Diver P.O. Alfred Edwin Church
Diver P.O. Alfred Edwin Church (Image courtesy of Lee Webster)
Name - Alfred Edwin Church
DOB - 3rd October 1879
Place of Birth - Windsor, Berkshire
Parents - Thomas and Alice
Early History - The son of a bricklayer, Alfred was the fourth child born. Aged just 1 on the 1881 census, he lived with his parents and 3 older siblings at the “Elephant and Castle” in the village of Clewer, Windsor. By the 1891 census Alfred and his family had moved to 8 Church Terrace, within the same village. He had gained a further 3 siblings and at the early age of 11, worked as a printer’s devil - possibly with his older brother Thomas who was also a printer’s apprentice. Alfred left his final civilian job, as a pot boy, on 5th May 1896 and joined the Navy as a Boy 2nd Class. He grew to 5’5” tall, had black hair and brown eyes, with a ruddy complexion and a scar on the side of his left eye.
Rank - Petty Officer (Ch) 188749
Service History -
HMS IMPREGNABLE - 05/05/1896 - 08/05/1896
HMS LION - 09/05/1896 - 13/09/1897, rising to Boy 1st Class on 04/02/1897
HMS PEMBROKE I - 14/09/1897 - 19/01/1898, rising to Ordinary Seaman on 06/10/1897
HMS VICTORIOUS - 20/01/1898 - 15/05/1900, rising to Able Seaman on 11/10/1898
HMS REVENGE - 16/05/1900 - 22/06/1900
HMS PEMBROKE I - 23/06/1900 - 06/09/1900
HMS HYACINTH - 07/09/1900 - 11/10/1900
HMS PEMBROKE - 12/10/1900 - 30/10/1900
HMS WILDFIRE - 31/10/1900 - 20/11/1901, it was while attached to WILDFIRE that Alfred first became qualified to dive, on 15/11/1901
HMS PEMBROKE I - 21/11/1901 - 20/03/1902, rising to Leading Seaman on 21/11/1901 and Petty Officer 2nd Class on 10/01/1902
HMS AMPHITRITE - 21/03/1902 - 25/03/1904, it was while attached to AMPHITRITE that Alfred also qualified as a Gunner
HMS VENGEANCE - 26/03/1904 - 31/03/1905
HMS BARFLEUR - 01/04/1905 - 09/05/1905
HMS WILDFIRE - 10/05/1905 - 04/04/1906
HMS PEMBROKE I - 05/04/1906 - 05/11/1906
HMS AFRICA - 06/11/1906 - 15/02/1909, rising to Petty Officer 11/02/1909
HMS PEMBROKE I - 16/02/1909 - 20/10/1910
HMS AGAMEMNON - 21/10/1910 - 03/10/1911
Following the newspaper reports of his death, it was noted also on his service record that he died of acute pneumonia and heart failure, his death certificate stating complications from pneumonia.
Sources:
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 - Free BMD
1881, 1891 England Census
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 320
British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty and predecessors: Office of the Director General of the Medical Department of the Navy and predecessors: Service Registers and Registers of Deaths and Injuries. Registers of Reports of Deaths
Researched by Wendy Sadler
HMS Agamemnon
Pall Mall Gazette - Tuesday 03 October 1911
NAVAL MISHAPS - A diver belonging to the battleship Agamemnon lost his life Scapa Flow yesterday by being dragged along the bottom whilst looking for a torpedo.
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Pall Mall Gazette - Tuesday 03 October 1911
NAVAL MISHAPS - A diver belonging to the battleship Agamemnon lost his life Scapa Flow yesterday by being dragged along the bottom whilst looking for a torpedo.
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Aberdeen Press and Journal - Thursday 05 October 1911
THE STRANDED CRUISER - The cruiser Blanche, which stranded in Orkneys during night exercises Monday, is still in Longhope Bay. Temporary repairs are being executed, and it is expected that the vessel will proceed south almost immediately. The scout Patrol is standing by the damaged ship. The destroyer Harpy remains to search for lost torpedoes.
NAVAL FUNERAL AT KIRKWALL The funeral took place at Kirkwall yesterday morning of Petty Officer Church, of the battleship Agamemnon, who died somewhat suddenly after diving in search of a lost torpedo. The funeral took place to St Magnus Churchyard. Deceased was unmarried man, 31 years of age, and belonged to Ryest Green, near Reading.
THE STRANDED CRUISER - The cruiser Blanche, which stranded in Orkneys during night exercises Monday, is still in Longhope Bay. Temporary repairs are being executed, and it is expected that the vessel will proceed south almost immediately. The scout Patrol is standing by the damaged ship. The destroyer Harpy remains to search for lost torpedoes.
NAVAL FUNERAL AT KIRKWALL The funeral took place at Kirkwall yesterday morning of Petty Officer Church, of the battleship Agamemnon, who died somewhat suddenly after diving in search of a lost torpedo. The funeral took place to St Magnus Churchyard. Deceased was unmarried man, 31 years of age, and belonged to Ryest Green, near Reading.
