HM Submarine C-34
HMS C 34 . 17/07/1917
Displacement: 321 grt.
Length: 43.6 m. Beam: 4.1 m. Draught: 3.51 m.
Propulsion: 1 x diesel engine (600 hp), 1 x electric engine (200 hp electric), 1 screw.
Complement: 19 officers and men.
Armament: 2 torpedoes, 2 x 18"/450 mm T.T.
Displacement: 321 grt.
Length: 43.6 m. Beam: 4.1 m. Draught: 3.51 m.
Propulsion: 1 x diesel engine (600 hp), 1 x electric engine (200 hp electric), 1 screw.
Complement: 19 officers and men.
Armament: 2 torpedoes, 2 x 18"/450 mm T.T.
Submarine C 34 was built at the Royal Navy Dockyard, Chatham in 1910. In 1917 C 34 was attached to HMS Lucia based at Scapa Flow.
HMS C34 left Scapa Flow on 16th July 1917 at 19.00 hrs. C 34 was in escort with C 19 and HMS Medusa and was to patrol north of Fair Isle and up to Shetland and act as protection to Lerwick Convoys.
On the 21st July 1917 C 34 was scheduled to meet with C 19 off the NE corner of Fair Isle but C 34 failed to do so. Radio messages were sent telling C 34 to return to base.
On the 22nd July 1917 C 34 was listed as 15 hours overdue. Fair Isle and Sumburgh were asked to keep a lookout. A submarine was sighted but turned out to be C 22.
On the 23rd July 1917 there was a report in the Dutch press that C.34 had been sunk and one survivor, a stoker was taken prisoner.
Edinburgh Evening News - Thursday 26 July 1917
U BOAT SINKS SUBMARINE STOKER THE ONLY SURVIVOR. The Admiralty has issued the following statement: An official wireless communique from Berlin on July 22 states that H.M. submarine C 34 (Lieutenant Ingleby S. Jefferson, R.N.) has been sunk an enemy submarine. The only survivor, a stoker (name not given), has been taken prisoner. All the next-of-kin in both cases have been informed. [The "C" class submarines has a displacement about tons Above water their speed is knots, it is 10 knots. They carry a crew officers and men.]
HMS C34 left Scapa Flow on 16th July 1917 at 19.00 hrs. C 34 was in escort with C 19 and HMS Medusa and was to patrol north of Fair Isle and up to Shetland and act as protection to Lerwick Convoys.
On the 21st July 1917 C 34 was scheduled to meet with C 19 off the NE corner of Fair Isle but C 34 failed to do so. Radio messages were sent telling C 34 to return to base.
On the 22nd July 1917 C 34 was listed as 15 hours overdue. Fair Isle and Sumburgh were asked to keep a lookout. A submarine was sighted but turned out to be C 22.
On the 23rd July 1917 there was a report in the Dutch press that C.34 had been sunk and one survivor, a stoker was taken prisoner.
Edinburgh Evening News - Thursday 26 July 1917
U BOAT SINKS SUBMARINE STOKER THE ONLY SURVIVOR. The Admiralty has issued the following statement: An official wireless communique from Berlin on July 22 states that H.M. submarine C 34 (Lieutenant Ingleby S. Jefferson, R.N.) has been sunk an enemy submarine. The only survivor, a stoker (name not given), has been taken prisoner. All the next-of-kin in both cases have been informed. [The "C" class submarines has a displacement about tons Above water their speed is knots, it is 10 knots. They carry a crew officers and men.]
U 52
It had been widely documented, in some books and on crew memorials, that the date of loss was 21st July 1917. This was the date the submarine was listed as overdue. It is known that C34 was sunk by U 52 (Kptlt. Franz Krapohl). A review of U 52's KTB (logbook) shows the date of sinking to be 17th July 1917.
U 52 sighted C 34 stopped on the surface and manoeuvred into a position to attack. U 52 fired one torpedo from 500m.
The torpedo struck just aft of the conning tower and C 34 exploded and sunk immediately.
