The story of the sinking of HMS Gladiator, which featured in our November 5 edition, brought back memories for two Isle of Wight residents.

Reg Barry, a former long-serving Seaview and Nettlestone councillor, who still lives in Nettlestone, has a family connection to the terrible tragedy off Fort Victoria in 1908.

Scroll through the gallery of images above to see more...

The sinking of HMS Gladiator after a collision in The Solent resulted in the death of 27 crew. Click here to read Alan Stroud's story from our November 5 edition.

Isle of Wight County Press:

The HMS Gladiator on her side off Fort Victoria in 1908. Photo: Alan Stroud/County Press.

Reg said: “My grandfather, Sapper John Peacock (main image, top), was also stationed at Fort Victoria on that terrible day and took part in the rescue of the crew.

“He was awarded The Royal Humane Society Testimonial, which stated: “It was resolved unanimously that Sapper J. Peacock is justly entitled to the Honorary Testimonial of this Society inscribed on Vellum which is hereby awarded him for having on the 25th April 1908 gone to the rescue of the crew of HMS Gladiator, who were in imminent danger of drowning in the Solent and whose lives he gallantly assisted to save.”

He also received a pen and ink stand made from the wood of HMS Gladiator, which was presented by the grateful crew.

Sapper John Peacock went on to serve during the First World War and was wounded and gassed.

After the war, he was posted to India and the photo in this article was taken when he served with the Bombay Sappers and Miners.

Isle of Wight County Press: SS St. Paul photographed under steam in or near New York Harbour 1895. Picture: Wikipedia (in the US public domain, having been taken before 1926).

SS St. Paul photographed under steam in or near New York Harbour 1895. Picture: Wikipedia.

Nick Sewell, of Newport, also wrote to the County Press with an interesting addition to the story of HMS Gladiator.

He said: “A curious postscript to the story was that the liner which collided with the Gladiator, the St Paul, herself capsized ten years later almost to the day, on April 28, 1918, while undergoing alterations in New York harbour.

She was refloated and fixed, but St Paul was eventually scrapped in Germany in 1923.

Do you love stories about historic places and events in West Wight? Have you seen this story?

PHOTOS The Needles was defended by little-known tunnels

If you love Isle of Wight history and nostalgia, click here to visit our Looking Back section.