Herbert Edward Scoggins

An Engineman with H.M. Drifter Golden Rule, Herbert died on 26th of February 1918 at the age of 31. 

Herbert was born at Badingham, Suffolk, on 17 June 1886, a son of John and Mary Ann Scoggins. In 1891 his family lived at Pound Green, Badingham, and by 1901 they were living ‘near the Hall’, Knodishall, Suffolk, and Herbert was a stable lad-groom. 

Herbert married Edith Bunn in early 1914. They lived at Tunns Cottages, Black Street, Rushmere.

Herbert joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 12 February 1915 and served on the trawler Golden Rule. 

Herbert was serving on the Golden Rule and was wounded in an event known by some as the ‘Massacre of the Drifters’. Captain Taprell-Dorling, in his book Swept Channels described the event:

"On the night of 14-15 February 1918, an enemy submarine was reported in the minefield [off Dover] by the drifters, and heavy firing began. The "P" boats, monitors and destroyers on patrol concluded that the firing was at the submarine. They were unaware that a flotilla of German destroyers had steamed through the patrol and were attacking the paddle minesweepers, trawlers and drifters who were burning lights to assist in illuminating the minefield.

The trawler James Pond, commanded by Chief Skipper A.E. Berry, D.S.C., R.N.R., was burning her flares near the French coast when he saw three destroyers approaching from the eastward at high speed. Flashing past at very close range, they each fired salvoes. It was impossible to miss. The raiders disappeared into the darkness, to leave the trawler damaged and blazing.

The enemy destroyers had not finished. After passing the James Pond they turned sharply to the north-north-west along the line of drifters, firing salvoes into them as they steamed by. These little ships did not hesitate to return the fire with the tiny guns they possessed; but 3 and 6 pounders were nothing of a match for the 4.1's of the enemy. The Christina Craig, Clover Bank, Cosmos. Jeannie Murray, Silver Queen, Veracity and W Elliott, all between 60 and 96 tons, were sunk one after the other. Still more were damaged."

Nine British drifters were sunk and others, including the Golden Rule, badly damaged. Herbert was one of three members of his crew that became casualties. 

Herbert died at the Royal Naval Infirmary, Deal, on the night of 26-27 February 1918, from wounds sustained in action on 15 February 1918.