The Flickr Facesofthegreatwaratsea Image Generatr

This picture appeared in the edition of the Eastern Daily Press dated Thursday, January 17, 1916. The associated caption reads:-

STOKER HERBERT EDWARD BALDWIN,
Who lost his life on H.M.S. Natal December 30th. Son of Mr. and Mrs. George Baldwin, of Sunny Side, Woodton.


WW1 Naval Casualties has a Stoker 1st Class Herbert Edward Baldwin, born 25th July 1895 at Norwich, who died on the 30th December 1915 and is buried in the Gaelic Church-Yard, Cromarty, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland. He was killed or died by means other than disease, accident or enemy action. The relative notified of his death was his mother Alice, of Sunny Side, Woodton, Near Bungay, Norfolk.
He was serving aboard HMS Natal.

BALDWIN, H E
Rank:……………………………………Stoker 1st Class
Service No:………………………….SS/114541(CH)
Date of Death:……………………..30/12/1915
Service:………………………………. Royal Navy, H.M.S. "Natal."
Grave Reference:…………………L. North-East. 11.
Cemetery:……………………………CROMARTY CEMETERY
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/667757/BALDWIN,%20H%20E
(The Grave Registration Report on the same site records he was aged 20)

The Naval records of SS114541 Herbert Edward Baldwin, born 25th July 1895, Norwich, enlisted 1913, are held at the National Archive under reference ADM 188/1120/114541
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7080151
These show that he enlisted on the 31st July 1913 on a ‘5 + 7’ engagement – I assume that was 5 years in uniform and 7 in the reserve. He was recorded as 5 feet 6 and 3/5ths tall, with light brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. Prior to enlisting he was a Bricklayers Labourer. His first posting was at Pembroke II, a shore training establishment, as a Stoker Class II. On the 13th December 1916 he was posted to HMS Natal, being promoted on the 28th August 1914 to Stoker Class 1. He was initially recorded missing on the 30th December 1915 and then recorded with a Date of Death of the same day. “Lost when ‘Natal’ was sunk”.

A War Gratuity was subsequently paid out.

The Naval Service Medal Roll shows he was entitled to the 14/15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. From the abbreviation on the Roll I believe these were issued to his Father.

No obvious Civil Probate for this man.

His mother, Alice, of Woodton, Bungay, Suffolk, subsequently made a claim for dependants pension.

No match on Picture Norfolk


25th July 1895 – birth……………………..

(Source: Naval Service Record and WW1 Naval Casualties).

The birth of a Herbert Edward Baldwin, mothers’ maiden name Rouse, was registered with the civil authorities in the Loddon District of Norfolk in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1895. Loddon Civil Registration District included the civil parish of Woodton.

Census of England & Wales

The 1911 census has a 15 year old Herbert, born Woodton and working as a Bricklayers Labourer, recorded at a dwelling at Woodton, Norfolk. This was the household of his parents, George, (aged 42 and a Bricklayer from Woodton) and Alice, (aged 40 and from Heckingham, Norfolk). The couple have been married 21 years and have had 10 children, of which 8 were then still alive. As well as Herbert, also still at home are:-
Bertie……..aged 17……born Woodton……..Bricklayers Labourer
Cicely….…aged 13…….born Woodton
Mercy…….aged 11……born Woodton
Ada……….aged 6……..born Woodton
Clara……..aged 4…..…born Woodton
Russell….aged 1 month…born Woodton

On the 1901 census the family were recorded at a dwelling “West of the Chapel”, Woodton. (The next entries on the same page are all down as “Near Kings Head”). As well as Hebert, (5), also recorded are Bertie, (7), Cicely (3), Mercy (1), plus there is also an older child, Audrey, (aged 9 and born Woodton).

1911 – 1915 Norfolk Register of Electors…..

Herberts’ father George appears to be recorded on the 1911 edition of the Register as entitled to vote in Parliamentary, County Council and Civil Parish elections as he was a (male) householder of a dwelling house ‘Near chapel’, Woodton.
The same information would appear for each year up to and including 1915. Electoral Registers for 1916 & 1917 were not produced anywhere in the UK.

1911 edition: www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2CML-XS5
1912 edition: www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2CM8-LG4
1913 edition: www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2CMX-YQK
1914 edition: www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2CMN-WJW
1915 edition: www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2H1W-788


On the day…………………..

HMS Natal was a Warrior-class armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She escorted the royal yacht in 1911–1912 for the newly crowned King George V's trip to India to attend the Delhi Durbar. During World War I the ship was assigned to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet, but did not participate in any battles. Natal was sunk by an internal explosion near Cromarty on 30 December 1915 with the loss of at least 390 crewmen and civilians.

At the outbreak of war, she joined the Grand Fleet and in January 1915 was refitted at Cromarty.]Natal spent much of 1915 uneventfully patrolling the North Sea until she began a brief refit at the Birkenhead shipyard of Cammell Laird on 22 November. On 5 December the ship rejoined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron at Scapa Flow. Twelve days later the squadron sailed to Cromarty Firth.

On 30 December 1915, Natal was lying in the Cromarty Firth with her squadron, under the command of Captain Eric Back. The captain was hosting a film party aboard and had invited the wives and children of his officers, one civilian friend and his family, and nurses from the nearby hospital ship Drina to attend. A total of seven women, one civilian male, and three children were in attendance that afternoon.

Shortly after 15:25, and without warning, a series of violent explosions tore through the rear part of the ship. She capsized five minutes later. Some thought that she'd been torpedoed by a German U-boat or detonated a submarine-laid mine, but examination of the wreckage revealed that the explosions were internal. The divers sent to investigate the ship reported that the explosions began in either the rear 9.2-inch shellroom or the 3-pounder and small arms magazine. The Admiralty court-martial in the causes of her loss concluded that it was caused by an internal ammunition explosion, possibly due to faulty cordite. The Admiralty issued a revised list of the dead and missing that totaled 390 in January 1916, but did not list the women and children on board that day. Losses are listed from 390 to 421.

With her hull still visible at low water, it was Royal Navy practice on entering and leaving Cromarty right up to World War II for every warship to sound “Still”, and for officers and men to come to attention as they passed the wreck.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Natal_(1905)


(Mildly photoshopped to reduce impact of damage present on the original image).

This picture appeared in the edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday, October 10, 1914, along with the caption:-

FREDERICK RUDD.

Of 36, Rotterdam Road, Lowestoft, who is reported missing from H.M.S. Cressy.

Seaman RUDD, FREDERICK
Service Number:………. 5635A
Died:……………………. 22/09/1914
Ship:……………………..H.M.S. "Cressy."
Service:………………….Royal Naval Reserve
Commemorated at CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Sourced: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3049978/rudd,-frederick/

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Seaman 5635.A. (Ch), Frederick Rudd Royal Naval Reserve was Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action while serving aboard HMS Cressy. His body was not recovered for burial. He was born Lowestoft on the 15th January 1896 and the next of kin informed of his death was his mother, Nellie, of 36 Rotterdam Road, Lowestoft.

He has a small entry in De Ruvignys Roll of Honour.
RUDD, FREDERICK THOMAS, A.B. Seaman, No. 5635A, Royal Navy, s. of Frederick James Rudd, of 36, Rotterdam Road, Lowestoft, by his wife Ellen, dau. of Edmund Howlett, of Pulham Market, Norfolk; b. Lowestoft, co. Suffolk, 14 Jan. 1897; educ. Yarmouth Road School, Oulton Broad; joined the Navy 9 Feb. 1914, and was lost on H.M.S. Cressy, when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
(Note day & year of birth at odds with other military sources but not civil ones. He may have lied about his age in order to join up.).

The Naval Reservist Service Records for A 5635 Frederick Rudd, born Lowestoft 15th January 1896, is held at the National Archive under reference BT 377/7/5648
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8464071
He was recorded as five feet six and a half inches tall, with a fresh complexion and brown eyes. He had no personal marks. After joining on the 13th February 1914 his initial training was first two weeks at “C” Depot (16th February to 28th February), followed by two months aboard HMS Russell. His ability was rated satisfactory while his conduct was very good, so on the 1st June 1914 he was confirmed in rating and released back into civvy street while paying him a retainer. At the time he was engaged in Fishing aboard the boat Stowe, registry number LT70. When his last trip finished at Lowestoft on the 4th August 1914 he was packed off to Chatham to join his ship. He was reported Missing from H.M.S. Cressy, 22nd September 1914.

As well as his sons War Gratuity, father Frederick would receive the Naval Prize Money due. An interim award of £12 10s was paid out in July 1921, at which point he was living at 46 Seago Street, Lowestoft. Another interim award of £18 5 s was made in July 1922 and the final balance of £2 10 was paid out in January 1924.

Frederick Thomas Rudd appears on the Naval Service Medal Roll as entitled to the 1914/15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.


1896/97 – Birth……………………………..

The birth of a Frederick Thomas Rudd, mothers’ maiden name Howlett was registered with the civil authorities in the Mutford District of Suffolk in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1897.

Mutford Civil Registration District included both Lowestoft, Oulton and Oulton Broad. It supports that date of birth of the 14th January 1897 quoted in De Ruvignys, but as a birth could be registered up to 42 days after the event a Q1 registration doesn’t entirely rule out a birth as early as the middle of the previous November. It does not however stretch back to the previous January which is what would be required to align with the date on his military records.

1901 Census of England & Wales………….

The 4 year old Frederick T Rudd, born Lowestoft, was recorded living in one of the dwellings at Woods Loke, Oulton, Suffolk. This was the household of his parents, Frederick J, (aged 28, Brickmaker, born Barsham, Suffolk) and Ellen, (aged 32, born Pulham Market, Norfolk). As well as Frederick the couple also have two daughters – Hilda M, (aged 3, born Lowestoft) and Lilian M, (aged 4 months, born Oulton).

(Note – his age would tie in with an 1897 birth)

1911 Census of England & Wales…………

The Rudd family were still living at Wood Loke, Oulton Broad. Parents Frederick James, (39, Labour for Lowestoft Corporation) and Ellen, (43) have been married 15 years and have had 9 children, of which 7 were then still alive. Still single and living with them are:-
Frederick…aged 15…born Lowestoft….Bakers Assistant
Hilda………aged 13…born Lowestoft
Lilly………..aged 10…born Oulton
Ernest…….aged 7…..born Oulton
Grace…….aged 5…..born Oulton
Elsie………aged 4…..born Oulton
Sidney….aged 2 and a half…born Oulton

(Note Fredericks age would now give a date of birth more in line with that which appears on his Naval records.)


On the day………………..

The Action of 22 September 1914 was a German U-boat ambush that took place during the First World War, in which three obsolete Royal Navy cruisers, manned mainly by reservists and sometimes referred to as the livebait squadron, were sunk by a German submarine while on patrol.

Approximately 1,450 sailors were killed and there was a public outcry in Britain at the losses. The sinkings eroded confidence in the British government and damaged the reputation of the Royal Navy, at a time when many countries were still considering which side they might support in the war.

The cruisers were part of the Southern Force (Rear-Admiral Arthur Christian) composed of the flagship Euryalus, the light cruiser Amethyst and the 7th Cruiser Squadron (7th CS, also known as Cruiser Squadron C, Rear-Admiral H. H. Campbell), comprising the Cressy-class armoured cruisers Bacchante, Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy, the 1st and 3rd Destroyer flotillas, ten submarines of the 8th Oversea Flotilla and the attached Active-class scout cruiser, HMS Fearless. The force was assigned patrol duties in the North Sea, supporting destroyers and submarines of the Harwich Force to guard against incursions by the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) into the English Channel.

Although concerns had been expressed about the vulnerability of these ships, particularly to attack by more modern German cruisers, no changes had been made before the events of 22 September; there was less concern about submarine attacks. The War Orders of 28 July 1914, which conformed to pre-war assumptions about attacks by destroyers rather than submarines, had not been modified. The orders required the ships to patrol the area "south of the 54th parallel clear of enemy torpedo craft and destroyers" with the support of Cruiser Force C, during the day. The Harwich Patrol was given two patrol areas, at the Dogger Bank and further south in the Broad Fourteens; usually three of the cruisers were to the north, closer to the Dogger Bank and sailed south during the night. The cruisers shifted area to the Broad Fourteens and reinforced the fourth cruiser there during troops movements from Britain to France. Heading south meant sailing towards German bases and becoming more vulnerable to submarine attack

The U-boat was treated equally lightly by the Imperial German Navy; in the first six weeks of the war, the U-boat arm had lost two boats and seen little result for their effort. On the morning of 22 September, U-9 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen) passed through the Broad Fourteens on her way back to base. On 16 September, Christian had been allowed to keep two cruisers to the north and one at the Broad Fourteens but had kept them together in a central position, able to support operations in both areas. Next day, the destroyer escorts had been forced to depart by heavy weather, which continued so bad that neither patrol could be reformed. The Admiralty ordered that the ships were to cancel the Dogger Patrol and cover the Broad Fourteens until the weather abated. On 20 September, Euryalus returned to port to re-fuel and by 22 September, Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy were on patrol under the command of Captain J. E. Drummond of Aboukir.

At 06:00 on 22 September, the weather had calmed and the ships were patrolling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), line abreast, 2 nmi (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) apart. Lookouts were posted for submarine periscopes or ships and one gun either side of each ship was manned. U-9 had been ordered to attack British transports at Ostend but had been forced to dive and shelter from the storm. On surfacing, she spotted the British ships and moved to attack.

At 06:20, the submarine fired a torpedo at the nearest ship from a range of 550 yd (500 m) and struck Aboukir on the starboard side, flooding the engine room and causing the ship to stop immediately. No submarines had been sighted, so Drummond assumed that the ship had hit a mine and ordered the other two cruisers to close in to help. After 25 minutes, Aboukir capsized and sank five minutes later. Only one boat could be launched, because of damage from the explosion and the failure of steam-powered winches needed to launch them.

U-9 rose to periscope depth from her dive after firing the torpedo, to observe two British cruisers engaged in the rescue of men from the sinking ship. Weddigen fired two more torpedoes at Hogue, from 300 yd (270 m). As the torpedoes left the submarine, her bows rose out of the water and she was spotted by Hogue, which opened fire before the submarine dived. The two torpedoes struck Hogue; within five minutes, Captain Wilmot Nicholson gave the order to abandon ship and after 10 minutes she capsized before sinking at 07:15.

Watchers on Cressy had seen the submarine, opened fire and made a failed attempt to ram, then turned to pick up survivors. At 07:20, U-9 fired two torpedoes toward Cressy from her stern torpedo tubes at a range of 1,000 yd (910 m). One torpedo missed, so the submarine turned and fired her remaining bow torpedo at 550 yd (500 m). The first torpedo struck the starboard side at around 07:25, the second the port beam at 07:30. The ship capsized to starboard and floated upside down until 07:55. Two Dutch sailing trawlers in the vicinity declined to close with Cressy for fear of mines.

Distress calls had been received by Commodore Tyrwhitt, who, with the destroyer squadron, had already been at sea returning to the cruisers, now that the weather had improved. At 08:30, the Dutch steamship Flora approached the scene (having seen the sinkings) and rescued 286 men. A second steamer—Titan—picked up another 147. More were rescued by the two Lowestoft sailing trawlers Coriander and J.G.C., before the destroyers arrived at 10:45, 837 men were rescued while 1,397 men and 62 officers—mostly part-time men from the Royal Naval Reserve rather than regular sailors—had been killed. The destroyers began a search for the submarine, which had little electrical power remaining to travel underwater and could only make 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface. The submarine submerged for the night before returning home the next day.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_22_September_1914


(Mildly photoshopped to reduce impact of damage present on the original image)

This picture appeared in the edition of the Eastern Daily Press dated Thursday, January 6, 1916.

SIDNEY GEORGE ABBS,
The only son of Mr. and Mrs. William Abbs, of Shepherd’s Cottage, East Runton, who was lost in the sinking of H.M.S. Natal.

Sidney is remembered on the West Runton War Memorial.

Boy 1st Class ABBS, SYDNEY GEORGE
Service Number:…………. J/28022
Died:…………………….. 30/12/1915
Aged:…………………….. 17
Ship:………………………H.M.S. "Natal."
…………………………….Royal Navy
Son of William Edward and Margaret Abbs, of Shepherd Cottage, East Runton, Norfolk.
Commemorated at CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Location: Kent, United Kingdom
Cemetery/memorial reference: 10.
Source: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/4003501/abbs,-sydney-...