When U 52 surfaced they found, among some wreckage, one survivor, Stoker Frank Scoble K.22307 (Dev) who was recovered and taken prisoner.
On being recovered from the water Frank Scoble said to U 52's commander Kptlt. Franz Krapohl ''You won the game''.
U 52 sighted C 34 stopped on the surface and manoeuvred into a position to attack. U 52 fired one torpedo from 500m.
The torpedo struck just aft of the conning tower and C 34 exploded and sunk immediately.
When U 52 surfaced they found, among some wreckage, one survivor, Stoker Frank Scoble K.22307 (Dev) who was recovered and taken prisoner.
On being recovered from the water Frank Scoble said to U 52's commander Kptlt. Franz Krapohl ''You won the game''.
KTB (logbook) U 52 sinking C 34 with translation
U Boat Grid map showing ''069''
Stories
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Tuesday 14 August 1917
The Fight Between Submarines.
A rather unusual story appeared in the ''Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer'' based on an article in an American newspaper the ''Schenectuckt Gazette''.
The article describes a battle between an unnamed U boat and the British submarine C34 but contains many mistakes.
It claims the action took place of the Frisian Islands but it in fact took place off Shetland. The location in given in both the KTB and also the submarines orders which were to operate off Fair Isle, Scotland.
It claimed the submarine and U boat exchanged gunfire until, after 55 shots, C 34 was hit ''fairly'' and sank. The KTB from U 52 clearly shows C 34 was sunk by torpedo and may not even have been aware U 52 was there as no record of any defensive action.
It claimed the men operating the deck gun were thrown into the water and then one of them recovered. C 34 did not have a deck gun.
Stoker Frank Scoble was taken prisoner and ended up in Germany at Brandenburg prison of war camp.
Edinburgh Evening News - Thursday 26 July 1917
U BOAT SINKS SUBMARINE STOKER THE ONLY SURVIVOR. The Admiralty has issued the following statement: An official wireless communique from Berlin on July 22 states that H.M. submarine C 34 (Lieutenant Ingleby S. Jefferson, R.N.) has been sunk an enemy submarine. The only survivor, a stoker (name not given), has been taken prisoner. All the next-of-kin in both cases have been informed. [The "C" class submarines has a displacement about 320 tons Above water their speed is 14 knots, below it is 10 knots. They carry a crew of 16 officer and men.
U BOAT SINKS SUBMARINE STOKER THE ONLY SURVIVOR. The Admiralty has issued the following statement: An official wireless communique from Berlin on July 22 states that H.M. submarine C 34 (Lieutenant Ingleby S. Jefferson, R.N.) has been sunk an enemy submarine. The only survivor, a stoker (name not given), has been taken prisoner. All the next-of-kin in both cases have been informed. [The "C" class submarines has a displacement about 320 tons Above water their speed is 14 knots, below it is 10 knots. They carry a crew of 16 officer and men.
HM Submarine C-34
The Wreck Today.
To date the wreck of the C 34 has not been located. UKHO gave a position in 1983 of 59 51.00N, 01 05.00W.
This area was searched in 1985 with side scan sonar but no wreck was located and gave the comment
''CONSIDERED THAT CONTACT IS NO LONGER CLOSE TO ITS QUOTED POSN, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WRECKAGE HAS MOVED SINCE 1917 IN THE RELATIVELY STRONG TIDAL STREAMS IN THE AREA.''
069 is a large grid square and above Latitude longitude is approximately centre of the grid square.
The Crew - (Research ongoing)
Survivor
Frank Scoble - image courtesy of John Priestley and Gosport Submarine Museum.
Frank Scoble - Survivor of C34 and Prisoner of War
(Dev) K 22307, Stoker 1st Class
Born to parents Richard Scoble and Katie Terrill, Frank was actually registered as John Francis Scoble, born on 20th March 1898 (although all Navy documents and the 1939 register date the year as 1896). The second of 3 children, he had an older brother Richard and younger sister named Edith.
