This information has been provided by David Parsons (dparsons@morgan.ucs.mun.ca).
HMS Viknor was lost off Tory Island in heavy weather in an area recently mined by the Germans on Jan.13,1915.
She was a 5386 Ton Blue Star Line ship, formerly the Viking. She was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as an Armed Merchant Cruiser. She was part of the 10th. Cruiser Squadron blockading the seas between the North of Scotland and Iceland.
HMS Viknor sank on Jan.13, 1915. She had a complement of 22 Officers and 273 Ratings mostly of the Royal Naval Reserve. She was commanded by Commander E.O.Ballantyne.
My interest in this ship is the fact that 25 seamen were of the Newfoundland Division of the Royal Naval Reserve. 24 are commemorated on the Beaumont Hamel Memorial in France. One body was washed ashore and is buried in Colonsay.
This was one of three Armed Merchant Cruisers of the 10th. Cruiser Squadron lost in Jan., Feb., and March of 1915.
Men of the Newfoundland Division of the Royal Naval Reserve lost in HMS Viknor
| 1220X | Seaman Enos Barnes | Port Union |
| 1219X | Seaman Albert Brace | Chance Cove, TB |
| 1147X | Seaman George Coates | Fogo |
| 702X | Seaman Gilbert Dyke | Salvage Bay |
| 411X | Seaman James Greening | Summerville |
| 2180X | Seaman Thomas Jackson | Brigus |
| 1218X | Seaman Levi Jerrett | Cupids, CB |
| 1213X | Seaman Phillip Lewis | Caplin Cove |
| 1224X | Seaman Alexander Martin | St.John's |
| 1034X | Seaman John Bowen Mercer | Bay Roberts |
| 1209X | Seaman Frederick Morgan | Seal Cove, CB |
| 1190X | Seaman William George Morgan | Blow me Down, P de G |
| 932X | John Parsons | Shearstown |
| 901X | Seaman Harry W Peach | Arnolds Cove |
| 706X | Seaman Ralph Charles | Flat Island, BB |
| 1122X | Seaman Charles Rowe | Trinity |
| 1222X | Seaman William St.Croix | Trepassey |
| 1227X | Seaman Edward Smart | Saunders Cove, Alexander Bay |
| 862X | Seaman Eli Sparkes | Shearstown |
| 1259X | Seaman George Stringer | Little Hearts Ease |
| 1214X | Seaman Douglas Walsh | Cow Head, St. Barbe |
| 2179X | Seaman Albert J Warren | Glovertown |
| 611X | Seaman George Youden | Bull Cove |
| 670X | Seaman Thomas Youden | Bull Cove |
Other than (1034X) Seaman John Bowen Mercer, who is buried in the Colonsay Military Cemetery, these men are all commemorated on the Beaumont Hamel Memorial for those with no known grave.
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