Add Information to Record of a Person who served during the Great War on The Wartime Memories Project Website
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242591
Boy.Tel. George Percival Oldaker
Royal Navy HMS Formidable
from:Hackney
(d.1st January 1915)
George Oldake was killed when HMS Formidable was torpedoed by the German submarine U24 in the English Channel whilst on patrol and exercise with the 5th Battle Squadron. The first torpedo hit on the starboard side near the forward funnel and the order to abandon ship was given soon afterwards. Counter-flooding stabilised her but about 45 minutes after the original attack a second torpedo hit and she sank rapidly with the loss of 547 crew. The 5BS had been steaming slowly (10knots), not zigzagging and were without destroyer escort and the Admiral in charge Lewis Bayly was dismissed from his position over the loss.