Arthur Edward Whitwam

Royal Navy. M/16731. Armourer. HMS Champagne.

Born 1889. Baptised non conformist in July 1905.

Son of Sam Edwin and Harriet H.

Address in 1911 - 26 Third Ave, Myrtle Rd. Golcar.

in 1915 - Claywell.

Occupation: Tuner at Middleton Bros. Birkby.

Joined the Royal Navy in 1915.

Date of death: 9th October 1917. Aged 28.

His body was not recovered from the sea, and therefore his name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial with his comrades. Panel 22.

HMS Champagne had left port the previous afternoon, and shortly after 6am they were attacked by about four torpedoes from an enemy sub. A terrible explosion occurred, killing many of the men at the guns, including Arthur.

56 of the crew of 310 were drowned. The ship sank ten minutes after being attacked.

Arthur attended Golcar Baptist Chapel and was a member of their reading room. His name appears on the Roll of Honour in St. John's Church, Golcar.

HMS Champagne was originally the SS Oropesa, a transport cruiser built in 1895. Ships compliment of 305. She was taken over by the Royal Navy in 1914 for service as an armed auxiliary cruiser. As part of the 10th Cruiser Squadron she sunk a submarine in March 1915 whilst patrolling between Scotland and Norway off the Skerryvore Lighthouse.

In 1917 she was lent to the French Navy but retained her English crew and was renamed HMS Champagne.

On 9th October 1917 she was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-96 whilst in the Irish Sea 8 miles S.W. of the Calf of Man with the loss of 5 Officers and 51 men.

HMS CHAMPAGNE