He was recorded on the 1901 census living with his parents and brother Richard in Redruth, Cornwall, aged 3, but by 1911 the family had been separated by tragedy. His mother Kate had died in the March quarter of 1902 (in childbirth?) - with the possibility of their father Richard not being able to cope with 3 growing children, Richard, Frank (as he was known by then) and Edith lived with their Aunt Mary and her large family.
On leaving school Frank worked as a fish shop assistant, but the call of adventure or a better income prompted him to join the Navy on a 12 year service (initially!). On first entry he was recorded as 5’3” tall, with brown hair and brown eyes, growing to 5’6”, joining HMS VIVID II on 20th April 1914 as a Stoker 2nd Class. He stated his birth year on this form as 1896, making him 18, instead of the actual 16. His service record spanned 2 World Wars with an incredible tale in the middle of it…..
HMS VIVID - 29/04/1914 – 29/07/1914
HMS ISIS - 30/07/1914 - 04/03/1917, rising to Stoker 1st class on 30th March 1917
HMS DOLPHIN - 05/03/1917 - 05/04/1917
HMS MAIDSTONE - 06/04/1917 - 30/06/1917
HMS LUCIA - 01/07/1917 - 22/08/1917 (posted to HM SM C34) - It was in the mid afternoon on the 17th July 1917 that the submarine was torpedoed by German U Boat U 52, at 3:46 hrs Berlin Time. All lives were lost aboard the British vessel, except Frank’s - he was rescued from the water and wreckage and taken prisoner and was noted in German records as saying “ You won the game”. Initially unknown that he was interred at Brandenburg, the Admiralty were informed via letter from his Aunt Mary following receipt of a letter to the family on the 23rd August from the War Prisoners Aid YMCA in London
(see pics).
(Dev) K 22307, Stoker 1st Class
Born to parents Richard Scoble and Katie Terrill, Frank was actually registered as John Francis Scoble, born on 20th March 1898 (although all Navy documents and the 1939 register date the year as 1896). The second of 3 children, he had an older brother Richard and younger sister named Edith.
He was recorded on the 1901 census living with his parents and brother Richard in Redruth, Cornwall, aged 3, but by 1911 the family had been separated by tragedy. His mother Kate had died in the March quarter of 1902 (in childbirth?) - with the possibility of their father Richard not being able to cope with 3 growing children, Richard, Frank (as he was known by then) and Edith lived with their Aunt Mary and her large family.
On leaving school Frank worked as a fish shop assistant, but the call of adventure or a better income prompted him to join the Navy on a 12 year service (initially!). On first entry he was recorded as 5’3” tall, with brown hair and brown eyes, growing to 5’6”, joining HMS VIVID II on 20th April 1914 as a Stoker 2nd Class. He stated his birth year on this form as 1896, making him 18, instead of the actual 16. His service record spanned 2 World Wars with an incredible tale in the middle of it…..
HMS VIVID - 29/04/1914 – 29/07/1914
HMS ISIS - 30/07/1914 - 04/03/1917, rising to Stoker 1st class on 30th March 1917
HMS DOLPHIN - 05/03/1917 - 05/04/1917
HMS MAIDSTONE - 06/04/1917 - 30/06/1917
HMS LUCIA - 01/07/1917 - 22/08/1917 (posted to HM SM C34) - It was in the mid afternoon on the 17th July 1917 that the submarine was torpedoed by German U Boat U 52, at 3:46 hrs Berlin Time. All lives were lost aboard the British vessel, except Frank’s - he was rescued from the water and wreckage and taken prisoner and was noted in German records as saying “ You won the game”. Initially unknown that he was interred at Brandenburg, the Admiralty were informed via letter from his Aunt Mary following receipt of a letter to the family on the 23rd August from the War Prisoners Aid YMCA in London
(see pics).
Letter from Frank's Aunt Mary informing Admiralty of his capture - National Archives
Brandenburg Prison of War camp (Brandenburg An Der Havel) was a camp 40 miles west of Berlin. Many Royal Navy and merchant sailor's of various nationality's were held here. Most prisoners would arrive at the camp via barges on the river Havel.
