James Louis Hill German joined the Royal Navy's
paymaster branch in 1877, seeing active service in Gambia and South
Africa. During WW1 he spent time at an advanced base at Dunkirk. He died
in a nursing home at Southsea on 31 August 1924.
He was awarded:
- East & West Africa Medal, bar Gambia 1894 (Paymr,
HMS Satellite)
- Queen's South Africa Medal (Paymaster, HMS Niobe)
- British War Medal (Paymaster Commander)
- Victory Medal (Paymaster Commander)
- Coronation Medal 1911 (Un-named as issued)
What follows is his personal biography, constructed
mostly from his service records at the Public Record Office, although a
number of other sources have been consulted.
- November 1847 James William German (James L H
German's father) is appointed 2nd class engineer in the Royal Navy
- 4 August 1861 James L H German born at 4 Fort
Street, Bermondsey, the son of James William German (now an
RN Chief Engineer)
and Jane (nee Hill). GRO ref: 1d 90
- 7 August 1861 Birth is registered by James
William German in the St Mary Magdalen
sub-district of Bermondsey
- 4 September 1861 James W German is appointed to
wooden steam corvette HMS Orestes,
which was broken up at Portsmouth five years later
- 17 August 1875 German Snr retires from the Royal
Navy after 15 years as a Chief Engineer
- 15 January 1877 James German Jnr is appointed to
HMS Duke of Wellington , then flagship
at Portsmouth, as an assistant clerk
- 26 June 1877 Posted to HMS Ruby in lieu of an
assistant paymaster (Ruby
was a composite steam corvette of 2,120 tons, armed with twelve
64pdrs. She was launched
by Earle at Hull on 9 August 1876. Renamed C10 in December 1904 as a
coal hulk. She was sold in February 1921)
- 4 August 1878 Promoted to Clerk on 17th birthday.
Has passed his examinations with
a 1st Class grade
- 1 July 1880 Paid off from HMS Ruby and assigned
to HMS Himalaya as victualling officer from 2
July to 6 August. Returns to HMS Duke of Wellington to
await next appointment.
- 14 January 1881 To HMS Revenge
(Revenge was a screw 2nd rate 91 armed with 34 8inch
guns, one 68pdr and 56 x 32pdr. Launched at
Pembroke Dock on 16 April 1859, she became a
base ship in August 1872. She was serving in this capacity at
Queenstown when German joined her. She was renamed
Empress in 1890 and was sold in 1923. Himalaya
was a 4,690-ton iron screw troopship)
- 16 August 1881 Posted to the composite steam
sloop HMS Sappho on the Pacific station
(Sappho weighed 940 tons and carried two 7in guns and
two 64pdr. She was launched by Wigram,
Blackwall, on 20 November 1873 and was sold in
December 1887 to Castle)
- 4 August 1882 Promoted to Assistant Paymaster
His service record shows that in 1894 he unsuccessfully sought to get
counted as senior time his period of service in HMS
Sappho from 3 October 1883 to 22 July 1884
when he performed the duties of paymaster in
the absence of Paymr H F Woods, who was in hospital.
Admiralty records state that he had been fulfilling
duties of Paymaster with 'great credit'
- 31 December 1884 Described as 'very zealous and
attentive'
- 31 December 1885 Now described as 'zealous and
painstaking'. Has knowledge of
Spanish
- 19 May 1886 Posted to HMS Duncan, base ship at
Sheerness/Chatham. She was
renamed Pembroke in 1890
- 26 May 1886 To HMS Duke of Wellington
- 21 July 1886 To HMS Royal Adelaide, flag and
depot at Devonport from 1860 to 1889
- 27 November 1886 German applies to be allowed to
qualify as an interpreter in French
- 25 April 1887 On books of HMS Forward, but
victualling officer of the troop and storeship
HMS Humber from 25 April to 20 May 1887
(Forward was a composite steam gunboat of 455 tons, with
two 64pdr and two 20pdr.
She was built by Barrow and launched on 29 January 1877.
Became a coal hunk in 1892 and
was sold in 1904.
Humber was an iron storeship of
1,640 tons, launched by Earle of Hull in1876 and bought for the Navy in
1878. She was in the Mediterranean 1889-95)
- 31 December 1888 Stated in his annual report to
have a 'slight' knowledge of French.
