Royal Navy – HM Submarine D3
George Edward Fisher was born at Cranham, near Stroud on 18 August 1893, the son of Eli and Frances Fisher of Sutton’s Mill, Cranham, and the husband of Edith, whom he married in 1917.
Prior to joining the Royal Navy in April 1912, on a twelve year engagement, he was a farm labourer and the latter part of his naval career saw him serve in submarines.
On 15 March 1918 he was part of the crew of HM Submarine D3, which was on the surface about 35 km north east of Le Havre. At about 14:20 the submarine was spotted by a patrolling French airship, which closed for the purposes of identification. D3 fired off identification rockets which were, unfortunately, interpreted as hostile fire. The airship dropped four 52kg bombs which caused the submarine to sink. A number of the crew escaped into the water and the airship, recognising that an error had been made, summoned assistance. Sadly this arrived too late to save any of the ship’s company.
George Fisher’s body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial and also on the War Memorial Gate at Cranham Church.
His photograph appeared in the Cheltenham Chronicle and Gloucestershire Graphic of 23 March 1918.