Image courtesy of John Priestley and Gosport Submarine Museum.
Above: Brandenburg Prison of War Camp . British Sailors at Brandenburg in winter of 1916/17
(Folkstone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald 28th July 1917)
Image courtesty of John Priestley and Gosport Submarine Museum.
Service history continued.....
HMS DOLPHIN - 23/08/1917 - 13/11/1918
HMS PRESIDENT V (POW) - 14/11/1918 - 31/01/1919, repatriated to the United Kingdom in 1918
HMS DOLPHIN - 01/02/1919 - 20/10/1919
HMS LUCIA (L18) - 21/10/1919 - 25/05/1922 - It was while stationed at the submarine depot ship that Frank was awarded his Star, Victory and British war medals. He also married Lottie Bryant in the December of 1920 in Plymouth.
HMS MAIDSTONE (H22) - 26/05/1922 - 30/06/1923 - while stationed here Frank became a father for the first time, to a girl, Joyce, born in June 1922.
HMS MAIDSTONE (??6??) - 01/07/1923 - 14/01/1924 - Frank again became a father, to a son, Frank Jnr.
HMS MAIDSTONE ( ???) - 15/01/1924 - 29/05/1924, rising to Acting Leading Stoker
HMS DOLPHIN - 30/05/1924 - 06/06/1924
HMS DOLPHIN (H34) - 07/06/1924 - 02/12/1924, rising to Leading Stoker on 15/01/1925 and Acting Stoker Petty Officer on 10/07/1925
HMS MAIDSTONE - 03/12/1924 - 07/09/1925
HMS VIVID II - 08/09/1925 - 30/09/1925
HMS HOOD - 01/10/1925 - 29/04/1927, rising to Stoker Petty Officer on 10/07/1926
HMS VIVID II - 30/04/1927 - 30/06/1929 - While stationed here Frank was sent his Long Service Medal, on 7th June 1929
HMS VIVID II - 01/07/1929 - 16/09/1929, as Acting Mechanician.
HMS DEVONSHIRE - 17/09/1929, rising to Mechanician on 01/07/1930.
HMS VIVID II - 09/09/1931 - 22/02/1932
HMS COMUS (CERES) - 23/02/1932 - 11/05/1932
HMS COMUS (CALYPSO) - 12/05/1932 - 26/08/1932
HMS LUCIA - 27/08/1932 - 31/12/1933
HMS DRAKE II - 01/01/1934 - 16/08/1934
HMS LUCIA - 17/08/1934 - 22/12/1935, as Acting Chief Mechanician on 02/09/1935
HMS DRAKE II - 23/12/1935 - 19/04/1936 - Frank left the Navy having been pensioned after his service and had a few quiet years before the Second World War broke out. He was noted on the 1939 Register, living at 86 Royal Navy Avenue, Plymouth, with his wife and brother in law, who was a Regulating Petty Officer within the Royal Navy, just a few days before rejoining the Navy.
He returned to HMS DRAKE II as Acting Chief Mechanician on 25th September 1939, becoming Chief Mechanician on 2nd February 1940. He moved to HMS KENYA on 28th August 1940, returning to HMS DRAKE II on 14th March 1941 where he was promoted further to Acting Warrant (temp) Mechanician on 1st May 1941. His service continued after 1941 but unfortunately we have not got the remainder of his records which are now held with the Ministry of Defence.
Not much is known of Frank’s life after both wars. He celebrated his 79th birthday in 1977 and passed away just a week later, having had a life well lived.
Sources:
FreeBMD
General Register Office
1901 & 1911 England Census
National Archives ADM 137/3709
1939 Register
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 911
Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives Admiralty: Royal Navy Seamen's Services Continuous Record (CR) Cards; Class: ADM 363; Piece: 39
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 ADM 171; Piece: 114
Ancestry.com
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 ADM 171; Piece: 149
www.forces-war-records.co.uk
Researched by Wendy Sadler