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Orcadian - Saturday 07 October 1911
DIVER'S SUDDEN DEATH - The sudden death of First Class Petty Officer Alfred Edwin Church, belonging to Ryest Green, near Reading, Berks, was reported to the police on Tuesday morning and the Superintendent spent most of the day on board the Agamemnon to which ship deceased belonged, taking evidence.
Reports are somewhat contradictory, and in one quarter we were informed that Church, who had been engaged as a diver looking for one of the battleship's torpedoes was knocked over when below water owing to the steam pinnace coming alongside the boat from which Church was working. However that may be, it is apparent that diving in such weather as was experienced on Monday would be a matter of much difficulty and not unattended with danger.
The depth of water in which the man was working was over twenty fathoms and it is said he was below for fully an hour.
He appeared to be quite well when he came on board the small boat but on the way back to the ship complained of violent pains in his chest. He died shortly before one o'clock on Tuesday morning. Deceased was 31 years of ago and unmarried.
The funeral took place on Wednesday morning to St Magnus Churchyard. The cortege was headed by the firing party then came the band, followed by the coffin carried in the Stromness hearse, surrounded by a number of deceased's messmates. The following party consisted of a big contingent of bluejackets, marines and officers. The service was conducted at graveside by the ship's chaplain. The wreaths deposited on the grave were numerous and all testified to the esteem in which deceased was held by all on board, and by his "old shipmates" on H.M.S. Dominion.
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Orcadian - Saturday 07 October 1911
DIVER'S SUDDEN DEATH - The sudden death of First Class Petty Officer Alfred Edwin Church, belonging to Ryest Green, near Reading, Berks, was reported to the police on Tuesday morning and the Superintendent spent most of the day on board the Agamemnon to which ship deceased belonged, taking evidence.
Reports are somewhat contradictory, and in one quarter we were informed that Church, who had been engaged as a diver looking for one of the battleship's torpedoes was knocked over when below water owing to the steam pinnace coming alongside the boat from which Church was working. However that may be, it is apparent that diving in such weather as was experienced on Monday would be a matter of much difficulty and not unattended with danger.
The depth of water in which the man was working was over twenty fathoms and it is said he was below for fully an hour.
He appeared to be quite well when he came on board the small boat but on the way back to the ship complained of violent pains in his chest. He died shortly before one o'clock on Tuesday morning. Deceased was 31 years of ago and unmarried.
The funeral took place on Wednesday morning to St Magnus Churchyard. The cortege was headed by the firing party then came the band, followed by the coffin carried in the Stromness hearse, surrounded by a number of deceased's messmates. The following party consisted of a big contingent of bluejackets, marines and officers. The service was conducted at graveside by the ship's chaplain. The wreaths deposited on the grave were numerous and all testified to the esteem in which deceased was held by all on board, and by his "old shipmates" on H.M.S. Dominion.
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Windsor and Eton Express - Saturday 14 October 1911
WINDSOR DIVER KILLED AT WORK.—" A diver belonging to the battleship Agamemnon lost his life in Scapa flow, a basin of the Orkney Islands, by being dragged along the sea-bottom while looking for a torpedo. This extract from a daily paper refers to the death, on October 2nd of First-class Petty Officer Alfred Church, a native of Windsor, where he was well known and highly respected. Deceased had been in the Navy 16 years, a large proportion of this time being spent on foreign service. He was a typical British sailor and had won many prizes for gunnery, being a heavy gun-layer as well as a diver. He was buried in Orkney Cathedral Cemetery on Wednesday, October 4th, with full naval honours.
WINDSOR DIVER KILLED AT WORK.—" A diver belonging to the battleship Agamemnon lost his life in Scapa flow, a basin of the Orkney Islands, by being dragged along the sea-bottom while looking for a torpedo. This extract from a daily paper refers to the death, on October 2nd of First-class Petty Officer Alfred Church, a native of Windsor, where he was well known and highly respected. Deceased had been in the Navy 16 years, a large proportion of this time being spent on foreign service. He was a typical British sailor and had won many prizes for gunnery, being a heavy gun-layer as well as a diver. He was buried in Orkney Cathedral Cemetery on Wednesday, October 4th, with full naval honours.
P.O A Church headstone (Photo: Fran Flett Hollinrake)
Royal Navy Divers At Portsmouth.
Footnote: THE LOST TORPEDOES FOUND. On Saturday last the 18-inch Heater torpedo, which was lost the previous Saturday, from H.M.S. Saracen whilst engaged in exercises in Scapa Flow, was found at Howequoy Head, Holm, by Robt. Bews, St Mary's. During the day the torpedo was towed round to Scapa Pier. On Sunday evening, H.M.S. Saracen arrived and after taking the torpedo on board left on Monday morning for Fortrose. On Monday of last week, while H.M.S. Agamemnon was engaged in torpedo exercises in Scapa Flow, an 18-inch Whitehead torpedo sank at a point about one mile S.E. by S. from Toyness Jetty, Smoogro Bay. Yesterday (Tuesday) information was received at Kirkwall that the torpedo had been found by Charles Langskaill, Holm, in Graemeshall Bay, Holm. (Orkney Herald, and Weekly Advertiser and Gazette for the Orkney & Zetland Islands - Wednesday 11 October 1911)
