Stoker 1st Class William James Wakley
Royal Navy. HMS "Fortune"
31/05/1916
1914-15 Star
Son of Henry T. Wakley, of Britannia Lodge, Dicq Rd.,
Jersey.
Youngest son of Mr & Mrs Henry T Wakley of Britannia
Lodge, Dicq Road, Jersey
One of two brothers who fell both on the same day but
on different ships
Killed in action at the Battle of Jutland, aged 31
years
NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Friday 9 June
1916
Jersey Family's Great Loss - Two Sons
Killed in Action in Naval Battle. When the news of the
naval battle came through and it was announced that
HMS Indefatigable had been sunk Mr & Mrs H T Wakley
of Britannia Lodge, Dicq Road were prepared for the
sad news which arrived shortly afterwards, that their
second son, Chief Artificer A E Wakley had been lost
with the vessel. The parents have three other sons serving
in the Royal Navy but it was thought that all were on
vessels which had not been engaged, the youngest William
James Wakley, presumably serving on HMS Conquest. It
therefore came as a great shock yesterday when official
intimation was received that he had been killed in action
on HMS Fortune, which was sunk on 31 May. The sailor
was 31 and unmarried. Mr & Mrs Wakley, we feel sure,
have the sympathy of all of our readers in the additional
bereavement.
A total of 26 Jerseymen are believed to
have lost their lives in the Naval Battle of Jutland
on 31 May 1916 and on HMS Hampshire which sank on 6
June 1916 after striking a mine off the Orkneys.