The WW1 Naval casualties list records that Boy 1st Class Sydney George Abbs, Royal Navy, was born on the 18th January 1898 at Cromer, Norfolk and was serving aboard HMS Natal when on the 30th December 1915 he was “Killed or died by means other than disease, accident or enemy action.” His body was not recovered for burial. The next of kin informed of his death was his mother, Margaret, of Shepherds Cottage, East Runton. Near Cromer.

The Naval Service records for a Sydney George Abbs born 18th January 1898 at Cromer is held at the National Archive under reference ADM 188/703/28022
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6927008
These show that he joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on the 30th October 1913 and initially served at the training establishment HMS Ganges. He was 5 feet five inches tall with fair hair, blue eyes and a dark complexion. On the 13th July 1914 he was promoted Boy 1st Class, joining the first class cruiser HMS Crescent on the following day. From the 2nd August 1914 he was back on dry land at Pembroke 1, the naval base at Chatham. On the 31st October 1914 he was posted to HMS Natal. His paperwork was set up for his to commence adult service on reaching 18 in January 1916 but sadly this was not to be – he was declared dead on the 30th December 1915, lost when Natal was sunk.

No match on Picture Norfolk.


Birth and Baptism

Born 18th January 1898 – source his Naval Service Record and WW1 Naval Casualties.

The birth of a Sydney George Abbs, mothers maiden name Richardson, was registered with the Civil Authorities in the District of Erpingham, Norfolk, in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1898.

The baptism of a Sydney George Abbs, born 18th January 1898, took place at Holy Trinity, Runton on the 15th February 1898. His parents were William Edward, a Labourer, and Margaret.
www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818bcb6e93790eca3bc510...

Census

The 3 year old Sydney G, born East Runton, was recorded on the 1901 census at a dwelling at Runton. This was the household of his widowed Great - Grandmother, Margaret, aged 76 and from Beeston Regis, Norfolk. Living in the household are her grandson and his wife, who are probably Sydney’s parents. They are William, (aged 28 and an Ordinary Agricultural Labourer from West Beckham) and Margaret, (aged 30 and from Chesterfield, Derbyshire).

By the time of the 1911 census the 13 year old Sydney George, born East Runton, was recorded living at Shepherds Cottage, East Runton. This was the household of his parents William Edward, (aged 38 and a Farm Labourer) and Margaret, (aged 40). The couple have been married 14 years and have had two children, both then still alive. As well as Sydney, they also have a daughter Mabel Emma, aged 7. Living with them is the widowed Margaret Abbs, (aged 86)

On the day

HMS Natal was a Warrior-class armoured cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She escorted the royal yacht in 1911–1912 for the newly crowned King George V's trip to India to attend the Delhi Durbar. During World War I the ship was assigned to the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet, but did not participate in any battles. Natal was sunk by an internal explosion near Cromarty on 30 December 1915 with the loss of at least 390 crewmen and civilians.

At the outbreak of war, she joined the Grand Fleet and in January 1915 was refitted at Cromarty. Natal spent much of 1915 uneventfully patrolling the North Sea until she began a brief refit at the Birkenhead shipyard of Cammell Laird on 22 November. On 5 December the ship rejoined the 2nd Cruiser Squadron at Scapa Flow. Twelve days later the squadron sailed to Cromarty Firth.

On 30 December 1915, Natal was lying in the Cromarty Firth with her squadron, under the command of Captain Eric Back. The captain was hosting a film party aboard and had invited the wives and children of his officers, one civilian friend and his family, and nurses from the nearby hospital ship Drina to attend. A total of seven women, one civilian male, and three children were in attendance that afternoon.

Shortly after 15:25, and without warning, a series of violent explosions tore through the rear part of the ship. She capsized five minutes later. Some thought that she'd been torpedoed by a German U-boat or detonated a submarine-laid mine, but examination of the wreckage revealed that the explosions were internal. The divers sent to investigate the ship reported that the explosions began in either the rear 9.2-inch shellroom or the 3-pounder and small arms magazine. The Admiralty court-martial in the causes of her loss concluded that it was caused by an internal ammunition explosion, possibly due to faulty cordite. The Admiralty issued a revised list of the dead and missing that totaled 390 in January 1916, but did not list the women and children on board that day. Losses are listed from 390 to 421.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Natal_(1905)
www.hmsnatal.co.uk/
www.nhcra-online.org/20c/natal.html


Postscript…………………

A Dependants Pension card has survived which shows that in March 1919 his mother, Mrs Margaret Abbs, of Shepherd Cottage, East Runton, Norfolk, applied for pension. It is noted that ‘Sidney’ was lost with his ship, HMS Natal, on the 30th December 1915. However there are no details on the card as to whether a pension was awarded or refused.


Mildly photoshopped to reduce impact of damage present on the original image.

This picture appeared in the edition of the Eastern Evening News dated Friday, September 4, 1914. The accompanying caption read:-

NORFOLK BOY & NELSON’S DEATH.

Samuel Flowerday, A.B. aged 28, son of Robert Flowerday, of Suffield; wounded in the naval battle in Heligoland Bight on H.M.S. Liberty; died from his wounds, and buried at North Walsham Cemetery on Wednesday.

Able Seaman FLOWERDAY, SAMUEL
Service Number:…………. 219736/CH
Died:………………………. 28/08/1914
Aged:……………………… 28
Ship:………………………..H.M.S. "Liberty"
Service:…………………….Royal Navy
Husband of Mary Flowerday, of 5, Back St., North Walsham.
Buried at NORTH WALSHAM NEW CEMETERY
Cemetery/memorial reference: V. I.
Source: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2803020/flowerday,-sa...

A picture of his headstone can be seen in the comment box below.

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Able Seaman 291736.(CH) Samuel Flowerday, Royal Navy, was “killed or died as a result of enemy action” on the 29th August 1914 whilst serving with HMS Liberty. He was born on the 5th December 1885 at “Aylesham”, Norfolk. The next of kin informed of his death was his wife Mary, (subsequently remarried with surname Emerson), of Back Street, North Walsham, Norfolk. He was buried at New Cemetery, Bacton Road, North Walsham.

The Register of Seamans Services record for 219736 Samuel Flowerday, born Aylsham, Norfolk on the 5th December 1885 is held at the National Archive under reference ADM 188/386/219736
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6723306

They show that he joined as a Boy Sailor on the 12th February 1902, signing up for 12 years when he reached his 18 birthday on the 5th December 1903. He had previously been a Farm Boy. On his first enlistment he was recorded as 5 feet 3 inches tall, with Dark Brown Hair, Blue Eyes and a Ruddy complexion. His distinguishing marks were a mole on shoulder and on the right side of his neck. On his 18th birthday he was recorded as 5 feet 4 and a half inches tall.

The record of ships he served in and ranks are:-
Ganges………12/02/02 – 22/03/03…..Boy 2nd Class
(Boy 1st Class from 18/12/02).
Minotaur…….23/03/03 – 17/10/03…..Boy 1st Class
Agincourt……18/10/03 – 04/12/03…..Boy 1st Class
Pembroke……05/12/03 – 04/04/04…..Ordinary Seaman
Lancaster…….05/04/04 – 19/03/06…..Ordinary Seaman
(Able Seaman from 10/03/06)
Pembroke……20/03/06 – 21/10/06…..Able Seaman
Merlin(?)…….22/10/06 – 21/04/09…..Able Seaman
Pembroke 1….22/04/09 – 11/01/11…..Able Seaman
Triumph……..12/01/11 – 09/05/12…..Able Seaman
Wildfire……..10/05/12 – 25/03/14……Able Seaman
Pembroke……26/03/14 – 14/04/14…..Able Seaman
Dido (Liberty).15/04/14 – 28/08/14…..Able Seaman

Character rated Very Good throughout.

The date of death is given as the 29th August 1914 from wounds received in action on 28th August 1914 on HMS “Liberty”. A War Gratuity was subsequently paid – presumably to his widow.

The Navy Medal Roll shows he qualified for the 1914 Star, the Victory Medal and British War Medal.

No match on Picture Norfolk, the County Image Archive.

No obvious Civil Probate for this man.


5th December 1885……birth

(Sourced – WW1 Naval Casualties database and his Register of Seamans Services document).

The birth of a Samuel Flowerday was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Aylsham District of Norfolk in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1886.

Then, as now, you had 42 days after the event to register the birth without facing prosecution and a fine. Thus the date of birth in his service records and the period of registration in the civil record are not incompatible.

1891 Census of England and Wales

The 5 year old Samuel Flowerday, born Banningham, Norfolk, was recorded living at Preston Farm, Suffield, Norfolk. This was the household of his parents, Robert, (aged 44, an Agricultural Labourer, born North Walsham), and Elizabeth, (aged 43, born Suffield). As well as Samuel the couples other children living with them are:-
Frederick……aged 16…..born Banningham…Agricultural Labourer
Elizabeth……aged 13…..born Banningham
George………aged 11…..born Banningham
Nelly………...aged 7……born Banningham
Amy…………aged 1……born Banningham

1901 Census of England and Wales

The Flowerday family were one of two households shown living at Preston Farm, Suffield, Norfolk. As well as parents Robert, (53) and Elizabeth, (53), children still living with them are Elizabeth, (23, Cook domestic), Samuel, (15, Groom), and Amy M, (11).

1911 Census of England and Wales

The 25 year old Able Seaman Samuel Flowerday, single and born “Duffield”, Norfolk was recorded aboard HMS Triumph which was then docked at Valletta, Malta. (NB – this ties in with his register of seamans services record).
His religion was recorded as Wesleyan.

1912 Marriage………………………..

The marriage of a Samuel Flowerday to a Mary Doughty was recorded in the Smallburgh District of Norfolk in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1912.

Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers’ maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows potentially one child of Samuel and Mary.

This was the birth of a Frederick R. Flowerday, motherrs’ maiden name Doughty, which was registered in the Smallburgh District in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1913.

The Naval Pension ledger records another son, a Samuel E Flowerday, but there is no likely match for that name in the birth records for England and Wales.

There is however a Samuel E F Doughty, mothers’ maiden name Doughty, whose birth was registered in the Smallburgh District in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1911, and which may provide an explanation.


On the day…………………………………

Friday, 28 August 1914
BATTLE OF HELIGOLAND BIGHT

Liberty, destroyer
BARTTELOT, Nigel K W, Lieutenant Commander
BUTCHER, William, Signalman, J 6825 (Ch)
CHAWNER, John H, Able Seaman, J 5865 (Ch)
DEXTER, George H, Stoker 1c, 309475 (Ch)
EADE, Harold, Able Seaman, 219145 (Ch)
FLOWERDAY, Samuel, Able Seaman, 219736 (Ch), DOW
JENNINGS, Richard L, Able Seaman, 213174 (Ch)
ROBERTS, William C, Leading Seaman, 222351 (Ch)
www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1914-08Aug.htm

The Battle of Heligoland Bight The Heligoland Bight is the stretch of water off Germany's major North Sea base of Wilhemshaven. The battle that bears its name was fought in a confusion of fog and haze on 28 August 1914, when a British attack led by Commodore Tyrwhitt was mounted on German coastal patrols - using the force of destroyers and submarines based at Harwich.

The raid was covered by heavier forces, including Vice Admiral Beatty's powerful 'Cruiser Force A', the First Battle Cruiser Squadron and the First Light Cruiser Squadron, but the operation was marred by poor staff work. Beatty was only sent out at the last minute, and the main attackers did not even know he was coming.

When action was joined, Tyrwhitt had gun problems with his brand new flagship, the light cruiser Arethusa, which was hit by a shell from a German cruiser. More German cruisers appeared to drive off the British destroyers. The day was saved by Beatty reinforced by two more battle cruisers to make five in all. Three German cruisers and a destroyer were eventually sunk. No British ships were lost, but Arethusa and two damaged British destroyers had to be towed home. The British made much of their victory, but within the Navy there was frustration. A better planned operation could have done so much better.
www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/war_sea_gallery_02....

See also:-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Heligoland_Bight

www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&amp...


HMS Liberty was part of the Third Destroyer Flotilla under Commodore Tyrwhitt
www.worldwar1.co.uk/heligoland-oob.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Liberty


Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original image.

This picture appeared in the edition of the Eastern Evening News dated Wednesday, September 30, 1914. The accompanying caption read:-

ON BOARD THE LOST CRUISERS

THOMAS MARTIN ALLEN, R.N.R., of West Lynn, who was lost in H.M.S. Aboukir. He was captain of one of the Lynn Conservancy Board’s steam tugs.

Seaman ALLEN, THOMAS MARTIN
Service Number:……………… 3133C
Died:…………………………… 22/09/1914
Unit:……………………………..H.M.S. "Aboukir."
Service:…………………………Royal Naval Reserve
Commemorated at CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Source: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3048329/allen,-thomas...

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records Seaman 3133. C. (CH) Thomas Martin Allen, Royal Naval Reserve was killed or died as a direct result of enemy action on the 22nd September 1914 whilst serving aboard HMS Aboukir. His body was not recovered for burial. Martin was born on the 7th April 1883 at King’s Lynn. The next of kin informed of his death was his widow, Rose, of 64, Checker Street, King’s Lynn.

Thomas Martin Allen, born Kings Lynn, Norfolk on the 7th April 1883 has Royal Naval Reservis papers with service number B 1417 held at the National Archive under reference BT 377/7/23743
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8483496

These show his parents as Samuel and Mary. He joined the Royal Naval Reserve from the 1st July 1903. He is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, with a fresh complexion. He lived at West Lynn Norfolk. In his civilian life he is shown working on several Lynn based Tugs. The records go to the end of 1913. In 1910 he spent time at sea aboard the Hogue.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8483496

From the start of 1914 he has a new set of records under servive number C 3133, which are held at the National Archive under reference BT 377/7/35371
As well as the physical details given previously his eye colour is given as blue and his home address as 64 Checker Street, Kings Lynn. He spent a month at sea from the 25th February 1914 to the 24th March 1914 aboard HMS Formidable. His civilian life was as a mate on a tug. He is recorded as Missing from HMS Aboukir when it was sunkby torpedo September 22nd 1914.

It looks like he had served previously to joining the Royal Naval Reserve as it is noted that he had two months training aboard HMS Dido from the 3rd April 1903 to the 30th June 1903. When Naval Prize money was paid out to his widow, Mrs R. Allen, in July 1921 her address then was given as ‘Opposite the Swan Inn, West Lynn’. He is recorded as having served 10 years 4 and 3 /5th months in the reserves.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8495118


No match on Picture Norfolk, the County Image Archive.

The Government Probate Service holds no obvious Civil Probate for this man.

Thomas is remembered on the War Memorials at Kings Lynn and in the churchs of West Lynn and South Lynn All Saints. In writing about these memorials the Roll of Honour website notes that: His parents lived at West Lynn. Married with three children, lived at 64 Checker Street, King's Lynn. Had been master of the King's Lynn Conservancy Board tug 'T. Brown' from July, 1914. Called up 2/8/1914. Served on the Aboukir with his brother William who last saw Thomas signalling the Cressy and the Hogue shortly after the Aboukir had been hit.
Source: www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/SouthLynnAllSaints.html

His entry in De Ruvignys multi-volume Roll of Honour adds nothing additional.


7th April 1883 – birth and baptism……………

(Sourced WW1 Naval Casualties and his Royal Naval Reserve service records).

The birth of a Thomas Martin Allen was registered with the Civil Authorities in the King Lynn District of Norfolk in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1883.
His mothers’ maiden name was Reynolds.

The baptism of a Thomas Martin Allen, born 7th April 1883, took place at St Nicholas, Kings Lynn, on the 6th June 1883. His parents were Samuel Henry, a fisherman, and Mary. The family lived at North Street, Kings Lynn.
www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818d91de93790eca3f23e3...

1891 Census of England and Wales

The 7 year old Thomas Allen, born “Lynn”, Norfolk, was recorded living at George Street, Kings Lynn. This was the household of his parents, Samuel H., (aged 42, a Fisherman, born Lynn), and Mary, (aged 39, born Lynn). As well as Thomas the couples other children living with them are:-
Saul(?) H………aged 15…born Lynn……Fisherman
Josiah…………aged 13(?)..born Lynn……Errand Boy
William……….aged 10…..born Lynn
John……………aged 5…..born Lynn
Mary E………...aged 3……born Lynn.
Also in the household is Thomas’ maternal grandmother, the 85 year old widow Mary Weston. Recorded as living on own means, she was born Saddlebow, Norfolk.