Described as 'very correct and trustworthy; in every way worthy of
confidence and strongly recommended'
- 12 February 1889 Report confirms his 'slight'
knowledge of French and records that he is
a good photographer
- 9 March 1891 Paid off from the Forward and
allowed to return to England at own
expense, 'finding own way'
- 26 March 1891 Posted to the Duke of Wellington at
Portsmouth Service record shows him as
victualling officer for HMS Asia 6-8 July
1891, and handling a similar job with HMS Barrosa from 9 July to
26 August. In the latter ship he was in charge in the
absence of its
assistant paymaster (Asia
was the flagship of the Admiral Superintendent at Portsmouth from
about 1862 to 1905. Barrosa was a 1,580-ton third
class cruiser which had
been completed in 1890. She was at
Portsmouth 1890-94)
- 14 August 1891 To HMS Wye, a 1,370 ton iron
storeship, on particular service
(Wye was built by Orbourne Graham and launched at
Sunderland in 1873. Sold in 1906)
- January 1893 'Strongly recommended' by Lieut-Commr
Chambre, of the Wye
- 5 November 1893 Promoted to Paymaster
- 15 November 1893 Marries Edith Shortt at St
Jude's Church, Southsea
- 6 December 1893 On half pay until 8 January 1894
- 30 December 1893 Makes a will leaving all his
estate to his wife, Edith St John Lesingham
German, who is named as sole executrix. At the time, the Germans
were living in Plymouth.
- 9 January 1894 Posted to composite steam corvette
HMS Satellite (The
Satellite, 1,420 tons, was armed with two 6in guns and ten 5in. She
was launched at Sheerness Dockyard on 13 August 1881
and became an RNVR drill ship in 1904. Sold on
21 October 1947 to J G Potts)
- 21/22 Feb 1894 Satellite's log shows her at Las
Palmas in Canaries, where she was
preparing for sea from about 10pm on the 22nd. She cast off at about 7am
on the 23rd, en route to St Vincent in the Cape Verde
Islands
- 22 February 1894 A naval brigade, commanded by
Capt E H Gamble of HMS Raleigh,
goes up the Gambia river to attack Fodeh Silah, a rebellious
slave-raiding chief. The naval squadron from which
the men are drawn is commanded by Rear-Adm
Frederick George Denham Bedford, CB
(It was decided that two columns
should advance against the enemy. The
smaller of these was led by Lt-Col A D Corbet, of the
Royal Marines, who was later made a CB for the part he played in this
expedition. He led a force of 50 Marines and
50 men of the West India Regiment, and a field
gun. The Naval Who's Who 1917 states: 'He may be said to have held
Fodi (sic) Silah in check pending the arrival of the
West Indian troops. The serious reverse
sustained by the naval brigade in the affair of Madin
Creek jeopardised the lives of the whole British
community, and but for the success of Colonel
Corbet's force the consequences might have proved
even more serious.)
(After landing at Medina, Capt Gamble and the men in
the larger column, which was accompanied by
Rear-Adm Bedford marched to Birkama, but found
it impossible to reach and so two stockaded villages were destroyed
instead)
- 23 February 1894 On its way back, Gamble's
brigade of 200 men is ambushed on the beach
where they had to wait for the tide to turn so that their boats could
approach the shore. Two or three officers and 15 men
are killed. Six officers and 40 men are
wounded, Capt Gamble among them. Cdr C F G
Sawle takes over from Gamble, earning a mention in despatches.
- 27 February 1894 Satellite, still making her way
fron Las Palmas to St Vincent, exercises
her gun crews, including machine gunners
- 28 February 1894 At about 10am, Satellite sights
St Vincent on her port bow. She stops her
engines at midday and at about 2pm the crew are paid their monthly
money
- 1 March 1894 Satellite begins coaling at 7.10am
and at 8am takes on fresh stores. Coaling is
completed at 10.40am and the ship proceeds on its way to
Bathurst at 12.30pm
- 2 March 1894 Soap and tobacco issued to ship's
company
- 4 March 1894 At Bathurst, the Satellite stops at
9.10am and picks up a pilot. Joins the
flagship, HMS Raleigh, which is accompanied by the Alecto and
Widgeon. HMS Magpie arrives at 1.45pm
- 5 March 1894 Satellite's 'B' company is
inspected, complete for landing at 12.45pm
under command of a petty officer 1st class. 'A' company is landed at
3.30pm for exercises under the command of Lieut B
Holme-Sumner.
