Edwin Robert Rudderham

Edwin Robert Rudderham

Service no. L/4251

Boy Servant, Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Hogue."

Lost in action in the North Sea on 22 September 1914, aged 17

Born 20 February 1897, Lambeth, London.

"Body not recovered for burial"

CWGC: "Son of Robert J. and Louisa M. Rudderham, of 13, Lillieshall Rd., Clapham, London."

Remembered at Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918RUDDERHAM, E. R., Officers' Steward, Royal Navy. He volunteered in August 1914 and was posted for duty with H.M.S. "Hogue" in the North Sea. He unhappily lost his life in that vessel when she was sunk whilst going to the assistance of H.M.S. "Cressy" and "Aboukir," which had been torpedoed by an enemy submarine. He was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals. "He passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice." 13, Lillieshall Road, Clapham, S.W.4.

Note from David Rudram, who runs the Rudram Family website:

In the 1901 census Robert and Louisa were at the same address as in 1911 and amongst their five children was Edwin Robert - this time it is Arthur who's missing as he didn't put in an appearance until 1904. For some reason the name "Edwin" has disappeared in the 1911 census and he is listed simply as "Robert". According to Edwin Robert's RN Service Record (ADM188/996), and despite what National Roll of the Great War implies, he seems to have joined the Navy in Feb 1913 and spent 18 months at HMS Pembroke I - which I think was Chatham and was posted to HMS Hogue at the end of July 1914. In the lovely phrase used by the Navy for centuries he was "Discharged Dead" when HMS Hogue was sunk on 22 Sep 1914.

The service record shows that Edwin was 5 feet 1¼ tall, with a 32-inch chest, light brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Rudderham family lived at 13 Lillieshall Road, where they occupied four rooms. The census return lists "Robert Rudderham", a 14-year-old printer's apprentice, born in 1897. This is likely to be Edwin Robert Rudderham, who was one of six children (all living) of Robert Rudderham, 45, a stonemason's labourer from Hingham, Norfolk, and Louisa Rudderham, 50, from Brixton. Five children were listed on the 1911 census return (a sixth, Millicent Rudderham, was working as a live-in domestic servant in Brentford):

Gertrude Rudderham, 21, a ledger clerk, born in Clapham

Mable Rudderham, 18, a ledger clerk, born in Brixton

Robert Rudderham, 14, a printer's apprentice, born in Clapham

Hector Rudderham, 10, born in Clapham

Arthur Rudderham, 6, born in Clapham