1901 Census of England and Wales

The Allen family were now recorded living at The Swann Inn, St Peters Place, West Lynn.
Father Samuel, (52), is now recorded as an Innkeeper. He lives there with wife Mary, (50), and children William, (20, Fish Hawker), Thomas M, (17, Iron Moulder), John, (15, General Labourer), Mary, (13) and Martha M, (6) – all born Kings Lynn.

A site dedicated to the history of Norfolk Public Houses shows that Samuel took over the license by 1900, (and possibly as early as 1896), and had relinquished it by 1904.
www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkw/westlynn/wklwsw.htm

1908 Marriage………………………

The marriage of a Thomas M. Allen to a Rosannah Seekings was recorded in the Kings Lynn District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1908.

It actually took place at St. Peter, West Lynn on the 17th May 1908. Thomas Martin Allen, then aged 25 and a bachelor, was married to Rosanna Seekings, 26 and a Spinster. He was a Seaman living in West Lynn and his father was Samuel Allen, fisherman. She lived in South Lynn and her father was John Seekings, Labourer. Witnesses were Albert Seekings and Mary Allen. The marriage followed the reading of the banns.
www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58184242e93790eb7f77446...

1911 Census of England and Wales

The 27 year old Seaman, Thomas Martin Allen, was recorded as the married head of the household at, (possibly No.30), Providence Street, Kings Lynn. He lives there with his wife of 2 years, Rosanna, (aged 29, born Clenchwarton, Norfolk) and their 1 year old son, Thomas John, who was born West Lynn.

His parents were now recorded living “Near the Swan”, West Lynn. Father Samuel Henry, (36), has gone back to being a self-employed Fisherman. He and Mary, (60), have been married 36 years. They don’t state how many children they have had. Living with them is their unmarried son, John, aged 25 and a “Fishermans Son working Fishen”.

Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers’ maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows potentially two additional children of Thomas and Rosanna – the Roll of Honour site does state them to have had three in total.

The candidates, all in the Kings Lynn district with mothers maiden name Seekings are:
Albert G Allen……..Q2 1911
Ethel R. Allen………Q2 1913

Family in the Great War…………………….

The Roll of Honour site has already referred to his brother William being aboard the Aboukir.

The would be D 1947 William Allen, Royal Naval Reserve, who joined that organisations predecessor in September 1898. He was born at Kings Lynn on the 9th November 1877. Following the sinking of the Aboukir he was hospitalised and then had a couple of shore postings before being invalided out and awarded a pension in February 1915.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8501674

There is also a B 2498 John Allen, Royal Naval Reserve, who was born King’s Lynn on the 1st December 1884. He joined in December 1904. Sadly he drowned in the Lynn Channel of The Wash on the 29th December 1913.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8484574


On the day…………………………………

The Action of 22 September 1914 was a German U-boat ambush that took place during the First World War, in which three obsolete Royal Navy cruisers, manned mainly by reservists and sometimes referred to as the livebait squadron, were sunk by a German submarine while on patrol.

Approximately 1,450 sailors were killed and there was a public outcry in Britain at the losses. The sinkings eroded confidence in the British government and damaged the reputation of the Royal Navy, at a time when many countries were still considering which side they might support in the war.

The cruisers were part of the Southern Force (Rear-Admiral Arthur Christian) composed of the flagship Euryalus, the light cruiser Amethyst and the 7th Cruiser Squadron (7th CS, also known as Cruiser Squadron C, Rear-Admiral H. H. Campbell), comprising the Cressy-class armoured cruisers Bacchante, Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy, the 1st and 3rd Destroyer flotillas, ten submarines of the 8th Oversea Flotilla and the attached Active-class scout cruiser, HMS Fearless. The force was assigned patrol duties in the North Sea, supporting destroyers and submarines of the Harwich Force to guard against incursions by the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) into the English Channel.

Although concerns had been expressed about the vulnerability of these ships, particularly to attack by more modern German cruisers, no changes had been made before the events of 22 September; there was less concern about submarine attacks. The War Orders of 28 July 1914, which conformed to pre-war assumptions about attacks by destroyers rather than submarines, had not been modified. The orders required the ships to patrol the area "south of the 54th parallel clear of enemy torpedo craft and destroyers" with the support of Cruiser Force C, during the day. The Harwich Patrol was given two patrol areas, at the Dogger Bank and further south in the Broad Fourteens; usually three of the cruisers were to the north, closer to the Dogger Bank and sailed south during the night. The cruisers shifted area to the Broad Fourteens and reinforced the fourth cruiser there during troops movements from Britain to France. Heading south meant sailing towards German bases and becoming more vulnerable to submarine attack

The U-boat was treated equally lightly by the Imperial German Navy; in the first six weeks of the war, the U-boat arm had lost two boats and seen little result for their effort. On the morning of 22 September, U-9 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen) passed through the Broad Fourteens on her way back to base. On 16 September, Christian had been allowed to keep two cruisers to the north and one at the Broad Fourteens but had kept them together in a central position, able to support operations in both areas. Next day, the destroyer escorts had been forced to depart by heavy weather, which continued so bad that neither patrol could be reformed. The Admiralty ordered that the ships were to cancel the Dogger Patrol and cover the Broad Fourteens until the weather abated. On 20 September, Euryalus returned to port to re-fuel and by 22 September, Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy were on patrol under the command of Captain J. E. Drummond of Aboukir.

At 06:00 on 22 September, the weather had calmed and the ships were patrolling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), line abreast, 2 nmi (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) apart. Lookouts were posted for submarine periscopes or ships and one gun either side of each ship was manned. U-9 had been ordered to attack British transports at Ostend but had been forced to dive and shelter from the storm. On surfacing, she spotted the British ships and moved to attack.

At 06:20, the submarine fired a torpedo at the nearest ship from a range of 550 yd (500 m) and struck Aboukir on the starboard side, flooding the engine room and causing the ship to stop immediately. No submarines had been sighted, so Drummond assumed that the ship had hit a mine and ordered the other two cruisers to close in to help. After 25 minutes, Aboukir capsized and sank five minutes later. Only one boat could be launched, because of damage from the explosion and the failure of steam-powered winches needed to launch them.

U-9 rose to periscope depth from her dive after firing the torpedo, to observe two British cruisers engaged in the rescue of men from the sinking ship. Weddigen fired two more torpedoes at Hogue, from 300 yd (270 m). As the torpedoes left the submarine, her bows rose out of the water and she was spotted by Hogue, which opened fire before the submarine dived. The two torpedoes struck Hogue; within five minutes, Captain Wilmot Nicholson gave the order to abandon ship and after 10 minutes she capsized before sinking at 07:15.

Watchers on Cressy had seen the submarine, opened fire and made a failed attempt to ram, then turned to pick up survivors. At 07:20, U-9 fired two torpedoes toward Cressy from her stern torpedo tubes at a range of 1,000 yd (910 m). One torpedo missed, so the submarine turned and fired her remaining bow torpedo at 550 yd (500 m). The first torpedo struck the starboard side at around 07:25, the second the port beam at 07:30. The ship capsized to starboard and floated upside down until 07:55. Two Dutch sailing trawlers in the vicinity declined to close with Cressy for fear of mines.

Distress calls had been received by Commodore Tyrwhitt, who, with the destroyer squadron, had already been at sea returning to the cruisers, now that the weather had improved. At 08:30, the Dutch steamship Flora approached the scene (having seen the sinkings) and rescued 286 men. A second steamer—Titan—picked up another 147. More were rescued by the two Lowestoft sailing trawlers Coriander and J.G.C., before the destroyers arrived at 10:45, 837 men were rescued while 1,397 men and 62 officers—mostly part-time men from the Royal Naval Reserve rather than regular sailors—had been killed. The destroyers began a search for the submarine, which had little electrical power remaining to travel underwater and could only make 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface. The submarine submerged for the night before returning home the next day.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_22_September_1914


Postscript………………….

After his death a pension was awarded to his widow Rosanna Allen, and their three children Thomas John, Albert George and Ethel Rosanna. (Source - Naval Pension Ledger)

Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original image.

This picture appeared in the edition of the Eastern Evening News dated Friday, October 2, 1914. The accompanying caption read:-

W. TICE OF SHERINGHAM, one of the Hogue survivors. Although he had served his time in the Navy, he was one of the first to volunteer on the declaration of war. He was picked up after being in the water one and a half hours.

There is no match on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website so seems likely he survived the war.

His Register of Seamans’ Services shows that 158800 William John Tice was serving aboard HMS Hogue on the day that she sank.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6679333

The Seamans Register shows that William John Tice was born Gresham, Norfolk on the 7th January 1871. His occupation was Fishmonger. He initially enlisted on the 14th January 1891 for a 12 year term. He was then described as 5 feet 6 and a half inches tall with black hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He extended his engagement on the 4th November 1902, by which stage he had grown to be 5 feet 8 inches.

The record of ships he served in and ranks are:-
Pembroke……14/01/91 – 19/01/91……Stoker Cl2
Wildfire……….20/01/91 – 17/04/91……Stoker Cl2
Pembroke……18/04/91 – 08/02/92…….Stoker Cl2
…………..(Stoker from 30/09/91)…………………
Sans Pareil…..09/02/92 – 17/04/95……Stoker
Pembroke II….18/04/95 – 02/10/95……Stoker
Sans Pareil…..03/10/95 – 21/02/98……Stoker
Pembroke……22/02/98 – 09/05/98…….Stoker
Illustrious…….10/05/98 – 30/06/99…….Stoker
Hibernia………01/07/99 – 16/08/99……Stoker
Illustrious…….17/08/99 – 08/06/00…….Stoker
Pembroke……09/06/00 – 28/02/01…….Stoker
…………..(Leading Stoker from 01/11/90)……..
Anson……….01/03/01 – 22/06/02………Leading Stoker 2nd Class
Leith Belhevie.23/06/02 – 17/06/03……..”Btm”
Scotland……..18/06/03 – 08/10/04……..”Btm”
Bridge O’Don…09/10/04 – 27/08/06……”Btm”
Belhelvie……..28/08/06 – 16/04/07…….”Btm”
…………(“Com Btm” from 15/10/06)…………
Eastern Morton..17/04/07 – 16/10/07…..”Com Btm”
Wells……………17/10/07 – 15/07/09…..”Com Btm”
Sheringham……16/07/09 – 18/01/13
………….(P.O.II (CG) from 01/04/10)
He was then pensioned off.

He joined the Fleet Reserve on the 4th October 1913. He was mobilised on the 2nd August 1914 and sent to the Hogue, being with her when she sunk on the 22nd September 1914. His rank was then Senior Petty Officer Class II. The rest of his Great War service came under the pay station Pembroke II. He was released from the service on the 27th September 1919.

He qualified for a War Gratuity and received the 1914 Star, Victory Medal and British War Medal, having also qualified for Good Conduct Medals during his pre-war service.

No match on Picture Norfolk, the County Image Archive.


7th January 1871 – Birth????.....................

(Sourced from his Register of Seamans’ Services)

However the birth of a William John Tice was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Erpingham District of Norfolk, (which included Sheringham and Gresham), in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1873. This doesn’t tie in with the age on the Seamans’ Register but it is consistant with the ages shown on the censuses including those when he was serving in the Royal Navy.

The baptism of a William John Tice, no date of birth recorded, took place at All Saints, Gresham, on the 2nd March 1873. His parents were Richard, a Shoe maker, and Ellen. The family lived at Gresham.
Source: www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/591be6dcf493fd4f7493a5d...

This was the only baptism of a Tice at Gresham in the period 1850 – 1900. I could not track down an obvious church marriage of Richard and Ellen. A Richard Tice married an “Elinor” Wells in the Aylsham District of Norfolk in the Janury to March quarter, (Q1), of 1872.

1871 Census of England and Wales

As the parents of the William John Tice baptised at Gresham in 1873 did not appear to have married until 1872, I would not expect them to be recorded as a married couple on this census of for there to be any match for William.

There is a 19 year old Richard Tice, an unmarried Shoemaker born Sustead, Norfolk, who was recorded living with his parents at a dwelling in that village. There is no obvious match for his future wife Elinor or any potential William Tice.

While I am inclined to believe the year of birth of William on his Register of Seamans’ Service record is a most likely a clerical error, there are potentially other scenarios. One that should not be discounted is that William was born in 1871, but with a different surname, his mother a single parent. When his mother married, the child took his new fathers’ surname. This could mean that the mother isn’t Elinor at all. A complication of this is that only with new laws in 1872 did civil registration of births, marriages and deaths become more effective, with fines and court apperances for non-compliance. So pre-1872 absense of a matching birth may simply mean the parent(s) chose not to register him, rather than there was no birth to register, leaving a genealogist trying to prove the proverbial “negative”.

1881 Census of England and Wales

The most likely match is the 8 year old William John , born Gresham, Norfolk, who was recorded living with his parents at the High Street, Sheringham. On the source I use for census look ups the surname has been transcribed at “Tyer”, but could just as easily be “Tyce” as a result of the census takers handwriting. The parents were Richard, aged 29, a Shoemaker born Sustead, and “Ellena”, (or “Hellena”), aged 29 and born Barningham, Norfolk.

As well as William their other children are:-
Rebecca J……aged 7….born North Ormsby, Yorkshire
Robert G……aged 5…..born Great Ormsby, Yorkshire
James ?.........aged 4……born Guisborough, Yorkshire
Earnest A…..aged 1……born Sustead, Norfolk
Arthur R….aged 3 months…born Sustead, Norfolk.

1891 Census of England and Wales

The 18 year old Stoker William John Tice, born Sheringham, Norfolk, was recorded aboard HMS Wildfire on the night of Sunday, April 5th 1891 when the census was taken. Wildfire was actualy a shore establishment at Sheerness, although it did have a ship of the same name which formed part of the base. The census returns shows the base located in the Sheppey District of Kent. While the location and rank pretty much tie in with his register of seamans’ services, his age and place of birth don’t.

His parents were recorded living at a Cottage, on West Cliff, Lower Sheringham. The family has expanded with the addition of daughters Agnes M, (6), Nellie E, (3) and Dorothy E, (1) – all born Sheringham.

1895 Marriage………………….

The marriage of a William John Tice to a Christiana Lambert was recorded in the Medway District of Kent in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1895.

1901 Census of England and Wales

His service history shows him with HMS Anson at the time the various UK censuses were taken. As such he would have been recorded on the Census of England regardless of where he was in the world, unless he was in an area coverd by another British Empire census.

HMS Anson.

She was assigned to the Channel Fleet in mid-1889 as a flagship for the fleet's second-in-command. Two years later, the passenger ship SS Utopia sank with the loss of 562 lives after colliding with Anson in the Bay of Gibraltar. In mid-1893, Anson was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet, subsequently returning home in 1900 when she was assigned to the Reserve Fleet.

She returned home and paid off at Devonport in January 1901, re-commissioning for the newly formed Home Fleet in March of the same year. She served as guard ship at Queensferry under Captain William Fisher in 1902, and took part in the fleet review held at Spithead on 16 August 1902 for the coronation of King Edward VII.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Anson_(1886)

So either with the Home Fleet or if she taken up her role at Queensferry, it is likely the ship and her crew were in Scottish waters at the time of the Census and so are likely to be detailed on the 1901 Census of Scotland.

Working backwards from the details recorded on the 1911 Census of England and Wales, his wife Christiana Tice, was recorded as the married head of the household of one of the two households recorded at 60 Saunders Street, Gillingham. She was then aged 24 and was shown as born Chatham, Kent. Living with her are her two sons, William, (3) and George, (2), both born Gillingham. Being recorded as head of the household doesn’t automatically mean she and William were estranged at this time. It was quite common practice in coastal locations where many of the men folk worked away at sea for long periods for the woman to be recorded as the head.


1911 Census of England and Wales

The 38 year old William J. Tice, a Royal Navy Coastguard born Gresham, Norfolk was recorded as the married head of the household at the Coast Guard, West End, Sheringham. He lived there with his wife of 15 years, Christiana, (aged 34 and born Luton “Kent”). So far the couple have had two children, who were then both still alive and living with them. They were:-
William S.R. Tice…….aged 13…….born Gillingham, Kent
George R. Tice………..aged 12……born Gillingham, Kent

Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers’ maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows no likely additional children of William and Christiana.


On the day – 22nd September 1914…………………

The Action of 22 September 1914 was a German U-boat ambush that took place during the First World War, in which three obsolete Royal Navy cruisers, manned mainly by reservists and sometimes referred to as the livebait squadron, were sunk by a German submarine while on patrol.

Approximately 1,450 sailors were killed and there was a public outcry in Britain at the losses. The sinkings eroded confidence in the British government and damaged the reputation of the Royal Navy, at a time when many countries were still considering which side they might support in the war.

