Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Charles William Hammans, a domestic coachman, born 1864 in Highworth, Wiltshire (son of Charles Pike Hammans, 1828-1913 and Sophia Wicks, 1833-1903) and his wife Annie Sarah Hammans (nee Hammond, married on the 27th August 1885 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Enville St. Mary, Staffordshire), born in the April quarter of 1864 in Godalming, Surrey (daughter of James Hammond, 1827 and Harriett Christmas, 1827). John James was born on the 6th April 1897 in Knighton, Leicester and baptised on the 25th April 1897 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Leicester, his siblings were, Charles Hutt, a hosiery trade apprentice, born on the 3rd January 1887 and baptised on the 20th February 1887 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Leicester, William Henry, born in the January quarter of 1889 and baptised on the 3rd February 1889 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Leicester, George Frederick, born in the January quarter of 1891 and baptised on the 11th January 1891 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Leicester and Ernest Ewart, born in the January quarter of 1893 and baptised on the 23rd April 1893 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Leicester, all his siblings were born in Knighton, Leicester, also residing with the family were his cousins Ellen Hill, a domestic servant, born 1882 in Upper Norwood, Surrey and Dorothy Holden, born 1890 in Shalford, Surrey, in March 1901 the family home was at 49, West Avenue, St. Mary Magdalen, Knighton, Leicester.
In April 1911 John was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 69, Queens Road, Leicester, together with his father a domestic coachman, his mother and siblings, William, a tailor’s cutter, Ernest, a tailor’s cutter, and Reginald Robert, a schoolboy, born on the 11th October 1901 in Leicester and baptised on the 24th November 1901 in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Leicester, also residing with the family was his cousin Dorothy Holden, a print trade worker and his widowed paternal grandfather, Charles Pike Hammans, a retired butcher, born 1828 in Hanney, Berkshire.
His elder brother George Frederick died from war related injuries.
R.N.V.R. Division: London. No. Z.1756.
Name in full. John James Hammans. Date of birth. 6th April 1897. Place of Birth. [not recorded]. Occupation. Clerk. Whether formerly R.M. or R.N. [not recorded].
Date and Period of Engagements. 6th May 1915. [not recorded] years.
His medical examination recorded. Height. 5-foot 9½ inches. Chest measurement. 35 inches. Hair. Dark Brown. Eyes. Grey. Complexion. [not recorded]. Wounds, Scars, or Marks. 2 moles right arm.
Ships, &c., served in.
R.N.D. Ordinary Signaller. 6/5/15 – 26/7/15.
Pembroke I. Ordinary Signaller. 27/7/15 – 19/8/15.
Pembroke I. Signaller. 20/8/15 – 3/9/15.
Zaria. Signaller. 4/9/15 – 22/9/15.
HMT. Robert Smith. Signaller. 23/9/15 – 19/5/16.
Gibraltar. Signaller. 20/5/16 – 30/6/16.
HMT. Robert Smith. Signaller. 1/7/16 – 20/7/16.
Discharged Dead. Lost on Trawler Robert Smith. 20/7/16.
Character. Very Good. Ability. Superior. 31/12/16.
Royal Naval Division Service Record.
Name. John James Hammans. No. LONDON, Z/1756.
Rating. [Not recorded]. Date of Entry. 6/5/15. Date of Birth. 6/4/97.
Place of Birth. [Not recorded]. Address. 69, Queens Road, Clarendon Park, Leicester.
Previous Service. [Not recorded].
Religion Congregationalist. Swim? No. Civil Employment. Clerk.
Next of Kin. Father.
Name. C. W. Hammans.
Address. 69, Queens Road, Clarendon Park, Leicester.
Height. 5-foot 9½inches. Chest. I. 34 inches. D. 34 inches.
Complexion. Medium. Colour of Hair. Dark brown. Colour of Eyes. Grey.
Marks, wounds and scars. 2 moles right arm. Notes. P.S.B.
Service record notes:
11/12/17. Wrote Depot for particulars of first service in R.N.D.
7/2/18. Reply: - Joined 1st Battalion, A/984.
26/7/15. Drafted from Signal School, Depot to Chatham. SS.656.
21/8/15. Enrolment Form sent to A.G.9.
3/4/19. W.G. Cert; to A.G.9b.
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals.
The background relating to the circumstances in which John lost his life are as follows; HMT Robert Smith was sunk by gunfire from German Submarine U-44, commanded by Paul Wagenfuhr in the Atlantic, no survivors were recovered. The exact time and location of the sinking is unknown, the location of 59˚ 14’N, 9˚ 40’W was given by HMT Offa II at the last sighting of the vessel.
On the 31st January 1920 the Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys in Leicester published a Roll of Honour of former pupils, this records that John attended the school between the years 1908 and 1912.
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