At 1pm a sergeant and 15 marines are sent to the Alecto and an hour
later one lieutenant (Sumner) and 25 seamen to
the Widgeon. The Satellite also receives seven
officers and 105 seamen from the Raleigh, as well as
embarking a number of kroomen
At 4.10pm the Satellite takes the admiral's barge in tow, casting off
the barge at 5.25pm and then proceeding at
full speed
- 6 March 1894 Gunjar is bombarded by Rear-Adm
Bedford's squadron, whose ships have
provided the naval brigade. A strong body of natives assembles to resist
a landing, but they are dispersed by gunfire
The naval brigade and troops force Fodeh Silah to
flee and all further resistance crumbles. Some
time later the chief surrenders to French
authorities in Senegal
- 20 January 1896 German's East & West Africa Medal
is delivered to him aboard the
Satellite, 164 of whose officers and men are entitled to the award.
- June 1897 German, still on the Satellite's books,
is shown as victualling officer at HMS
Pembroke 13-14 June 1897 as an additional for service in HMS Isis,
which was on manoeuvres. He is shown with HMS
Wildfire 15 June to July 1897
(Pembroke was the Royal Naval base
at Chatham; Wildfire the base at
Sheerness; Isis was a second
class cruiser launched in 1896)
- 13 July 1897 German reverts to Satellite for
paying off purposes until relieved by
Assistant Paymr Matthews, who was closing the accounts of HMS
Agincourt
- 7 August 1897 To Pembroke I for closing of
accounts and leave
- 28 September 1897 On half pay until 8 November
- 9 November 1897 To the 5,600-ton second class
protected cruiser HMS Venus on the day on
which she completed (Venus
was built by Fairfield of Govan and launched on 5 September
1895. She served in the Mediterranean from 1897 to 1901)
- Service record shows German as S.O. at Malta 4-18
March 1898
- Shown on passage from 9 May 1898 and acting as
S.O. at Malta 8 May to 14 June. Also
victualling officer for HMS Rainbow 15-21 June.
Subsequently returned to HMS Victory for leave
(Rainbow was a second class cruiser
of 1890. She had been on the China Station
1895-98 and was at Malta 1898-99)
- 25 May 1898 Goes down with 'Mediterranean fever',
described as 'beyond control'.
Paid off from Venus
- 22 June 1898 Suffering from debility, is admitted
to hospital at Plymouth for a week. To be
re-examined at Haslar hospital in three months' time
- 1 September 1898 Medically examined and found
unfit. To be re-examined on 29 September
- 29 September 1898 Posted to HMS Victory as an
additional for three months' full-pay sick
leave from 23 June, in addition to seven days' service leave. Then on
half pay until 3 January 1899
- 4 January 1899 Posted to 5,750-ton second class
cruiser HMS Arrogant, then with the
Channel Squadron (Arrogant
was built at Devonport Dockyard where she was launched on
26 May 1896. After a varied career she was sold in 1923 to Hughes
Bolckow and broken up at Blyth)
-
19 June 1899 To Diadem class first class
protected cruiser HMS Niobe (Niobe,
11,000 tons, was built by Vickers of Barrow where she was
launched on 20 February 1897, completing December the
following year. She was therefore still a very new ship when German
joined her. She was serving with the Channel
Fleet but was detached 1899-1900 for the Cape
where she earned the battle honour 'South Africa'. She was sold in 1922
and broken up in Philadelphia)
- 20 October 1899 Niobe sails for South Africa as
part of the reinforcements requested by
Rear Adm Sir Robert Harris in command at the Cape
- 5 November 1899 German promoted to Staff
Paymaster
- 25 November 1899 Wm Laird Clowes in his history
of the Royal Navy states that Niobe,
which was commanded at this time by Capt Alfred Leigh Winslow, served in
South Africa from this date until 23 August 1900
- 4 December 1899 Niobe arrives at St Helena Bay to
assist in the rescue of troops from
the s.s. Ismore, which had run aground on St Columbine Point.
A party from the shop landed the following day and took most of
the troops - a squadron of the 10th Hussars plus two
batteries of Royal Artillery and their baggage
- to Transport No 39, the s.s. Columbian.
