Able Seaman J/17842 Douglas Ralph HILLIER

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Able Seaman J/17842 Douglas Ralph HILLIER - HMS Amphion, Royal Navy

Killed in Action Thursday, August 6, 1914 aged 19

Military History

Theatre

North Sea - Naval Operations

Action/Battle/Other

Sunk after striking mine in North Sea

Place of Death

North Sea off the Thames Estuary

Medals

1914 Star, British War and Victory Medals

Medal Citation (if app)

Enlisted Date/Place

30 Nov 1912 at Devonport

Commonwealth War Graves Page

Plymouth Naval Memorial

SWFHS War Memorial(s)

Bascote Heath and Ufton

Other War Memorial(s)

Ship History

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)

On the 5th August 1914 the Captain of HMS Amphion spotted the German ship SMS Konigin Luise laying mines in the North Sea and off the Thames Estuary. He engaged the Konigin Luise and by noon it was sinking and the Amphion and two other British ships rescued 5 officers and 70 ratings from it. The captain of the Amphion tried to guess where all the mines might be and set a course to avoid them but the guess was wrong and they struck one of the mines off the Thames Estuary which broke the keel, put a large crack in the upper deck and set the forecastle on fire. Shortly thereafter the forward magazine exploded and sank 15 minutes later losing 1 officer and 131 ratings including Douglas. In what is a terrible irony all of the German crew rescued by the Amphion from the Konigin Luise were killed by their own mine. The full story is linked above.