Name
Percy James Newman
20 Mar 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/03/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class
M/11997
Royal Navy
H.M. S/M. "H5."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Navy Star, British War Medal and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
29
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted, Holyhead Maritime Museum Memorial, Anglesey
Pre War
Percival James Newman was born in Berkhamsted on 20th March 1892, the son of James Thomas and Susanna Alice Newman. He was one of eight children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 176 High Street, Berkhamsted where his father was working as a photographic artist.
By 1911 the family had moved to Incents House, 105 High Street, Berkhamsted. Percy was then 19 and working as a mechanical engineer for a chemical manufacturer [Cooper's]. The household consisted of parents: James and Susanna Newman, older sisters, Marjorie and Dorothy, younger sisters Muriel, Kathleen, Mary and Vera. His older brother Theo was not listed. His father was a press and portrait photographer.
Wartime Service
He enlisted with the Royal Navy "for hostilities only" on 8th February 1915 and was recorded as 5' 6", 37" chest, dark brown hair, blue/grey eyes and fresh complexion.
He was initially posted to HMS Pembroke (training) - 8 Feb 1915 to 5 July, followed by HMS Dolphin (shore) - 6 July to 9 Sept, HMS Maidstone (submarine depot ship) - 10 Sept to 16 Dec, HMS Alecto (H5 Class submarine) - 17 Dec - 28 Feb 1917, and lastly HMS Vulcan (H5 Class submarine) as an ERM (Engine Room Artificer) until his death.
Percy died on 6 March 1918, aged 25, when the Vulcan was sunk in a collision with an identified vessel in Caernarfon Bay, off the north Wales coast. All on board died and the wreck was given war grave status.
Historians believe that the submarine was deliberately rammed and unfortunately sunk, in error, by the British cargo ship the SS Rutherglen. Crews of British ships were instructed to ram all submarines on sight. It is believed that the crew were paid a bounty for the sinking. Whether this was a mistake or to "hide" the mistake is not known.
His body was not recovered for burial and his name is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.
Additional Information
His mother received a pension of 12 shillings a week.
N.B. Percy kept a short war diary which has been scanned along with other documents and is included in the digital publications section of this site's archive at www.hertsatwar.co.uk/archive/digital-publications-books-and-publications/personal-diaries/diary-p-j-newman-submariner.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Bob Barton,