Three officers and 22 men from various units were, however, embarked
on the Niobe for passage to Table Bay
- 6 December 1899 Niobe arrives at Table Bay and
takes over the duties of guardship, also
landing a small detachment at Capetown
- 20 December 1899 Ship returns to Simons Bay for
five days but after Christmas goes back
to Table Bay
- 5 January 1900 Sir Alfred Milner, High
Commissioner in South Africa, makes an official
visit to the ship. At the end of the month she makes a cruise to Port
Nolloth and then returns to Simons Bay
- 10 February 1900 Niobe arrives at Walfisch Bay
and immediately lands a naval brigade
to meet a Boer threat
- 21 February 1900 The ship sails for Simons Bay,
arriving on 24 February
- 3 April 1900 Niobe, with £3,000 on board for the
military authorities, leaves Simons
Bay for St Helena, together with the s.s. Milwaukee carrying the first
consignment of Boer prisoners, including Gen Cronje
and his wife
- 5 April 1900 Notice is posted on St Helena
stating that in a few days the troopship
Milwaukee with arrive Boer prisoners of war, escorted by the Niobe.
- 15 April 1900 On her arrival at St Helena, Niobe
assumes the duties of guardship
- 23 August 1900 HMS Thetis arrives at St Helena to
relieve Niobe. Later that day, the
Niobe sails for Plymouth to rejoin the Channel Squadron
- 16 March 1901 King Edward VII, at Portsmouth for
the imminent departure of the Duke
and Duchess of Cornwall on a colonial cruise in the Ophir, presents
(according to the Times) Queen's South Africa Medals
to officers and men of the Ophir and, one report stated, of the Niobe,
which was to be one of the Ophir's escorts.
(Medal roll, however, shows that German was sent
his medal the following
year)
- 17 March 1901 Niobe and Diadem form escort for
the Ophir which leaves Portsmouth at
4.30pm. Niobe remains as one of the escorts as far as Gib. At one point
the two cruisers keep station but at four miles from
the Ophir, rather than four cables, while they
'practised Marconi telegraphy successfully'
(The Times)
- 18/19 March 1901 The night and following morning
are very rough with a heavy swell in
which the Ophir 'pitched horribly', the Times reports. 'The furniture
and gear were all awash in the Niobe'
The Niobe is ordered to proceed at full speed and
open wireless communication with the Channel
Fleet. She is in contact with the Arrogant and
later the Majestic, flagship at Gibraltar
- 20 March 1901 The Ophir and her cruiser escorts
arrive at Gibraltar, staying for two days.
On 25 March they are at Malta for a two-day visit, moving on to Port
Said for 30 March
- On 1 April they touch Suez, arriving briefly at
Aden before sailing on to Colombo for 12
April. From Colombo the Ophir is escorted to Singapore
by ships of the East Indies Squadron
- 7 February 1902 German on passage to UK, going on
to half pay from 11 February until
3 March
- 14 February 1902 German issued with his Queen's
South Africa Medal
- 4 March 1902 To the Admiral class battleship HMS
Benbow, then filling the role of coastguard
ship at Greenock (Benbow,
10,600 tons, was built by Thames Iron Works who launched her
on 15 June 1885. She was completed in June 1888 and
her main armament
consisted of two 163in breech loaders)
- 23 May 1903 To HMS Vivid I where he is an
additional from 1 March 1906
- October Navy List states he is in charge of
victualling, clothing and implement accounts;
service record shows him as O in C 9 October 1903
(prob. Officer in Charge of
Accounts)
- 3 March 1906 On the books of HMS President for
victualling and meat courses
- 24 March 1906 Returns to HMS Vivid as an
additional. On meat course from 28 March
- March 1906 Described by Capt Fisher as 'careful
and reliable'
- 31 March 1906 Posted to HMS Mars, then being
commissioned into the Reserve at
Portsmouth. In October she went to the Channel Squadron and in March
1907 was transferred to Devonport Division Home Fleet
(Mars was a Majestic class
battleship of 14,900 tons, with a main
armament of four 12in
guns. She was sold in 1921)
- March 1907 Capt Tottenham, in a report on German,
describes him as 'very careful and correct'
- 25 May 1907 German is posted to HMS Prince
George, another Majestic class battleship
which since March had been flagship of the Portsmouth Division of the
Home Fleet (Prince George
was launched at Portsmouth Dockyard on 22 August 1895
and completed in November 1896. She saw much action
in the
Dardanelles in 1915. Finished up as a depot ship and was sold in 1921)
- 3 August 1907 Prince George was one of the ships
which took part in King Edward's
review of the Home Fleet
- 3 September 1907 On half pay until 7 October
- 8 October 1907 Posted to HMS Excellent for
service in HMS Grafton
(Excellent was the gunnery training establishment at Whale Island,
Portsmouth. Grafton served as tender and gunnery
training ship from 1905 to 1913. She was an
Edgar class first class protected cruiser of 7,350
tons, built by Thames Iron Works and launched in 1892)
ADM196/80 records the following: ' Deficiency of provisions of
Grafton to extent of £112. Incurred TL's severe
displeasure by his want of supervision.
