MANNING, Arthur Walter William


Signal Boy, Arthur William MANNING
Aged 16
medals not known

HM Yacht "Aries", Mercantile Marine Reserve
Killed on Active Service on 31st October 1915


Arthur Walter William Manning was born in Bardwell (1st qtr 1899 Thingoe 4a:864) son of Arthur J and Minnie MANNING (née OXBORROW)

1901 census...Aged 2, he was at Mill Road, Great Barton with his father Arthur J. MANNING [26] baker, born Barningham; his mother Minnie [30] born Stanton; sister Dora V.M. [3] born Ipswich

1911 census...Aged 12, he was at Mill Cottage, Great Barton with his parents; brothers Ian T R[9], and Ronald R R [6]; sisters Gwendoline M G [4] and Sylvia E J [2]. His younger siblings all born in Great Barton.

Navy Records have his mother at 184 Westgate Road, Bury St.Edmunds.



H.M.Yacht Aries, built by Barrow Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Barrow in 1880 and operated at the time of her loss by Royal Navy, was a British navy yacht of 268 tons. On October 31st, 1915, yacht Aries, was on patrol in the vicinity of the South Goodwin Lightship. She saw the "S.S. Toward", of the Clyde Shipping Company blown up, and proceeded to her assistance with three divisions of drifters who were coming off patrol. Lieutenant-Commander Caulder, in charge of the Aries had ordered the trawlers to take the survivors of the "Toward" to Dover, the three divisions of drifter returning to harbour.
Observing what he believed to be an enemy mine inshore of him, he steamed towards it to destroy it. In so doing, he must have bumped another mine somewhere under the bridge, which caused the vessel to break in two, and to sink in about a minute. The commanding officer, four officers and seventeen men were drowned; one officer and four men were saved two of the latter having broken ribs. The mines had been laid by the German Submarine UC-6, under command of Matthias Graf von Schmettow.


Painting of Aries off Naples before her Royal Navy days


photo CWGC

Arthur Manning is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial panel 9

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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