The cruisers were part of the Southern Force (Rear-Admiral Arthur Christian) composed of the flagship Euryalus, the light cruiser Amethyst and the 7th Cruiser Squadron (7th CS, also known as Cruiser Squadron C, Rear-Admiral H. H. Campbell), comprising the Cressy-class armoured cruisers Bacchante, Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy, the 1st and 3rd Destroyer flotillas, ten submarines of the 8th Oversea Flotilla and the attached Active-class scout cruiser, HMS Fearless. The force was assigned patrol duties in the North Sea, supporting destroyers and submarines of the Harwich Force to guard against incursions by the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) into the English Channel.

Although concerns had been expressed about the vulnerability of these ships, particularly to attack by more modern German cruisers, no changes had been made before the events of 22 September; there was less concern about submarine attacks. The War Orders of 28 July 1914, which conformed to pre-war assumptions about attacks by destroyers rather than submarines, had not been modified. The orders required the ships to patrol the area "south of the 54th parallel clear of enemy torpedo craft and destroyers" with the support of Cruiser Force C, during the day. The Harwich Patrol was given two patrol areas, at the Dogger Bank and further south in the Broad Fourteens; usually three of the cruisers were to the north, closer to the Dogger Bank and sailed south during the night. The cruisers shifted area to the Broad Fourteens and reinforced the fourth cruiser there during troops movements from Britain to France. Heading south meant sailing towards German bases and becoming more vulnerable to submarine attack

The U-boat was treated equally lightly by the Imperial German Navy; in the first six weeks of the war, the U-boat arm had lost two boats and seen little result for their effort. On the morning of 22 September, U-9 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen) passed through the Broad Fourteens on her way back to base. On 16 September, Christian had been allowed to keep two cruisers to the north and one at the Broad Fourteens but had kept them together in a central position, able to support operations in both areas. Next day, the destroyer escorts had been forced to depart by heavy weather, which continued so bad that neither patrol could be reformed. The Admiralty ordered that the ships were to cancel the Dogger Patrol and cover the Broad Fourteens until the weather abated. On 20 September, Euryalus returned to port to re-fuel and by 22 September, Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy were on patrol under the command of Captain J. E. Drummond of Aboukir.

At 06:00 on 22 September, the weather had calmed and the ships were patrolling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), line abreast, 2 nmi (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) apart. Lookouts were posted for submarine periscopes or ships and one gun either side of each ship was manned. U-9 had been ordered to attack British transports at Ostend but had been forced to dive and shelter from the storm. On surfacing, she spotted the British ships and moved to attack.

At 06:20, the submarine fired a torpedo at the nearest ship from a range of 550 yd (500 m) and struck Aboukir on the starboard side, flooding the engine room and causing the ship to stop immediately. No submarines had been sighted, so Drummond assumed that the ship had hit a mine and ordered the other two cruisers to close in to help. After 25 minutes, Aboukir capsized and sank five minutes later. Only one boat could be launched, because of damage from the explosion and the failure of steam-powered winches needed to launch them.

U-9 rose to periscope depth from her dive after firing the torpedo, to observe two British cruisers engaged in the rescue of men from the sinking ship. Weddigen fired two more torpedoes at Hogue, from 300 yd (270 m). As the torpedoes left the submarine, her bows rose out of the water and she was spotted by Hogue, which opened fire before the submarine dived. The two torpedoes struck Hogue; within five minutes, Captain Wilmot Nicholson gave the order to abandon ship and after 10 minutes she capsized before sinking at 07:15.

Watchers on Cressy had seen the submarine, opened fire and made a failed attempt to ram, then turned to pick up survivors. At 07:20, U-9 fired two torpedoes toward Cressy from her stern torpedo tubes at a range of 1,000 yd (910 m). One torpedo missed, so the submarine turned and fired her remaining bow torpedo at 550 yd (500 m). The first torpedo struck the starboard side at around 07:25, the second the port beam at 07:30. The ship capsized to starboard and floated upside down until 07:55. Two Dutch sailing trawlers in the vicinity declined to close with Cressy for fear of mines.

Distress calls had been received by Commodore Tyrwhitt, who, with the destroyer squadron, had already been at sea returning to the cruisers, now that the weather had improved. At 08:30, the Dutch steamship Flora approached the scene (having seen the sinkings) and rescued 286 men. A second steamer—Titan—picked up another 147. More were rescued by the two Lowestoft sailing trawlers Coriander and J.G.C., before the destroyers arrived at 10:45, 837 men were rescued while 1,397 men and 62 officers—mostly part-time men from the Royal Naval Reserve rather than regular sailors—had been killed. The destroyers began a search for the submarine, which had little electrical power remaining to travel underwater and could only make 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface. The submarine submerged for the night before returning home the next day.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_22_September_1914


Postscript…………………….

The death of a William J Tice, aged 53, was recorded in the Medway District of Kent in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1934.

The 1934 Probate Calendar records that a William John Tice, of Christiana Lodge, Maidstone Road, Rainham, Kent, died on the 7th September 1934 at the Royal Naval Hospital, Gillingham, Kent. Probate was granted at the London Court on the 3rd December 1934 to Christiana Tice, widow.
probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar#calendar


Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original image.

This picture appeared in the edition of the Eastern Evening News dated Friday, October 2, 1914. The attached caption read:-

ABLE SEAMAN ROBERT WINN, of Fakenham, who was on the ill-fated Cressy and was drowned. He entered the Navy in 1900, and served nine years, being invalided out in 1909. He joined the Reserve Fleet early in 1913.

Able Seaman WINN, ROBERT CHARLES
Service Number;………………213622
Died:………………………….. 22/09/1914
(RFR/CH/B/9831). H.M.S. "Cressy."
………………………………….Royal Navy
Commemorated at CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Source: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3050426/winn,-robert-...

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that A.B. 213622 Robert Charles Winn, Royal Navy, was “killed or died as a direct result of enemy action” on the 22nd September 1914 whilst serving aboard HMS Cressy. His body was not recovered for burial. Robert was born Fakenham, Norfolk, on the 16th May 1884. The next of kin informed of his death was his wife Olive, of Leigh Cottage, Oaks Street, Fakenham.

The Register of Seamans Services Record for 213622 Robert Charles Winn, born Fakenham Norfolk on the 16th May 1884, is held at the National Archive under reference ADM 188/374/213622
Source: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6718242
In summary this reads that he joined up for 12 years on the 16th May 1902 – his 18th birthday, having initially served from the 5th February 1901 as a Boy Sailor. His civilian occupation was Painter.

His service was
Ganges………05/02/01 – 12/09/01…Boy 2nd Class
Minotaur……..13/09/01 – 30/10/01….Boy 2nd Class (1st Class 05/10/01)
Ganges………31/10/01 – 25/01/02….Boy 1st Class
Minotaur……..26/01/02 – 25/05/02….Boy 1st Class (Ordinary Seaman 16/05/02)
Pembroke……26/05/02 – 13/06/02…Ordinary Seaman
Galatea………14/06/02 – 26/08/02…Ordinary Seaman
Pembroke……27/08/02 – 11/11/02…Ordinary Seaman
Venerable……12/11/02 – 31/07/05…Ordinary Seaman (Able 01/10/03)
Pembroke I…..01/08/05 – 19/01/06…Able Seaman
Actaeon………20/01/06 – 11/05/06…Able Seaman
Pembroke I….12/05/06 – 30/09/06….Able Seaman
Pembroke II…01/10/06 – 31/05/07….Able Seaman
Actaeon……..01/07/07 – 16/09/07….Able Seaman
Pembroke…..17/09/07 – 05/03/08….Able Seaman
Charybdis……06/03/08 – 06/04/08…Able Seaman
Pembroke……07/04/08 – 21/08/05…Able Seaman – line noted D.S.Q.
Pembroke……26/08/08 – 05/10/08…Able Seaman
Achilles………06/10/08 – 08/02/09….Able Seaman
Pembroke……09/02/09 – 19/02/09…Able Seaman
Actaeon………20/02/09 – 23/04/09…Able Seaman
Trafalgar……..24/04/09 – 05/09/09…Able Seaman – line noted D.S.Q.
He was then invalided out on the 7th October 1909, but the reason is very difficult to make out – it could be “Surplus + defective (illegible)” of “Sickness + defective (illegible)”. He was awarded a pension from the 19th October 1909.

He joined the Royal Fleet Reserve on the 28th June 1913. He was mobilised and posted to the Cressy from the 2nd August 1914. His Date of Death is given as the 22nd September 1914 and the cause as “Drowned in the North Sea when H.M.S. Cressy was sunk by German submarine.

He qualified for a War Gratuity.

He would have qualified for the 1914 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal, although I could not track him down on the Naval Medal Roll.

There is a Naval Pension Ledger entry for him, but that shows his wife at the time of his death as an Edith C. Spence, which doesn’t tie in with the first names of the next of kin on the WW1 Naval Casualties database.

He is briefly mentioned in De Ruvignys mutli-volume Roll of Honor, but other than restating he was Royal Navy and was drowned in the North Sea on the 22nd September 1914 while serving on HMS Cressy, it adds nothing new.

Robert is remembered on the War Memorial at Fakenham.


16th May 1884 – Birth…………………

(Source – WW1 Naval Casualties databses and his entry in the Register of Seamans Services).

The birth of a Robert Charles Winn was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Walsingham District of Norfolk in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1884.
His mothers’ maiden name was Oakes.

1891 Census of England and Wales

The 6 year old Robert C Winn, born Fakenham, was recorded living at Roseberry Terrace, Rosemary Lane, Fakenham. This was the household of his parents, John, (aged 38, a Tailor, born Sculthorpe, Norfolk), and Hannah M., (aged 32, born Hampnall). The couples other children living with them are:-
Lillian M……….aged 5……born Fakenham
Walter W(?)……aged 4……born Fakenham
Daisy C…………aged 1…...born Fakenham

1901 Census of England and Wales

The 16 year old Boy 2nd Class Robert Chas Winn was recorded as part of the complement aboard HMS Ganges on the night of Sunday, March 31st 1901. He was born Fakenham, Norfolk.

His parents were still recorded living at 2 Roseberry Terrace, Fakenham. As well as parents John, (48, Tailor) and Hannah, (42) and older children ‘Lilian’, (15, Bookbinder), Walter, (14, Ironmongers Errand Boy) and Daisy, (11), the family had grown with the addition of Albert, (9), Ivy, (7), Ernest, (4) and Frank, (1) – all born Fakenham.

1911 Census of England and Wales

The 26 year old Robert Chas Winn, unmarried and working as an “Under-Boots” was recorded as a live in servant at the Crown Hotel, 150 High Street, Lowestoft.

His parents were now recorded living at Leigh Cottages, Oak Street, Fakenham – the address given for Roberts’ wife on the WW1 Naval Casualties database. John, (58, Tailor) and Hannah, (52 – now shown as born Pulham St Mary, Norfolk), have been married 27 years and have had 9 children, of which 8 were then still alive. Still single and living with them are Ernest, (14, General Outfitters Apprentice) and Frank, (11).

1913 – Marriage…………………..

The marriage of a Robert C Winn to an Edith O. Wearing was registered in the Walsingham District of Norfolk in the October to December quarter, (Q4), 1913.

I could not find a birth record for Edith so cannot confirm that middle name was Olive. If it was then makes sense of the wifes first name on the WW1 Naval Casualties database, (“Olive”) and raises the possibility of a typo on the Naval Pension Ledger, (“O” instead of “C”).


On the day…………………………………

The Action of 22 September 1914 was a German U-boat ambush that took place during the First World War, in which three obsolete Royal Navy cruisers, manned mainly by reservists and sometimes referred to as the livebait squadron, were sunk by a German submarine while on patrol.

Approximately 1,450 sailors were killed and there was a public outcry in Britain at the losses. The sinkings eroded confidence in the British government and damaged the reputation of the Royal Navy, at a time when many countries were still considering which side they might support in the war.

The cruisers were part of the Southern Force (Rear-Admiral Arthur Christian) composed of the flagship Euryalus, the light cruiser Amethyst and the 7th Cruiser Squadron (7th CS, also known as Cruiser Squadron C, Rear-Admiral H. H. Campbell), comprising the Cressy-class armoured cruisers Bacchante, Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy, the 1st and 3rd Destroyer flotillas, ten submarines of the 8th Oversea Flotilla and the attached Active-class scout cruiser, HMS Fearless. The force was assigned patrol duties in the North Sea, supporting destroyers and submarines of the Harwich Force to guard against incursions by the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) into the English Channel.

Although concerns had been expressed about the vulnerability of these ships, particularly to attack by more modern German cruisers, no changes had been made before the events of 22 September; there was less concern about submarine attacks. The War Orders of 28 July 1914, which conformed to pre-war assumptions about attacks by destroyers rather than submarines, had not been modified. The orders required the ships to patrol the area "south of the 54th parallel clear of enemy torpedo craft and destroyers" with the support of Cruiser Force C, during the day. The Harwich Patrol was given two patrol areas, at the Dogger Bank and further south in the Broad Fourteens; usually three of the cruisers were to the north, closer to the Dogger Bank and sailed south during the night. The cruisers shifted area to the Broad Fourteens and reinforced the fourth cruiser there during troops movements from Britain to France. Heading south meant sailing towards German bases and becoming more vulnerable to submarine attack

The U-boat was treated equally lightly by the Imperial German Navy; in the first six weeks of the war, the U-boat arm had lost two boats and seen little result for their effort. On the morning of 22 September, U-9 (Kapitänleutnant Otto Weddigen) passed through the Broad Fourteens on her way back to base. On 16 September, Christian had been allowed to keep two cruisers to the north and one at the Broad Fourteens but had kept them together in a central position, able to support operations in both areas. Next day, the destroyer escorts had been forced to depart by heavy weather, which continued so bad that neither patrol could be reformed. The Admiralty ordered that the ships were to cancel the Dogger Patrol and cover the Broad Fourteens until the weather abated. On 20 September, Euryalus returned to port to re-fuel and by 22 September, Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy were on patrol under the command of Captain J. E. Drummond of Aboukir.

At 06:00 on 22 September, the weather had calmed and the ships were patrolling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), line abreast, 2 nmi (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) apart. Lookouts were posted for submarine periscopes or ships and one gun either side of each ship was manned. U-9 had been ordered to attack British transports at Ostend but had been forced to dive and shelter from the storm. On surfacing, she spotted the British ships and moved to attack.

At 06:20, the submarine fired a torpedo at the nearest ship from a range of 550 yd (500 m) and struck Aboukir on the starboard side, flooding the engine room and causing the ship to stop immediately. No submarines had been sighted, so Drummond assumed that the ship had hit a mine and ordered the other two cruisers to close in to help. After 25 minutes, Aboukir capsized and sank five minutes later. Only one boat could be launched, because of damage from the explosion and the failure of steam-powered winches needed to launch them.

U-9 rose to periscope depth from her dive after firing the torpedo, to observe two British cruisers engaged in the rescue of men from the sinking ship. Weddigen fired two more torpedoes at Hogue, from 300 yd (270 m). As the torpedoes left the submarine, her bows rose out of the water and she was spotted by Hogue, which opened fire before the submarine dived. The two torpedoes struck Hogue; within five minutes, Captain Wilmot Nicholson gave the order to abandon ship and after 10 minutes she capsized before sinking at 07:15.

Watchers on Cressy had seen the submarine, opened fire and made a failed attempt to ram, then turned to pick up survivors. At 07:20, U-9 fired two torpedoes toward Cressy from her stern torpedo tubes at a range of 1,000 yd (910 m). One torpedo missed, so the submarine turned and fired her remaining bow torpedo at 550 yd (500 m). The first torpedo struck the starboard side at around 07:25, the second the port beam at 07:30. The ship capsized to starboard and floated upside down until 07:55. Two Dutch sailing trawlers in the vicinity declined to close with Cressy for fear of mines.

Distress calls had been received by Commodore Tyrwhitt, who, with the destroyer squadron, had already been at sea returning to the cruisers, now that the weather had improved. At 08:30, the Dutch steamship Flora approached the scene (having seen the sinkings) and rescued 286 men. A second steamer—Titan—picked up another 147. More were rescued by the two Lowestoft sailing trawlers Coriander and J.G.C., before the destroyers arrived at 10:45, 837 men were rescued while 1,397 men and 62 officers—mostly part-time men from the Royal Naval Reserve rather than regular sailors—had been killed. The destroyers began a search for the submarine, which had little electrical power remaining to travel underwater and could only make 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) on the surface. The submarine submerged for the night before returning home the next day.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_of_22_September_1914


Postscript………………………….