Two-thirds of amount to be recovered from him
by installments
- 30 January 1910 On half pay until 7 February
-
8 February 1910 To the battleship HMS London,
flagship of the Rear-Admiral Atlantic
(The 14,420-ton London was launched at Portsmouth
Dockyard on 21 September 1899 and
completed in June 1902. She was armed with four
12in guns and had a complement between 714 and 733)
- August 1910 Capt Chatfield describes German as
'capable and trusty'
- 24 June 1911 London takes part in the Coronation
review of the fleet at Spithead, taking
her place between the Formidable and the Dominion
- 5 March 1912 To HMS Wildfire at Sheerness
- 15 March 1912 Service in the Scottish Coastguard
district; borne on the books of
HMS President
- August 1914 Navy shows him still with the
Scottish Coastguard on the outbreak of war,
based at the district headquarters at 54 Queen Street,
Edinburgh
ADM196/80 includes the following comment for this period:
Weak physically. Dreads responsibility. Rec'd for
retired list. Capt Sinclair
- December 1912 Now described as being extremely
zealous with good judgment
- 7 March 1915 Placed on sick list suffering from
after effects of influenza. Discharged
from sick list 13 April
- 17 March 1915 To Victory II to await next
appointment. (In 1915
Victory II was the training depot for the Royal Naval Division at
Crystal Palace)
- 2 June 1915 To Pembroke I at Chatham for duty
with WO141 until required for duty
elsewhere. Lent as victualling officer for HMS Wildfire 9-29 September
1915 for reconstruction of accounts
- May 1916 Reported on German states: Has worked
well... Willing to assist in other ways
- 5 March 1917 Considered as available for service
away from Chatham when occasion arises
- 27 March 1917 Appointed to President II. Service
record shows him for duty at 'advanced base,
Dunkirk'
- 30 April 1917 To Pembroke I at Chatham
- 30 May 1917 To HMS Actaeon, the torpedo school at
Sheerness, where she also acted as
depot ship for TBDs
- 19 February 1919 Ill with influenza
- 3 April 1919 German on sick list at Chatham
Hospital until 9 April
- 9 April 1919 Placed on retired list suffering
from aggravated arteriosclerosis. Remained
on Actaeon's books until 12 May 1919
- 13 May 1919 Awarded £470 a year to be
subsequently increased to £600 a year
- 23 June 1919 Retired pay is cancelled when
disability award made by the Ministry of
Pensions
Address shown as Borstal Road, Rochester, and later 35 Whitwell Road,
Southsea, close to the seafront and the boating lake
- 3 August 1919 War gratuity of £120 paid
- 31 August 1924 Dies of (i) arteriosclerosis and
(ii) nephritis (inflammation of kidneys),
toxaemia, heart failure and pyaemia (a form of blood poisoning). Burial
registers show that he died at Normanton (Nursing
Home), Lennox Road South, Southsea.
Death is registered in the Portsmouth district at the age of 63 (GRO
ref: 2b 541)
- 2 September 1924 Death notice in the Portsmouth
Evening News states that German had died in a
nursing home after a week's illness
- 3 September 1924 Funeral is held at St Margaret's
Church, Eastney, followed by burial at
Highland Road Cemetery (Plot I, Row 16, Grave 27)
- 5 September 1924 Hampshire Telegraph carries a
small news item under the heading 'Death
of Capt German'
This was an account of a meeting of Portsmouth Camera Club who had
been told of the death of German, who was their
assistant honorary secretary. The president,
Dr Bertram Stone, proposed a vote of
condolence to the widow and daughter. The report confirmed that the
funeral had taken place at Highland Road Cemetery on
Wednesday, 3 September
- 17 October 1924 Probate granted to Edith German.
Assets total £3,071
- 9 July 1951 German's widow, Edith, is buried in
her husband's grave at Highland Road Cemetery.
She had died aged 79 at 35 Whitwell Road
- 9 August 1967 The Germans' daughter, Edith
Marjorie Hill German, is buried in the family
grave. She had died at the age of 67 at Coldeast Hospital,
Salisbury, Hampshire
(c)
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