THANKS to local historian Greg Schofield who has once again made us aware of a fast-approaching centenary.

Three Weymouth men lost their lives on HMS Hampshire in the First World War and the 100 year anniversary of it being sunk by a mine will be June 5 2016.

This was the incident in which Lord Kitchener, one of the most famous military figures of that war, having spearheaded the recruitment programme, lost his life.

Greg tells us: "By 1916, Britain and France were deeply concerned that Russia, having suffered huge losses on the Eastern front, would drop out of the war. Therefore, it was decided to send Lord Kitchener on a diplomatic mission to persuade the Russians to continue the struggle.

"He and a staff of six joined HMS Hampshire at Scapa Flow, the naval base in the Orkney Islands. Due to the gale-force conditions, it was decided that Hampshire would sail through the Pentland Firth, then turn north along the western coast of the Orkney Islands.

"Sailing alone in heavy seas, she was approximately 1.5 miles off the mainland of Orkney when at 19:40 an explosion occurred and she heeled to starboard.

"She had struck one of several mines laid by the German minelaying submarine U-75 , just before the Battle of Jutland.

"The detonation had holed the cruiser between bows and bridge, and the lifeboats were smashed against the side of the ship by the heavy seas when they were lowered.

"About 15 minutes after the explosion, Hampshire sank by the bow. Of the 655 crewmen and 7 passengers aboard, only 12 crewmen on two Carley floats managed to reach the shore alive. Kitchener and his staff were lost, causing headlines in Britain and a huge sense of loss."

Among the dead men were these three Weymouth men - John Hawkins - P.O. Stoker, aged 31 of 2 Milton Terrace, and husband of Charlotte Cockings, William Ormonde of Crescent Street and Thomas Scriven: P.O. Stoker 1st Class, aged 28, of 73, Newstead Road who was married to Rose Scriven.