The marriage of an Edith O. Winn to a William E. Spence was recorded in the Sculcoates District of Yorkshire in the July to September quarter, (Q3), 1915.


Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original image.

This picture appeared in the edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday February 17th 1917. The accompanying caption read “James Thomas Barnard, R.N.R., only son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Barnard, Dove Street, Lowestoft, killed in action in the Channel Raid of October last.”

BARNARD, JAMES THOMAS
Rank:…………………..Deck Hand
Service No:……………3243DA
Date of Death:…………26/10/1916
Age:……………………23
Service:………………..Royal Naval Reserve
……………….….........H.M. Drifter "Datum."
Panel Reference:……...18.
Memorial:………….....CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information:
Son of James and Hannah Barnard, of 8, Dove St., Lowestoft, Suffolk.
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3050561/BARNARD,%20JA...

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Deck Hand 3243 D.A. (Ch) James Thomas Barnard, Royal Naval Reserve, was “Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action”, on the 26th October 1916 whilst serving aboard HM Drifter Datum. His body was not recovered for burial. He was born Lowestoft on the 23rd March 1894. The next of kin informed of his death was his mother, Hannah, of 8 Dove Street, Lowestoft.

The Royal Naval Reservist Service Records for DA 3243 James Thomas Barnard, born Lowestoft, Suffolk, on the 23rd March 1894 are held at the National Archive under reference BT 377/7/49717
Source: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8510782

No obvious Civil Probate for this man.

He is remembered in the War Memorial Chapel at St Margaret, Lowestoft. (See comment below for an image of the relevant panel).


23rd March 1894 – Birth…………….

Source – WW1 Naval Casualties and the National Archive catalogue entry for his Naval Reservist service record.

The birth of a James Thomas Barnard was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Mutford District of Suffolk in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1894.

Then, as now, you had 42 days after the event to register the birth without facing prosecution and a fine. Thus the date of birth in the service records and the period of registration in the civil record are not incompatible.

The Mutford Civil Registration District included the town of Lowestoft

1901 Census of England and Wales

The 7 year old James T Barnard, born Lowestoft, was recorded living at 208 Raglan Street, Lowestoft. This was the household of his parents, James, (aged 32, born Lowestoft, no occupation recorded) and Hannah E., (aged 32, born Lowestoft). There is just the three of them making up this household. His mothers’ maiden name was Coleman.

1911 Census of England and Wales

The 17 year old James Thomas Barnard, a Ships Cook born Lowestoft, was recorded aboard the fishing boat “Welcome” (Lowestoft Registry number LT713) whih was moored to a Pontoon in the harbour at Neyland, Pembrokeshire. The Mate of the “Welcome” was a 41 married man, James Barnard, born Lowestoft. The older James has been married 20 years and has had just the one child.

His mother, the 41 year old Hannah Barnard, born Lowestoft, was the only person recorded at 8 Dove Street. However she gives her relationship to the Head of the household as “Wife”. Hannah also states she has been married 20 years but adds she has had 2 children, of which only 1 was then still alive.


On the day

Thursday, 26 October 1916 (night of 26/27 October)

GERMAN DESTROYER RAID ON DOVER STRAITS

Datum, hired net drifter, sunk
BARNARD, James T, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 3243
BRADY, Charles W, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 3247
HOWLETT, James F, Ty/Skipper, RNR
HUNT, Ephraim, 2nd Hand, RNR, SA 968
JENKERSON, Alfred E, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 3246
JENKERSON, Robert W, Engineman, RNR, ES 1785
SAUNDERS, Frederick J, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 3245
SMITH, Francis W, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 3242
STAINSBY, John R H, Engineman, RNR, TS 2017
WOOLNOUGH, Ernest G, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 3244
www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1916-10Oct.htm

There were six Tribal-class destroyers stationed at Dover, with HMS Zulu patrolling out at sea further west, and the net barrage guarded by 28 auxiliary trawlers and drifters, in company with the destroyer HMS Flirt. Against them 24 German destroyers were steaming up Channel: Flirt issued a challenge, which was returned, and they steamed past in the dark, assumed to be part of the British movements that night.

This was a fatal mistake since the first attack of the night resulted in the sinking of HMT Waveney II off the net barrage. Flirt went to her assistance: in the meantime those on board the auxiliary yacht Ombra had grasped the situation, reporting enemy activity to the authorities and ordering the remaining HMTs back to Dover. Flirt herself came under attack at ‘point blank range’ which blew up her boilers, causing her to sink within five minutes. The Queen troopship was then captured and despatched. remaining adrift for about six hours before foundering off the Goodwin Sands. Fortunately she was carrying mail on her run from Boulogne to Folkestone, rather than troops.

By this time the destroyers in Dover were steaming out to investigate. As Nubian approached the net barrage destined to snare submarines, she was on her own without support, though by now further assistance was coming from the Dunkirk and Harwich quarters, attempting to trap the German force in a pincer movement.

Six of the retreating patrol drifters, four of which were unarmed, were then sunk by the German raiders – Spotless Prince, Launch Out, Gleaner of the Sea, Datum, Ajax II and Roburn (which had also been involved in the engagement with U-8)

The Nubian reached 9A Buoy in the net barrage, from which the commotion had come, then turned about – straight into the German 17th Flotilla steaming towards her. The first two enemy torpedoes missed, but the third found its target and blew off her bows. The rest of the ship was taken in tow, but, as a gale sprang up, she drove ashore near the South Foreland.
thewreckoftheweek.wordpress.com/2016/10/27/diary-of-the-w...


Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original image.

This photograph appeared in the edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday May 4 1918 along with the caption:

CHIEF ENGINE-ROOM ARTIFICER F.M.GALE

Of Beetley near East Dereham, one of the engineering staff of H.M.S. Thetis during the raid on Zeebrugge. He tells the story of the raid in another column.

That article reads:

NORFOLK MAN’S EXPERIENCES AT ZEEBRUGGE

Chief Engine-Room Artificer F.M. Gale, of Beetley, near East Dereham,who was one of the engineering staff of H.M.S. Thetis, on the occasion of the raid on Zeebrugge, has recounted, in interesting fashion, his experiences to a Mid-Norfolk reporter. He tells how he was “one of those fixed up in the engine room, so I could not see so much of what was going on as others on deck until we got the order to abandon ship. They started firing at us as soon as we came round the lighthouse, but all we got in the engine room was splinters, smoke and gas. We put our gas masks on for a little while, but as they hampered our movements we took them off again Although we were under heavy fire neither our engines nor lighting apparatus were damaged. The first intimationthat I had that anything was wrong was when the port engine started labouring and pulling up. I thought we were aground, but it appeared that we had picked up some wire. The telegraphs were still showing ‘Full speed ahead,’ and we tried to keep her going.”

“All this time we could hear the crashing and banging of the shells overhead. We got the engines going again, and then the other set got trouble. What was happening on deck all this time I could only surmise. Then the telegraph went ‘stop’ We did not see that there was much more we could do, so we went ondeck. On looking round I could see that we were in the harbour, and were getting it hot, being fired at from three directions, and the air was full of everything, from machine gun bullets to heavy stuff, and shells of all shapes and sizes were bursting around us.”

“I walked over to the starboard side to the boat to which I had been allotted, but I found it was smashed up and hanging in the water. I then went to the only other boat we had left on the port side. There was a little group round it, and they were al quite cool and trying to get a wounded man in. Finally we all got into the boat by slipping down rope ends that had been previously prepared. We then found the boat was leakingpretty badly, but we had not gone more than a hundred yards when we came across a motor launch. We scrambled on board and crouched down. We were a bit crowded, as we found half the crew of another ship on board, and in consequence she was a little top heavy. She put on full speed and kept a smoke screen going to cover our tracks, bt they put up star shells and bombarded us for forty minutes from the great land batteries. In this little launch we came right across to Dover and sat on deck and watched the dawn break.”

“On the way back an incident occurred which shows the gut that these little motor boat people have. We were just beyond the shell fire when a great ship loomed up near us, and our captain bunged the challenge flash signal into her. Luckily it was one of our big monitors. I should not have chanced it, but put my tail down and nipped. We looked nice objects when we arrived at Dover, for we were all as black as the ace of spades. The funnel of the Thetis had been hit, and the soot had all showered over us in the engine room. They gave us a splendid reception and cheered us through the streets. Any one was lucky to get out of that lot without being hit, and I might say the Germans were a jolly sight more scared than we were. We succeeded in sinking our vessel in the fairway, and she was a wreck before we left her, and the germans were still firing at her.”

No obvious match on CWGC so seems he survived the war.

Probably 272503 Frank Marsden Gale, Royal Navy, born Dereham, Norfolk, on the 8th August 1886. His service records are held at the National Archive under reference ADM 363/466/119
The file was opened in 1907
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14868127

He continued to serve with the Royal Navy postwar. The service records covering this period are held at the National Archive under reference ADM 363/466/119
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14868127

The Semans Record for Frank Marsden Gale shows he was born 8th August 1886 at East Dereham, Norfolk. His previous occupation was Fitter Turner.

He enlisted on the 17th October 1907 for 12 years. He was recorded as 5 feet 9 and seven tenths tall, with Dark Brown Hair, Blue eyes, and a Fresh complexion.

Ship\Station……Rank…..……………..From……….To
Pembroke II……ERA 4th Class………..17/10/1907…04/02/1908
Cochrane………ERA 4th Class………..05/02/1908…06/03/1908
Fisgard…………ERA 4th Class……….07/03/1908…27/03/1908
Cochrane………ERA 4th Class……….28/03/1908
Cochrane………ERA 4th Class……….25/03/1909….31/03/1909
Berwick………..ERA 4th Class……….01/04/1909
Berwick………..ERA 3rd Class……….16/10/1910…15/05/1911
Pembroke………ERA 3rd Class……….16/05/1911…16/05/1911
Cyclops………...ERA 3rd Class……….17/05/1911
Cyclops………. .ERA 2nd Class……….15/10/1914…10/10/1915
Pembroke II……ERA 2nd Class……….11/10/1915…19/10/1915
Lowestoft………ERA 2nd Class……….20/10/1915
Lowestoft………ERA 2nd Class……….01/04/1916
Lowestoft………Ch.ERA 2nd Class……01/04/1917…31/12/1917
Pembroke II……Ch.ERA 2nd Class……01/01/1918…29/05/1918
Vivid II (Kilcock)..Ch.ERA 2nd Class….30/05/1918…30/06/1918
Eaglet (Kilcock)..Ch.ERA 2nd Class……01/07/1918…31/10/1918
Idaho (Kilcock)..Ch.ERA 2nd Class…….01/11/1918…31/12/1918
Ganges (Kilcock).Ch.ERA 2nd Class……01/01/1919…13/08/1919
Hesmond(?) (Kilcock).Ch.ERA 2nd Class.14/08/1919….30/09/1919
Kermone(?)…….Ch.ERA 2nd Class…….01/10/1919….31/03/1920
Pembroke II……Ch.ERA 2nd Class…….01/04/1920….22/10/1920
Cleopatra………Ch.ERA 2nd Class…….23/10/1920….25/08/1921
Caledon………..Ch. ERA 2nd Class……26/08/1921
Caledon………..Ch. ERA 1st Class…….01/04/1922….05/01/1925
Pembroke II……Ch. ERA 1st Class……06/01/1925….16/01/1925
Hecla (Shamrock).Ch.ERA 1st Class…..17/01/1925…..31/12/1925
Pembroke II (Shamrock)..Ch. ERA 1st Class..01/01/1926..29/03/1926
Pembroke II……..Ch.ERA 1st Class…..30/03/1926…..29/04/1926
Egmont II (Whitech.)..Ch. ERA 1st Class..30/04/1926…30/06/1928
Pembroke II (Whitech.)..Ch.ERA 1st Class..01/07/1928..20/08/1928
Pembroke II……..Ch.ERA 1st Class…….21/08/1928…20/09/1928
Marshal Soult (Birmingham)..Ch.ERA 1st Class…21/09/1928

It then references a new card starting 1st January 1929. Awarded the C.G.M. (Zeebrugge and Ostend operations 22-23 April 1918) and the Croix de Guerre.


8th August 1886 – Birth....

Sources – Seamans Record and the National Archive catalogue entry for his service record.

The birth of a Frank Marsden Gale was recorded with the Civil Authorities in the District of Norwich in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1886.

The baptism of a Frank Mardsen Gale, no date of birth recorded, took place at St Mary Magdalene, Beetley, on the 5th September 1886. His parents were Francis Barkham, School Master, and Louisa Aldous.
www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818d54be93790ec8b41376...

1891 Census of England and Wales

The 4 year old Frank M Gale, born Beetley, Norfolk, was recorded living at the School House, Beetley. This was the household of his parents, Francis B., (36, Elementary Schoolmaster, born Chichester, Sussex) and “Lousea”, (31, Schoolmistress, born Bramfield, Suffolk). As well as Frank the couple also have a daughter, Grace M., (9 months, born Beetley). The family also have a live in servant.

From the 1883 Kelly’s Directory entry for Beetley Parish:-

“A School Board of 5 members was formed in 1874 for the United District of Beetley and East Bilney.
Board School for both parishes, Hungry Hill, to hold 150; average attendance 120; Francis B. Gale, master”

1901 Census of England and Wales

The 14 year old Frank M. Gale, born Beetley, Norfolk, was recorded as a Boarder at a School in the Market Place, Swaffham.

His parents were still living at the School House, Beetley. Francis B, (46, Schoolmaster) and “Lousea” A, (41, Schoolmistress) were recorded there along with their 10 year old daughter, Grace M.

1911 Census of England and Wales

The 24 year old Frank M. Gale, single and born Dereham, Norfolk, was recorded as an Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class in the Royal Navy, serving aboard HMS Berwick at midnight on the 2nd April 1911. There is no place shown on the return, so potentially the ship could have been at Sea.

His parents were still recorded at the School House, Beetley. Both Elementary School Teachers employed by the County Council, Francis Barkham Gale, (56), and Louisa Aldous Gale, (51), have been married 25 years and have had 3 children, of which 2 were then still alive. They have another teacher living with them as a boarder, plus a live in servant.

Zeebrugge Raid – 1918……………………

On 23 April a second attempt was made, in conjunction with a raid on the neighbouring harbour of Ostend. The raid began with a diversion against the mile-long Zeebrugge mole. The attack was led by an old cruiser, Vindictive, with two Mersey ferries, Daffodil and Iris II. The three ships were accompanied by two old submarines, which were filled with explosives to blow up the viaduct connecting the mole to the shore. Vindictive was to land a force of 200 sailors and a battalion of Royal Marines at the entrance to the Bruges Canal, to destroy German gun positions. At the time of the landing the wind changed and the smokescreen to cover the ship was blown offshore. The marines immediately came under heavy fire and suffered many casualties. Vindictive was spotted by German gun positions and forced to land in the wrong location, resulting in the loss of the marines' heavy gun support. Eventually the submarine HMS C3 commanded by Lt. R. D. Sandford, destroyed the viaduct with an explosion. Sandford was awarded the Victoria Cross for this action.

The attempt to sink three old cruisers, to block the flow of traffic in and out of the Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge failed. The failure of the attack on the Zeebrugge mole resulted in the Germans concentrating their fire on the three blocking ships, HMS Thetis, Intrepid and Iphigenia, which were filled with concrete. Thetis did not make it to the canal entrance, after it hit an obstruction and was scuttled prematurely. The two other ships were sunk at the narrowest point of the canal. The submarines C1 under Lieutenant A. C. Newbold and C3 under Sandford were old, each with a volunteer crew of one other officer and four ratings. They had five tons of amatol packed into their fore-ends and were to be driven into the viaduct and then blown up, to prevent reinforcement of the German garrison on the mole. The crews were to abandon their submarines shortly before the collision with the viaduct, leaving the submarines to steer themselves automatically. During the passage from Dover, C1 parted with its tow and arrived too late to take part in the operation.Sandford, in command of C3, elected to steer his ship into the viaduct manually instead of depending on the automatic system.

Of the 1,700 men involved in the operation, S. F. Wise recorded in 1981 that 300 were wounded and more than 200 killed. Kendall gave figures of 227 dead and 356 wounded. The destroyer, HMS North Star was sunk. Among the dead was Wing Commander Frank Brock, the man who devised and commanded the smoke screen. Most of the casualties were buried in England either because they died of their wounds en route or because the survivors recovered their bodies to repatriate them. The Zeebrugge plot of St James's Cemetery, Dover has nine unidentified men and fifty named men who died on 23 April 1918 but most fatalities were returned to their families for local burials.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeebrugge_Raid

1925 – Marriage…………………………

The marriage of a Frank M. Gale to Sarah J. Cussons nee Pearce was registered in the Medway District of Kent in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1925. That would most likely imply Sarah was a widow, although there is the possibility she was divorced.

Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows a number six potential children of Frank and Sarah recorded in England and Wales between the quarter when they were married and the end of 1939 – see next item.

While one of the six can probably be ruled out as they were born in the same District as another birth that predates the marriage, all the other five are in the south east corner of England, south of the River Thames. Without another source it would be pure guesswork to establish where any of them belong to Frank and Sarah.

1939 National Register…………………..

The 1939 National Register was a mini-census which was used to do a stocktake of the nations skills, (with the view to making best use of the available resources in the event of war) and as the basis for the issue of ID cards and ration books. After the war it was used as a register for the National Health Service and continued to be used until the system was computerised in the early nineties. Known deaths and change of name were manually captured. It was this part of the register that entered the public domain via a Freedom of Information request. However entries where the person were still believed to be alive at the time the manual system was closed down and if they were less than a 100 years old were officially closed. layout also leaves much to be desired, with location restricted to the relevant Urban or Rural District Council rather than village town or city. It also doesn’t set out relationships, so these need to be inferred.

However there is a match for a Frank M. Gale, born 8th August 1886 and working as an Engine Fitter + Turner. He was the first person in the household at 49 Palmeira Road, Bexley, Kent.
The second person was a married woman, Sarah J Gale, born 17th November 1894, who was carrying out unpaid domestic duties. There was also probably a third person in the household, but their record is officially closed.

1958 – Death……………………..

The death of a Frank M. Gale, aged 72, was recorded in the Dartford District of Kent in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1958.

The 1959 Probate Calendar records that Frank Marsden Gale of 49 Palmeira Road, Bexley Heath, Kent, died on the 26th November 1958 at the Southern Hospital, Darenth, Dartford, Kent. Probate was awarded at the London Court on the 5th May 1959 to the General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Limited and Sarah Jane Gale, widow. His effects were valued at £2,585 7d (? – typo in original) 10d.
probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Gale&ye...

Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original image.

This photograph appeared in the edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday May 4 1918 along with the caption:

LEADING SEAMAN DANIEL ALLAN BOWTHORPE,

Fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. David Bowthorpe, 34, Wingfield Road, Norwich, one of the volunteers on the Vindictive, which played so gallant a part in the attack on the Zeebrugge Mole. He was severely wounded in the fighting and taken to Dover, where he died. He was brought to Norwich and buried on Tuesday.

The article referred to was:-

LOCAL MEN ON THE VINDICTIVE.

Among the Zeebrugge heroes to lose their lives was Leading Seaman Daniel Allan Bowthorpe, one of the volunteers in the great raid. Twenty-two years of age, and the fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. David Bowthorpe, of 34, Wingfield Road, Norwich, he died in a Dover hospital from wounds received in action.

The funeral took place at the Cemetery, Norwich, on Tuesday, when every mark of sympathy was shown by a large crowd. The service was conducted by the Rev. John Green (Vicar of St. Luke’s) and honour was paid to one who had given seven years for the service and made the supreme sacrifice for his country. The body was borne to the burial ground on a gun carriage. The coffin was covered with the Union Jack, and laid upon it was the deceased’s cap. Lance-Corp. Dixon, Lance-Corpl. Dunham, Private Reader, Private Baine, Private Boine, and Private McKein, with Sergt. Goodswain, from the Depot, Norfolk Regiment, acted as bearers, and at the conclusion of the service Bugler-Corpl. Codman sounded the “Last Post.”

The mourners included the father and mother, Mrs Taylor (sister), Mr. and Mrs. Lubbock (sister and brother-in-law), Mrs. Howard (sister), Mr. and Mrs. Labroke, (sister and brother-in-law), Private J. Bowthorpe and Private S. Bowthorpe (brothers), Mr. and Mrs. Bowthorpe (brother and sister-in-law), Misses G. and M. Bowthorpe (sisters), Miss Labbrooke, Mr. and Mrs. Marshall (aunt and uncle), Miss Hare and Mr. Lubbock. There were also present Able Seamen Smart, Troot, and Hawes, and Ordinary Seaman Landimore, on leave from their ships. There was a large number of wreaths from relatives and friends and parents of several Norwich seaman away on service.

Able Seaman Hawes was in the Zeebrugge fight with the deceased, and other local “Vindictive” men who took part in the engagement were:
Stoker (1st Class) Fredk Thompson of Poplar, formerly of Brandon
Stoker Fosdick of Norwich
Stoker Sharp, of Sheringham and
Chief Stoker Seago, of Lowestoft

Lieut. Young, M.P. for Norwich, as we mentioned last week, took part in the landing and suffered a serious wound, necessitating amputation of his arm.


Name: BOWTHORPE, DANIEL ALLAN
Rank:………………. Leading Seaman
Service:…………… Royal Navy
Unit Text:…………. H.M.S. "Vindictive"
Age:………………. 22
Date of Death:…… 24/04/1918
Service No:………. J/18711
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2803060/bowthorpe,-da...

The Royal Naval Service records for J18711 Daniel Allan Bowthorpe, born Norwich, 23rd September 1896, are held at the National Archive under reference ADM 188/684/18711
The file begins in 1913.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6870796

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Leading Seaman J.18711. (Ch.) Daniel Allan Bowthorpe, Royal Navy, was Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action on the 24th April 1918 whilst serving aboard HMS Vindictive. Daniel was born Norwich on the 23rd September 1896. The next of kin informed of his death was his mother, Martha, of 34 Wingfield Road, “Aylesham” Road, Norwich. [Should be Aylsham Road]

No obvious Civil Probate for this man.

No match on Picture Norfolk, the County Archive.


23rd September 1896 – Birth………..

(Source National Archive catalogue entry for his Naval Service records and the WW1 Naval Casualties database).

The birth of a Daniel “Allam” Bowthorpe was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Norwich District in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1896.

1901 Census of England and Wales

The 4 year old Daniel is recorded on the 1901 Census at 34 Wingfield Road, Norwich. This was the household of his parents, David, (aged 41 and a Baker from Norwich), and Martha, (aged 40 and from Norwich). Their other children are:-
Arthur……….aged 19.…. born London Westminster….. Shoemaker
Elizabeth…...aged 18.…. born London, Westminster…... Box Maker
Florence……aged 16.…. born Norwich…… Box Maker
Maud………..aged 14.….born Norwich
Ethel………..aged 10.….born Norwich
Thomas…….aged 7.…..born Norwich
Sidney……...aged 2.……born Norwich
Gertrude……aged u/1.….born Norwich

And in their 2up/2down terrace house they also has a boarder Ellen Munday, aged 19 and a Boot Trimmer from Norwich !

1911 Census of England and Wales

The Bowthorpe family were still living at 34 Wingfield Road. Parents “Jabez”, (52, Journeyman Baker) and Martha, (51), have been married for 31 years and have had 15 children, of which 11 were then still alive.

Still single and living at home were Maud, (23, Shoe Machinist), Ethel, (21, Shoe Machinist), Daniel, (15, Printer), Sidney, (12), Gertrude, (10) and May, (8). All of them were born Norwich.

Seamans Service Record………….

Daniel Allan Bowthorpe, born Norwich Norwich on the 23rd September 1896 and previously employed as a Printers Feeder, joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Sailor on the 25th July 1912. On reaching his 18th birthday on the 23rd September 1914 he signed up for another 12 years. At that point he was recorded as 5 feet 5 and a half inches tall, with Dark Brown hair, Hazel eyes and a Fresh complexion.

Ship\Station……Rank…..……………..From……….To
Ganges…………Boy II………………..25/07/1912…01/11/1912
Ganges II………Boy II………………..02/11/1912
Ganges II………Boy I………………...10/02/1913….10/12/1913
Gibraltar……….Boy I…………………11/02/1913…..02/12/1913
Vivid I…………Boy I…………………03/12/1913…..31/12/1913
Essex…………..Boy I…………………01/01/1914
Essex…………..Ordinary Seaman…….23/09/1914
Essex………….Able Seaman…………09/04/1915….21/04/1916
Pembroke(Hindustan)…Able Seaman…01/05/1916
Essex………….Able Seaman………….02/05/1916…23/08/1916.
Pembroke I……Able Seaman…………24/08/1916…03/11/1916
Courageous…..Able Seaman………….04/11/1916
Courageous.….Leading Seaman………01/03/1918…01/03/1918
Pembroke 1…..Leading Seaman………02/03/1918…23/04/1918

It is then noted that he died of wounds on the 24th April 1918 received in action off the coast of Belgium.

Victoria Cross were awarded to some of the units that took, with ballots then taking place to see who then got them. His record is noted that he was included in the ballot for the V.C. granted for operations against Zeebrugge dated 22 – 23 April 1918.

A War Gratuity was paid to his next of kin. His conduct throughtout his naval career was rated ‘Very Good’.

HMS Essex…………………………….

(Daniel joined this ship on the 1st January 1914 and stayed with her until the 23rd August 1916, with one small break – possibly when he served as apart of a prize cew)

Essex rejoined the 4th Cruiser Squadron in January 1914 with Commander Hugh Tweedie in command.

After visiting Madeira and Jamaica, the ship arrived in Veracruz, Mexico, on 9 February to relieve her sister ship, Suffolk, and protect British interests during the ongoing Mexican Revolution. Two weeks later, she visited Galveston, Texas, before heading for Tampico, Mexico where she arrived on 11 March. Essex only spent a few days there before returning to Veracruz on 13 March. She was in Tampico when Mexican soldiers briefly detained American sailors buying gasoline for their ship on 9 April (the Tampico Affair) and returned to Veracruz ten days later, two days before the Americans began landing there on 21 April. They were not satisfied by the Mexican apologies and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson ordered the city occupied in retribution and to forestall a major arms delivery to Victoriano Huerta's forces. The Mexicans resisted and stray bullets hit Essex the next day, wounding one man who was shot in both feet. Tweedie, escorted by two ratings, was sent to take dispatches for the British Minister in Mexico City on the 26th and returned two days later. Rear-Admiral Christopher Craddock inspected the ship and her crew on 5–6 May. Essex sailed for Tampico on 10 May before leaving Mexican waters on the 14th. A month later, the ship was in Quebec City when she was visited by the Canadian Minister of Marine and Fisheries on 16 June. The following month, Essex ferried the Governor General of Canada, Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, to Newfoundland and Labrador before returning to Quebec City on 20 July.

World War I

When Craddock received the preliminary war warning on 27 July, he ordered Essex to join her sister Lancaster in Bermuda, which she reached three days later. The ship was ordered to patrol the area north and northwest to protect British shipping and destroy any German commerce raiders. As the Germans appeared to be concentrating their efforts in the Caribbean, Craddock ordered Essex south to reinforce his forces there in early September. On 7 September, she captured the tender, SS Bethania, for the armed merchant cruiser SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, en route from Halifax to Jamaica. The ship continued to patrol the sealanes from the Caribbean Sea to Canadian waters until the end of February 1915, when she escorted a troop convoy from Halifax to Queenstown, Ireland. Essex then sailed to Barrow-in-Furness where she began a refit that lasted until 29 April. Now assigned to the 7th Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet, she spent the next several weeks in Avonmouth or Scapa Flow before being transferred to Cruiser Force and began patrolling the area between the Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde and Gibraltar on 8 June. Rear-Admiral Archibald Moore, commander of the 9th Cruiser Squadron, hoisted his flag aboard the ship on 4 September and pulled it down on the 29th. Essex began a brief refit at Gibraltar on 1 October that lasted until the 26th and then resumed patrolling the Central Atlantic. She captured a German merchantman, SS Telde, on 3 May 1916 in the Canary Islands. The ship resumed patrolling until her arrival in Devonport on 17 August; Essex was paid off days later.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Essex_(1901)

See also
www.naval-history.net/OWShips-WW1-05-HMS_Essex.htm

HMS Courageous………………………..

(Daniel joined this ship on the 4th November 1916 and stayed with her until the 1st March 1918)

Courageous was laid down on 26 March 1915, launched on 5 February 1916 and completed on 4 November. During her sea trials later that month, she sustained structural damage while running at full speed in a rough head sea; the exact cause is uncertain. The forecastle deck was deeply buckled in three places between the breakwater and the forward turret. The side plating was visibly buckled between the forecastle and upper decks. Water had entered the submerged torpedo room and rivets had sheared in the angle irons securing the deck armour in place.

Upon commissioning, Courageous was assigned to the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet. She became flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron near the end of 1916 when that unit was re-formed after most of its ships had been sunk at the Battle of Jutland in May. The ship was temporarily fitted as a minelayer in April 1917 by the addition of mine rails on her quarterdeck that could hold over 200 mines, but never laid any mines. In mid-1917, she received half a dozen torpedo mounts, each with two tubes: one mount on each side of the mainmast on the upper deck and two mounts on each side of the rear turret on the quarterdeck.

Second Battle of Heligoland Bight

Throughout 1917 the Admiralty was becoming more concerned about German efforts to sweep paths through the British-laid minefields intended to restrict the actions of the High Seas Fleet and German submarines. A preliminary raid on German minesweeping forces on 31 October by light forces destroyed ten small ships. Based on intelligence reports, the Admiralty allocated the 1st Cruiser Squadron on 17 November 1917, with cover provided by the reinforced 1st Battlecruiser Squadron and distant cover by the battleships of the 1st Battle Squadron, to destroy the minesweepers and their light cruiser escorts.[18]

The German ships—four light cruisers of II Scouting Force, eight destroyers, three divisions of minesweepers, eight Sperrbrechers (cork-filled trawlers) and two other trawlers to mark the swept route—were spotted at 7:30 am. Courageous and the light cruiser Cardiff opened fire with their forward guns seven minutes later. The Germans responded by laying an effective smoke screen. The British continued in pursuit, but lost track of most of the smaller ships in the smoke and concentrated fire on the light cruisers. Courageous fired 92 fifteen-inch shells and 180 four-inch shells during the battle, and the only damage she received was from her own muzzle blast. One fifteen-inch shell hit a gun shield of the light cruiser SMS Pillau but did not affect her speed. At 9:30 the 1st Cruiser Squadron broke off their pursuit so that they would not enter a minefield marked on their maps; the ships turned south, playing no further role in the battle.
After the battle, the mine fittings on Courageous were removed, and she spent the rest of the war intermittently patrolling the North Sea.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Courageous_(50)


On the day……………………………….

On 23 April a second attempt was made, in conjunction with a raid on the neighbouring harbour of Ostend. The raid began with a diversion against the mile-long Zeebrugge mole. The attack was led by an old cruiser, Vindictive, with two Mersey ferries, Daffodil and Iris II. The three ships were accompanied by two old submarines, which were filled with explosives to blow up the viaduct connecting the mole to the shore. Vindictive was to land a force of 200 sailors and a battalion of Royal Marines at the entrance to the Bruges Canal, to destroy German gun positions. At the time of the landing the wind changed and the smokescreen to cover the ship was blown offshore. The marines immediately came under heavy fire and suffered many casualties. Vindictive was spotted by German gun positions and forced to land in the wrong location, resulting in the loss of the marines' heavy gun support. Eventually the submarine HMS C3 commanded by Lt. R. D. Sandford, destroyed the viaduct with an explosion. Sandford was awarded the Victoria Cross for this action.

The attempt to sink three old cruisers, to block the flow of traffic in and out of the Port of Bruges-Zeebrugge failed. The failure of the attack on the Zeebrugge mole resulted in the Germans concentrating their fire on the three blocking ships, HMS Thetis, Intrepid and Iphigenia, which were filled with concrete. Thetis did not make it to the canal entrance, after it hit an obstruction and was scuttled prematurely. The two other ships were sunk at the narrowest point of the canal. The submarines C1 under Lieutenant A. C. Newbold and C3 under Sandford were old, each with a volunteer crew of one other officer and four ratings. They had five tons of amatol packed into their fore-ends and were to be driven into the viaduct and then blown up, to prevent reinforcement of the German garrison on the mole. The crews were to abandon their submarines shortly before the collision with the viaduct, leaving the submarines to steer themselves automatically. During the passage from Dover, C1 parted with its tow and arrived too late to take part in the operation.Sandford, in command of C3, elected to steer his ship into the viaduct manually instead of depending on the automatic system.

