Able Seaman Alfred John Falla
Royal Navy. H.M.S. "Princess
Irene"
27/05/1915
Son of John N. and Alice Falla, of Houmet Vale, Guernsey.
Killed aged 26 years
At approximately 11:15 on the morning of Thursday,
27th May, the Princess Irene was anchored off Port Victoria Pier in Salt Pan Reach,
near Grain, when she suddenly suffered an internal explosion. Eye witnesses stated
the flames rose as much as 2 miles high before settling into a dense cloud of
white smoke.
The Official Enquiry held by the Royal Navy was
quite damning and referred to the priming of mines being carried out by ill-trained
men under hurried circumstances. In a cover-up the final report blamed the explosion
on a faulty primer.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record
