E W Roach

Ernest Walter Roach was born in 1886, son of Edwin & Jane Roach, and married Edith Margaret Dobson in 1913.

He served as a Cook 2nd Class, in the Royal Navy, service number 364098, aboard H.M.S. Arabis.

He was aged 30 years when he was killed on 11th February 1916.

Cook Roach is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, reference 18.

HMS Arabis was an Arabis class mine-sweeping sloop, built in 1915, in Glasgow. She had a complement of 98 officers and men.

On February 10th 1916, the flotilla was engaged in sweeping operations in the North Sea preparatory to a concentration of the British Grand Fleet, as there were signs that the German High Seas Fleet might come out at any moment. So likely was the possibility that the Admiralty closed down all wireless communication and, although the flotilla was unaware of enemy activity, it was thought inadvisable to warn it.

Just before midnight the little ships were attacked by destroyers, but, with the exception of the Arabis managed to escape. The action that ensued commenced with an attack by three of the enemy on the British ship, which had her steam-pipe cut and her wireless disabled. So well did she fight, however, that her attackers were driven off. Later another attack was made, this time by six destroyers, and the Arabis, still fighting gallantly, was sunk by torpedoes. There were only two survivors of the action.