Of the 1,700 men involved in the operation, S. F. Wise recorded in 1981 that 300 were wounded and more than 200 killed. Kendall gave figures of 227 dead and 356 wounded. The destroyer, HMS North Star was sunk. Among the dead was Wing Commander Frank Brock, the man who devised and commanded the smoke screen. Most of the casualties were buried in England either because they died of their wounds en route or because the survivors recovered their bodies to repatriate them. The Zeebrugge plot of St James's Cemetery, Dover has nine unidentified men and fifty named men who died on 23 April 1918 but most fatalities were returned to their families for local burials.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeebrugge_Raid

HMS Vindictive…………

Early in 1918 she was fitted out for the Zeebrugge Raid. Most of her guns were replaced by howitzers, flame-throwers and mortars. On 23 April 1918 she was in fierce action at Zeebrugge when she went alongside the mole, and her upperworks were badly damaged by gunfire, her Captain, Alfred Carpenter was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions during the raid. This event was famously painted by Charles de Lacy, the painting hangs in the Britannia Royal Naval College. In addition to her usual complement, she embarked Royal Marine gunners to man the supplementary armament, and a larger raiding party. This comprised two of the three infantry companies of the 4th Battalion, Royal Marine Light Infantry, (their third company was embarked on the Iris), along with two "companies" of seamen raiders commanded by Lieutenant Commander Bryan Fullerton Adams and Lieutenant Arthur Chamberlain ("A" & "B" seamen Companies) respectively.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Vindictive_(1897)

Diversionary Operation on Zeebrugge Mole

The raid on Zeebrugge harbour began at one minute after midnight on 23 April with the diversionary operation to land a force of Royal Marines at the mile-long Zeebrugge Mole. The men landing on the Mole formed a storming force and a demolition force to destroy the German gun batteries, seaplane station and defences on it. They were carried to the Mole by the old cruiser “Vindictive” and two Mersey River passenger ferries, the “Daffodil” and “Iris II”. The primary duty of the “Daffodil” was to push “Vindictive” up against the Mole, then pull alongside the Mole herself and her Marine force would disembark onto the Mole. The Acting Captain of the “Vindictive” was Commander Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter, RN.

As events unfolded the “Vindictive” was already under fire as she arrived and there were casualties to many of the leading Marines and commanders of this storming operation. The smoke screen was less effective than planned because the wind changed direction half an hour before the arrival of “Vindictive” at the Mole. “Daffodil” had to continue pushing “Vindictive” against the Mole and her Marines had to disembark via the bow onto “Vindictive” and then onto the Mole. “Iris II” could not land her Marines directly onto the Mole either, and great bravery and casualties were suffered by the men trying to secure her to the Mole. She attempted to go alongside “Vindictive” instead but only a few men managed to get onto “Vindictive” before she was withdrawn. Many casualties were suffered by the crews manning the guns on “Vindictive”.
www.greatwar.co.uk/battles/yser/zeebrugge-ostend-raid.htm

see also
www.mckenzie.uk.com/book/export/html/5
www.naval-history.net/WW1Battle1804ZeebruggeOstend.htm


Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original image.

The edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday September 22 1917 included this picture along with the caption Fredk Diver of Thetford, who was killed in the recent air raid at Chatham.

From the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday September 15 1917

AIR RAID VICTIM’S FUNERAL…………………………..

MILITARY HONOURS ACCORDED AT THETFORD.

A large concourse gathered at the Cemetery on Saturday afternoon, when the mortal remains of Frederick Diver, who was serving in the Royal Navy and was killed in a recent air raid on Chatham, was laid to rest with full military honours. Deceased was the second son of the late Mr. Matthew Diver and of Mrs. Diver of Castle Row. He joined the Navy about 15 months ago and was one of the survivors of the Vanguard, being home on leave at the time of the explosion. Prior to joining the Navy he was employed at the Brewery. He was 27 years of age, and leaves a wife and three small children. The blinds of business and private houses were drawn as the impressive cortege wended its way to the Cemetery. Heading the procession was the band of the Sherwood Foresters, which was immediately followed by contingents from the Royal Engineers, Middlesex Regiment and the Royal Flying Corps. Following on were the Thetford Town Scouts, under Scoutmaster R.M. Palmer. The service was taken by the Rev. J. Elvan, senior chaplain to the Forces. The chief mourners were the widow, Mrs. M. Driver (mother), Mr. and Mrs H. Humes, (sister and brother-in-law), the Misses E. and F. Diver (sisters), Mr.and Mrs. Cousins, (sister and brother-in-law), Mrs. F. Talbot, (sister in law), Mrs. J. Talbot, (sister in law), Mrs. J. Diver (sister-in-law, Thetford), Mr. W. Talbot, (brother-in-law), Mrs. J. Rutterford, (Lakenheath), Mr. Long and Mr. Bowen. There were also present Inspt. Vincent, representing the police, Mr. J. Edgell, the Scouts District Commissioner, Mr. T.P. Doran, J.P., Mr. Frank Wilkes, and many others. The coffin was of polished elm, with brass furniture, and the inscription read:- “Frederick Diver, died 3rd September, 1917.” At the close of the service three volleys were fired over the grave, and the “Last Post” sounded. Wreaths were sent by the widow, Mother and Maud, E.W. Long, Reg and Nan, the Misses Eva and Florrie Diver, Sister May and husband and little nieces Freda and Beryl, Mr. A. Diver, Mr. and Mrs. Praestly (?), Mrs. H. Steward, and Mrs W.Ling, Mrs Chinery, Mabel and Hilda, and kind friends, (2).

See also the EDP, Monday September 10th 1917 edition.

THETFORD.

The funeral of Frederick Diver, of the Royal Navy, who was killed in a recent air raid on the east coast, took place at Thetford Cemetery on Saturday, amid every manifestation of sympathy and respect. Previous to joining the Navy, about fifteen months ago, deceased was employed at the Brewery. He was one of the survivors of the Vanguard crew being home on leave at the time of the explosion. He leaves a widow and three small children. The funeral service was conducted by the Rev. J. Elvan, Senior Chaplain to the Forces, and was of a full military character. The cortege was preceded by the Band of the Sherwood Foresters, members of a Middlesex Regiment, Royal Engineers and the Flying Corps. The Thetford Town Scouts were present, under Scoutmaster Palmer, and the District Commissioner (Mr. J. Edgell) was also present. Inspector Vincent represented the police. In addition to relatives there were present six of the employees from the Brewery. The body was enclosed in an elm coffin, with brass furniture, and on the breast plate was the inscription, “Frederick Diver, died 3rd September, 1917.” At the close of the service three volleys were fired over the grave, and the “Last Post” sounded.

From the Norwich Mercury, Saturday August 31 1918.

(IN MEMORIAM)

DIVER – In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Stoker Frederick J. Diver, killed in Chatham Naval Barracks, September 3rd, 1917.

“Just when his life was brightest,
Just when his hopes were best,
His country called, he answered,
In God’s hands now he rests.”

From his loving Mother and Brothers, Arthur and George, and Lila and Kathleen, mat and Flo, and Bertie.

“Not now, but in the coming years –
It may be in the better land,
We read the meaning of our tears,
And then sometime we’ll understand.”

“Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away”

Always remembered by his loving sisters May (and husband), Florrie and Eva, and Nieces Freda and Beryl, Stockport.

Stoker 1st Class DIVER, F I
Service Number………………K/33593
Died:…………………………. 03/09/1917
Unit:…………………………..H.M.S. "Pembroke", Royal Navy
Burial……………………….Thetford Cemetery I.M. 564
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2803484/diver,-/

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Stoker 1st Class K.33593. (Ch.) Frederick Isaac Diver, Royal Navy, was Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action on the 3rd September 1917 while stationed at HMS Pembroke. He was buried at Thetford Cemetery, London Road, Thetford. Frederick was born on the 4th July 1888 at Thetford. His next of kin informed of his death was his widow, Ethel, of 42 Castle Street, Thetford.

His Royal Naval Service records, held at the National Archive under reference ADM 188/934/33593, look like they commence in 1916 from the catalogue entry. (Although they show his place of birth as “Shetford”, Norfolk.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6991457

His Seamans record confirms that he joined up on the 1st July 1916, with his civilian occupation given as Dock Labourer. He was recorded as 5 feet 8 and three quarter inches tall, with brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. Initially a Stoker Class II, he spent two months in basic training at the land base HMS Pembroke II, before being assigned on the 5th September 1916 to the battleship HMS Vanguard. In March 1917 he was promoted Stoker 1. Following the explosion of the Vanguard he was officially reassigned, like so many from that ship, back to HMS Pembroke II. The temporary accommodation found for them all in the gymnasium would have a direct consequence on the high death total on the night of the air-raid – See “on the day”.

No match on Picture Norfolk, the County image Archive.

There is no obvious Civil Probate for this man.

4th July 1888 – Birth……………………….

Source – WW1 Naval Casualties and the catalogue entry for his service records at the National Archive. The birth of Frederick Isaac Diver was registered with the Civil Authorities in the District of Thetford in Norfolk in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1888.

1891 Census of England and Wales

The 2 year old Frederick I. Diver, born Hopton, Suffolk was recorded living at a dwelling on Old Market Street, Thetford. This was the household of his parents, Mathew I, (aged 51, a Tinsmith, born Thetford) and Louisa J, (aged 31, born Brettenham, Norfolk). As well as Frederick their other children living with them are:-
Mathew…….aged 17…..born Chatham, Kent……Tinsmith
John………..aged 8…….born Hopton, Suffolk
Gertrude M…aged 6……born Barningham, Suffolk
George J……aged 4…….born Hopton, Suffolk

1901 Census of England and Wales

The Genealogy site I use for basic Census lookups has transcribed the family surname as “Dives”, but looking at a scan of the original census return that reading is perfectly understandable. The family were recorded at No.17 Old Market Street, Thetford. As well as parents “Matthew”, (61, Tinsmith, born Thetford) and Louisa, (41, born Brettenham, Norfolk), their children still single and living with them are George, (14, General Labourer, born Hopton, Suffolk), Frederick, (12, born Hopton, Suffolk) and Matthew, (8), “Floria”, (5), Arthur, (3) and Eva, (1) – all born Thetford.

The most likely match for his future wife is a 9 year old Ethel Talbot, born Brandon, Suffolk, who was recorded living with her married sister, Clara Cousins, aged 28 and born Brandon, at 14 St Nicholas Street, Thetford. Also in the household is Clara’s husband Arthur John.

1911 Census of England and Wales

The Diver family were still living at 17 Oldmarket Street, but head of the household is now the 50 year old widow Louisa Jane Diver, born “Bretham”, Norfolk. Louisa states she has had 9 children, of which 8 were then still alive. Still single and living at home were his children Frederick Isaac, (22, General Labourer, born Hopton, Suffolk), Florence Edith, (15), Arthur Joseph, (13) and Eva Louisa, (11) – all born Thetford.

The most likely match for his future wife, Ethel Talbot, was still living with her married sister Clara and Claras’ husband Arthur John, although now at 21 Vicarage Road, Thetford. Ethel is working as a Domestic Servant.

The marriage of a Frederick I Diver to an Ethel Talbot was recorded in the Thetford District in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1911.

Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows only three matches in total – all likely to be children of Frederick and Ethel, as they were recorded in the Thetford District. This also ties in with the newspaper reports.
Sybil I Diver, mothers maiden name Talbot………..Q4 1912
Arthur J Diver, mothers maiden name Talbot………Q1 1915
Frederick V Diver, mothers maiden name Talbot…..Q1 1917

His ship…………………………………………

HMS Vanguard was one of three St Vincent-class dreadnought battleships built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She spent her whole career assigned to the Home and Grand Fleets. Aside from participating in the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 and the inconclusive Action of 19 August several months later, her service during the war generally consisted of routine patrols and training in the North Sea.

Shortly before midnight on 9 July 1917 at Scapa Flow, Vanguard suffered a series of magazine explosions. She sank almost instantly, with the loss of 843 of the 845 men aboard.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Vanguard_(1909)

(Frederick didn’t join the crew of the Vanguard until after Jutland and the attempt to ambush the German High Sea Fleet in August 1916).


On the day……………………………………….

On the night of 3rd-4th September 1917 the Drill Hall and Royal Navy Barracks H.M.S. Pembroke was bombed and 130 lives were lost.

On the night of 3rd September 1917, around 900 men were either asleep or resting in their hammocks in the Drill Hall. There was some cloud and a light wind, but generally the weather was fine as five German Gotha aeroplanes set off for Medway from Gontrode in Belgium at around 9:30 p.m. One of the Gothas later had to turn back over the Channel due to engine trouble but the remaining four continued, "each loaded with 300lbs of bombs".

At around 11:00 p.m., the four remaining Gothas flew over Eastchurch and began to follow the moonlit River Medway towards Chatham. The raiders continued their approach unchallenged and found the town fully illuminated and completely unprepared for an attack. Previously the Germans had only attacked from the air during daylight hours but took the decision to raid at night due to the increasing loss of bombers from daytime raids. The bombing raid of 3 September 1917 was therefore the first of the moonlight raids and took the Medway towns completely by surprise.

As a result, no anti-aircraft guns opened fire and no British fighters were sent to combat the enemy. The Gotha attack was further facilitated by a dreadful lack of communication between the key authorities: Owing to a defensive mix-up (a practice alert earlier in the evening meant that telephone warnings of a real raid, which were intended to notify the electrical department and a power station to extinguish all lights at once, were not taken seriously and ignored).

Ironically, local people had even been warned to expect the testing of the night air defences and would naturally have assumed that the actual raid was just part of the practice alert: In one Chatham cinema, just as the raid was beginning, a notice was flashed upon the screen telling people not to be alarmed. The Gotha was equipped with only primitive bomb sights and the most rudimentary of target locators so bombing was, to some degree, indiscriminate. The raiders would go on to drop a total of seventeen bombs in the districts of Gillingham and Chatham; the accuracy of their bombs owing as much to tragic ill chance as the skill of the German pilots.

Two 50kg bombs made a direct hit on the Drill Hall, crashing through the glass roof and exploding on the concrete floor of the sleeping quarters. Some reports stated that the bombs did little damage to the concrete floor of the Drill Hall and thus expended all their force upwards The hands of the clock in the tower were frozen at 11:12 p.m., giving the exact time the bombs hit the Drill Hall. What followed was truly terrible, as the quarter inch thick glass roof fell in: There were some terrific explosions, and before we knew what was happening the roof was lifted sheer off the hut, blown up in to the air, and fell into a thousand pieces on to the men. It was the falling glass, which was very thick and very heavy that did the damage. As most of the men were asleep and wearing only their night attire they could do little to protect themselves from the lethal shards of falling glass. The result was horrific.

Ordinary Seaman Frederick W. Turpin went to the scene to help with the wounded. Officers and the surviving ratings who were able to tore at the rubble with their bare hands in their efforts to find those lost beneath the debris of the shattered Drill Hall. The work of the rescuers continued through the night and was only completed some seventeen hours later on Tuesday afternoon.
www.merseysiderollofhonour.co.uk/obits/ships/pembroke.htm

(Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage on the original image).

The edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday October 6th 1917 has a picture of a sailor which is captioned “Alex Westgate of Lowestoft, killed at Chatham.”

That is almost certainly this man.

A. Mc.D. WESTGARTH……………….

WESTGARTH, ALEXANDER McDOUGAL
Rank:……………………......Stoker 1st Class
Service No:……………….SS/108184
Date of Death:………….04/09/1917
Age:……………………….....32
Service:…………………….Royal Navy
(RFR.Ch. B/10487). ...H.M.S. "Pembroke."
Grave Reference:……L. 101.
Cemetery:....................LOWESTOFT (KIRKLEY) CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Husband of Mabel Mahala Westgarth, of 9, Riverside Rd., Lowestoft.
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/397666/WESTGARTH,%20A...

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Stoker 1st Class S.S.108184. (R.F.R.C.H.10487) (Ch) Alexander Mcdougall Westgarth, Royal Navy, was “Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action on the 4th September 1917 whilst stationed at HMS Pembroke. He was buried at Kirkley Cemetery, London Road, South Lowestoft. Alexander was born on the 28th June 1885 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The next of kin informed of his death was his wife, Mabel, of 9 Riverside Road, Lowestoft.

The Royal Navy Service Records for SS108184 Alexander McDougall Westgarth, born 28th June 1885 at Newcastle-on-Tyne, are held at the National Archive under reference ADM 188/1114/108184
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7073916

28th June 1885 – Birth

(Source WW1 Naval Casualties database and the National Archive Catalogue entry for his Service Records).

