BORN NOTTINGHAM, 03/05/1878. SON OF THOMAS AND SARAH ANN FISHER. WAS LIVING IN HULL BY 1901. SERVED IN THE ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE. HE MARRIED HETTY ROBINSON, IN HULL, IN 1915. SERVED ON HMS ‘PEMBROKE 11’ AND AS AN ENGINE MAN ON THE DRIFTER ‘LEONARD’. LOST AT SEA, ON 08/01/1920, AGED 42. HIS WIDOW, HENRIETTA AND DAUGHTER, LIVED AT THIS CWGC ADDRESS.
MISSING DUNDEE-BOUND DRIFTER. The fate of HM drifter LEONARD with her crew which sailed from Inverkeithing for Dundee on Thursday last week and has not arrived, is shrouded in mystery. It is feared she has been lost with all hands. Of the crew of 9 according to some accounts, and 6 according to others, are men who acted for some time in taking vessels to be reconditioned by the Admiralty from port to port. (Source: Oban Times, 21 February 1920). Classified as steel, steam drifter: registration cited as BF 632 and date of loss as 12 February 1920). Leonard: this vessel disappeared between Inverkeithing and Dundee. Capt. West. Found near Clan Shaw. On February 12th, 1920, the British drifter LEONARD, built in 1900 and owned by British Royal Navy, left Inverkeithing for Dundee, and reported in distress, off the mouth of the Tay. After the call, the ship went missing and was later discovered near to the wreck of CLAN SHAW (+1917). The true reason for the sinking has never been established. It seems she could not have run on the CLAN SHAW wreck, as the latter was already dispersed or struck a sea mine.
PEOPLE ON BOARD HMD “LEONARD”
1. BRUCE, HENRY (46), Trimmer (no. 5423TS), HMD Leonard, Royal Naval Reserve, †08/01/1920, Son of Walter and Mary Bruce, of Haroldswick, Unst, Shetland Isles; husband of Isabella Smith Bruce, of 97, West North St., Aberdeen, Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial
2. COLBY, CHARLES ROWLAND , Trimmer (no. 7240TS), HMD Leonard, Royal Naval Reserve, †08/01/1920, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
3. FISHER, ROBERT (42), Engineman (no. 4335ES), HMD Leonard, Royal Naval Reserve, †08/01/1920, Son of Thoms Fisher; husband of Henrietta Fisher, of 31, West Dock Avenue, Hessle Rd., Hull, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
4. GILLIES, RODERICK (20), Deck Hand (no. 20647DA), HMD Leonard, Royal Naval Reserve, †08/01/1920, Son of Murdo and Annie Gillies, of 20, South Dell, Ness, Stornoway, Ross-shire, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
5. MURRAY, JOHN (19), Deck Hand (no. 22055DA), HMD Leonard, Royal Naval Reserve, †08/01/1920, Son of Donald and Flora Murray, of 21, Swanibost, Ness, Stornoway, Ross-shire, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Fisher, Robert.
First name:
ROBERT
Military Number:
4335
Rank:
Engineman
Date Died
08/01/1920
Place died:
Sea
Age:
42
