Name
Alfred Stephen Gilbert
22 Dec 1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/05/1917
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Royal Naval Reserve
H.M Yacht "Zarefah."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
COCKPEN OLD CHURCHYARD
G. 27.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Aldenham School Memorial, Aldenham
Pre War
Alfred Stephen Gilbert was born 22 December in Rome, Italy. His father was a sculptor, Professor Alfred Gilbert, famous for the statue of “Eros (properly Anteros) in Picadilly Circus, and his was mother Alice.
He served an apprenticeship under sail with Thomas Dunlop & Sons, becoming a White Star Shipping Line Officer 26th May 1904 resigning in Dec 1904 and being reinstated in August 1905, He had joined Royal Naval Reserve as Sub Lieutenant in January 1905 and Lieutenant Nov 1909. He continued to serve in various White Stars Line Ships as 3rd or 4th Officer until at the outbreak of war when he was Second Officer of 'Adriatic'
He married in 1910 to Jean Gilbert.
Wartime Service
He transferred to 'Laurentic' as First Officer in Nov 1914 followed very shortly with appointment as Navigating Officer to the Armed Cruiser Cedric. Both were White Star Fleet ships.
He commanded HM Yacht 'Zarefah,' which was built in 1905 as a luxury yacht (Maretanza) at Greenock, when she struck a mine laid by German submarine UC 31 on 8 May 1917. All crew were lost.
Additional Information
The wreckage of ‘Zarefah’ was discovered in 2002 by amateur divers.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Tony James
