you ! If there is anything we can do to help your research - please don't hesitate to ask ! Annie
Commander John Sharpey Schafer was my wife's grandfather so the picture of the Gaillardia from Cally was especially poignant as was the other information on this thread. In memory of "Jack" Schafer the family name was changed in 1918 and my wife's maiden name was "Sharpey-Schafer"