The birth of an Alexander Mcd. Westgarth was registered with the Civil Authorities in the District of Newcastle upon Tyne in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1885. Then, as now, you have 42 days to register the birth without facing a fine so the registration period is not incompatible with the date of birth held elsewhere.

1891 Census of England and Wales

The 8 year old Alexander M. Westgarth, born Newcastle on Tyne, was recorded living at 12 Severn Terrace, Carlton Colville, Suffolk. This was the household of his married mother Janet, (aged 36, born Newcastle on Tyne). Although Janet could have been estranged from her husband, a more likely explanation is that her husband was at sea. As well as Alexander her other children living with her are:-
Agnes M…….aged 10 (? –tbc)…..born Newcastle
Sarah M……..aged 2……………..born Newcastle

1901 Census of England and Wales

The census taker appears to have recorded the family name as Westgerth. He has them living at one of the houses that made up Worcester Terrace in Carlton Colville. Parents are James, (47), a Mariner, born London, and Janet, (46), born Newcastle, Northumberland. Children still single and living with them are Alexander, (15, Fitters Apprentice), Sarah, (12), Janet, (9, born Newcastle), Jane, (6, born Newcastle) and Mary, (3, born Carlton Colville).

The best match for his future wife is a 13 year old Mabel Liffen, a live in Domestic Nurse in the household of Thomas, (26) and Alice, (24), Waters who lived at 4 Barcham Square, Lowestoft. The couple have three children, including a 3 month old baby girl.

The death of a Janet Westgarth, aged 48, was recorded in the Mutford District in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1903.

1911 Census of England and Wales

A Royal Navy 1st Class Stoker, Alexander “D” Westgarth, single, aged 25, and from St. Peters, Newcastle on Tyne, was recorded serving aboard HMS Russell on the night of the census.

HMS Russell was laid down by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company at Jarrow on 11 March 1899 and launched on 19 February 1901. She arrived at Sheerness later the same month and went to Chatham Dockyard for steam and gun-mounting trials. Construction of Russell was completed in February 1903.

Russell and her five sisters of the Duncan class were ordered in response to large French and Russian building programmes, including an emphasis on fast battleships in the Russian programme;they were designed as smaller, more lightly armoured, and faster versions of the preceding Formidable class.As it turned out, the Russian ships were not as heavily armed as initially feared, and the Duncans proved to be quite superior in their balance of speed, firepower, and protection.

The ships had a reputation as good steamers, with a designed speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) and an operational speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph), good steering at all speeds, and an easy roll. They were the fastest battleships in the Royal Navy when completed, and the fastest predreadnoughts ever built other than the Swiftsure class Swiftsure and Triumph.

Like all predreadnoughts, Russell was outclassed by the dreadnought battleships that began to appear in 1906, but she nonetheless continued to perform front-line duties up through the early part of World War I.

On 30 July 1909, Russell transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet. Under a fleet reorganization of 1 May 1912, the Mediterranean Fleet became the 4th Battle Squadron, First Fleet, Home Fleet, and changed its base from Malta to Gibraltar; Russell transferred to home waters in August 1912.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Russell_(1901)


His future wife, Mabel Liffen, aged 24 and a Fishworker from Lowestoft, was recorded living at 9 Riverside Road, Lowestoft. This was the household of her parents, Robert, (aged 50, a Gas Stoker, born Lowestoft) and Sarah, (aged 47, born Lowestoft). The couple have been married 36 years, (probably should read 30) and have had 12 children of which 9 were then still alive. Five of Mabels’ siblings were still single and living at home. Robert and Sarah also have a grand-daughter living with them.

1915 – Marriage

The marriage of an Alexander Mcd. Westgarth to a Mabel M. Liffen was recorded in the Mutford District of Suffolk in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1915.

This District included Lowestoft and nearby villages such as Carlton Colville.

Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows no matches for a child registered with the surname Westgarth, mothers maiden name Liffen.

On the day

The death of the 32 year old Alexander Mc C Westgarth was recorded in the Medway District of Kent in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1917.

On the night of 3rd-4th September 1917 the Drill Hall and Royal Navy Barracks H.M.S. Pembroke was bombed and 130 lives were lost.

On the night of 3rd September 1917, around 900 men were either asleep or resting in their hammocks in the Drill Hall. There was some cloud and a light wind, but generally the weather was fine as five German Gotha aeroplanes set off for Medway from Gontrode in Belgium at around 9:30 p.m. One of the Gothas later had to turn back over the Channel due to engine trouble but the remaining four continued, "each loaded with 300lbs of bombs".

At around 11:00 p.m., the four remaining Gothas flew over Eastchurch and began to follow the moonlit River Medway towards Chatham. The raiders continued their approach unchallenged and found the town fully illuminated and completely unprepared for an attack. Previously the Germans had only attacked from the air during daylight hours but took the decision to raid at night due to the increasing loss of bombers from daytime raids. The bombing raid of 3 September 1917 was therefore the first of the moonlight raids and took the Medway towns completely by surprise.

As a result, no anti-aircraft guns opened fire and no British fighters were sent to combat the enemy. The Gotha attack was further facilitated by a dreadful lack of communication between the key authorities: Owing to a defensive mix-up (a practice alert earlier in the evening meant that telephone warnings of a real raid, which were intended to notify the electrical department and a power station to extinguish all lights at once, were not taken seriously and ignored).

Ironically, local people had even been warned to expect the testing of the night air defences and would naturally have assumed that the actual raid was just part of the practice alert: In one Chatham cinema, just as the raid was beginning, a notice was flashed upon the screen telling people not to be alarmed. The Gotha was equipped with only primitive bomb sights and the most rudimentary of target locators so bombing was, to some degree, indiscriminate. The raiders would go on to drop a total of seventeen bombs in the districts of Gillingham and Chatham; the accuracy of their bombs owing as much to tragic ill chance as the skill of the German pilots.

Two 50kg bombs made a direct hit on the Drill Hall, crashing through the glass roof and exploding on the concrete floor of the sleeping quarters. Some reports stated that the bombs did little damage to the concrete floor of the Drill Hall and thus expended all their force upwards The hands of the clock in the tower were frozen at 11:12 p.m., giving the exact time the bombs hit the Drill Hall. What followed was truly terrible, as the quarter inch thick glass roof fell in: There were some terrific explosions, and before we knew what was happening the roof was lifted sheer off the hut, blown up in to the air, and fell into a thousand pieces on to the men. It was the falling glass, which was very thick and very heavy that did the damage. As most of the men were asleep and wearing only their night attire they could do little to protect themselves from the lethal shards of falling glass. The result was horrific.

Ordinary Seaman Frederick W. Turpin went to the scene to help with the wounded. Officers and the surviving ratings who were able to tore at the rubble with their bare hands in their efforts to find those lost beneath the debris of the shattered Drill Hall. The work of the rescuers continued through the night and was only completed some seventeen hours later on Tuesday afternoon.
www.merseysiderollofhonour.co.uk/obits/ships/pembroke.htm

(Mildly photoshopped to minimise the visual impact of damage that was present on the original image.)

The following announcements appeared in the “In memoriam column” of the Norwich Mercury dated March 27th 1918 and March 30th 1918.

BURGOYNE – In loving memory of dear brother Sam Burgoyne, who was blown up on H.M.D. March 31st 1917.

“One year has passed, our hearts still sore;
As time goes on we miss him more.
His welcome smiles, his loving face,
No one can take our dear brother’s place.”

From his loving Brother Charlie and Sister-in-Law Alice.

BURGOYNE – In ever loving memory of Samuel Albert Burgoyne, son of Mr. and Mrs. Burgoyne, 34. St. Leonards Road, Kirkley, Lowestoft, who lost his life while serving on H.M.D., March 31st 1917.

“One year has passed since that sad day,
When our dear boy was called away,
One of the best that God could lend-
A loving son, a faithful friend.
Some day we hope to meet him,
God knows just how or when.
We shall clasp his hand in a better land,
Never to part again.”

From his loving Mother, Father, Sister, and Brothers.

A picture of Samuel appear in the edition of the same Newspaper in the March 30th edition. The caption reads “Samuel Albert Burgoyne, son of Mr. and Mrs Burgoyne, 34 St Leonards Road, Kirkley, Lowestoft, drowned from a drifter.” The same photo gallery has a picture of a Rudolph Burgoyne, who was also a son of a Mr. and Mrs Burgoyne, of 34, St. Leonards Road, Kirkley. He is stated to have been interned in Holland since 1914.

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Engineman 2295.E.S. (CH) Samuel Albert Burgoyne, Royal Naval Reserve, was “Killed or died as a direct result of enemy action” on the 31st March 1917 whilst serving aboard HM Drifter Forward III, His body was not recovered for burial. Samuel was born Ramsgate on the 4th April 1880. The next of kin informed of his death was his widow, Annie, of 33, St. Leonards Road, Kirkley, Lowestoft.

That sailor on CWGC is:-
BURGOYNE, SAMUEL ALBERT
Rank:………………………......Engineman
Service No:………………….2295ES
Date of Death:…………….31/03/1917
Service:…………………….....Royal Naval Reserve
……………………………….......H.M. Drifter "Forward III."
Panel Reference:…………26.
Memorial:…………………....CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3052293/BURGOYNE,%20S...

The Royal Naval Reserve service records for ES 2295 Samuel Albert Burgoyne, born Ramsgate, Kent on the 4th April 1880 are held at the National Archive under reference BT 377/7/131703
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8665902

No obvious Civil Probate for this man.

4th April 1880 – Birth

(Source WW1 Naval Casualties and the National Archive Catalogue entry for his Service Records).

The birth of a Samuel Albert Burgoyne was registered with the Civil Authorities in the district of Thanet in Kent in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1880.

1881 Census of England and Wales

The 1 year old Samuel Burgoyne, born Ramsgate, Kent, was recorded living at 33 Princes Street, Ramsgate. This was the household of his parents, although only his mother was home on the night of the census. She was Sarah Burgoyne, a married Fishermans’ wife who was aged 30 and born Ramsgate. She describes herself as the Wife of the Head of the Household.
Her other children living with her are:-
Jane…….aged 6……..born Ramsgate
Robert….aged 3……..born Ramsgate

Having found a likely candidate for his future wife on the 1891 census, aged 10, I took another look at this census using her mothers details. The Whiley family were then living at 28 Cliff Hill, Great Yarmouth. As well as parents Walter, (aged 30, a Mariner, born Gorleston, Suffolk) and Eliza, (26, born Lowestoft), there are three children, (including an as yet unnamed 3 week old daughter), Eliza’s Father and the couples nephew.

1891 Census of England and Wales

The Burgoyne family were now living at 247 Raglan Street, Lowestoft. Mother Sarah, (39) is the only parent at home, but she gives her relationship to the head of the household as Wife. Her children still single and living at home are:-
Jane……aged 17
Samuel…aged 12
Charles…aged 8……….born Lowestoft
William…aged 4………born Lowestoft
Rudolph…aged 2………born Lowestoft

The most likely match for his future wife is the 10 year old Anna N Whiley, born Gorleston, Suffolk, who was recorded living at 22 Lockwell Road, Kirkley, Lowestoft. Her married mother Eliza, (37, born Lowestoft), is recorded as the head of the household, although this is more likely to be because her husband was away at sea rather than necessarily because they were estranged. Anna has three younger siblings plus her maternal grandfather living with her.

1900 – Marriage

The marriage of a Samuel Albert Burgoyne to an Annie Whiley was recorded in the Mutford District of Suffolk in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1900.

1901 Census of England and Wales

There is no obvious candidate for Samuel on this census. However a bit of further refining of the search criteria finally turned up both Samuel, (recorded as Sam) and his wife Annie – but the census taker has recorded them with surname Burgoine. Sam, (20, Fireman on Steamboat, born Ramsgate) and Annie, (20, born Gorleston, Suffolk) were recorded as boarders in the household on Rotterdam Road, Lowestoft of Edward and Jane Wilton. Jane was 28 and born Ramsgate, Kent. Given the make-up of Samuels’ parents household on the 1911 census, it is almost certain that Jane Wilton is the married name of Samuels’ older sister.

His parents were recorded living at 39 Beckham Road, Lowestoft, although once again only mother Sarah, (49), married wife of the head of the household, was at home. Living with her are her children Charles, (17), Fisherman, Rudolph, (11) and Charlotte, (9, born Lowestoft).

1911 Census of England and Wales

The 31 year old Samuel Albert Burgoyne, a Steam Drifter Engine Driver from Ramsgate, Kent, was recorded as the married head of the household at 16 Rotterdam Road, Lowestoft. He lives there with his wife of 11 years, Annie, (aged 30, born Gorleston, Suffolk). The couple have had 5 children, all then alive and still living with them.
Samuel Albert………aged 8…….born Lowestoft
Annie Charlotte…….aged 7……..born Lowestoft
Stanley Rudolph……aged 5……..born Lowestoft
Leonard…………….aged 3……..born Lowestoft
Robert Charles….aged 9 months…born Lowestoft

His parents were now living at 34 St Leonards Road, Lowestoft. The Head of the household is given as Robert Burgoyne – but those are the only two bits of information on that line and both have been crossed through, so presumably he was again absent. He and Sarah, (60), have been married 40 years and have had 9 children, of which 8 were then still alive. Still single and living at home are Rudolph Michael, (21, Trawler Fisherman) and Charlotte, (19). Also living with them is their grand-son, William Wilton, (aged 11 and born Lowestoft).

Post August 1911 it became compulsory when registering a birth in England and Wales to also record the mothers maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Births for England and Wales reveals three possible additional children of Samuel and Annie. All were recorded in the Mutford District, with mothers maiden name Whiley.

Violet M Burgoyne……………July to September 1911
Sarah A Burgoyne……………..July to September 1914
Gladys M Burgoyne……………January to March 1916

On the day

HMD Forward III, built by John Chambers & Co. Ltd., Lowestoft in 1907 and operated at the time of her loss by Royal Navy, was a British navy drifter of 89 tons.

On March 31st, 1917, HMD Forward III was sunk by a mine from the German submarine UC-6 (Werner von Zerboni di Sposetti), south of the Shipwash lightvessel. 10 persons were lost.
www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?74479

Mined S of Shipwash LV 51°57‘30”N, 01°48’30”E.
Peace-time operator: Alexander Bruce, Buckie
uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/2241.html

The Admiralty papers on the loss are held at the National Archive under reference ADM 137/3229
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4114900

Forward III, hired net drifter, mined and sunk in North Sea
BROOM, Frank H, Deck Boy, RNR, SBD 474
BURGOYNE, Samuel A, Engineman, RNR, ES 2295
DITCHBURN, Charles, Trimmer, RNR, ST 1223
KERRY, Edward, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 15279
MACKENZIE, Donald, Seaman, RNR, A 8275
MITCHELL, James, Ty/Skipper, RNR
REID, John, Trimmer, RNR, TS 2348
SHOTTON, George, Engineman, RNR, ES 4583
SMITH, John R, 2nd Hand, RNR, SA 765
WRIGHT, Francis J, Deck Hand, RNR, DA 11560
www.worldwar1atsea.net/xDKCas1917-03Mar.htm

(Mildly photoshopped to minimise the visual impact of damage that was present on the original image.)

The edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday, July 7th 1917 has a picture of him with the caption “Sidney Swan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Swan, Lowestoft, drowned.”

That man on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website is:-

SWAN, SIDNEY THOMPSON
Rank:……………………......Deck Hand
Service No:……………….4629DA
Date of Death:………….29/03/1917
Age:……………………….....27
Service:……………………..Royal Naval Reserve
…………………………….......H.M.S. "Q20."
Panel Reference:………26.
Memorial:......................CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information:
Son of Thompson and Elizabeth Swan, of 38, May Rd., Lowestoft; husband of the late Mrs. Swan.
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3053717/SWAN,%20SIDNE...

WW1 Naval Casualties records that Deck Hand 4629.D.A. (Ch.) Sidney Thompson Swan was “Killed or died by means other than disease, accident or enemy action” on the 29th March 1917 while serving aboard HMS Q20. His body was not recovered for burial. The next of kin informed of his death was his Guardian, Mrs Elizabeth Swan, of 38, May Road, Lowestoft. Sidney was born Lowestoft on the 10th May 1890.

The Naval Reservist Service Records for DA 4629 Sidney Thompson Swan, born Lowestoft on the 10th May 1890, are held at the National Archive under reference BT 377/7/51103
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8512170

Sidney is also remembered at St Andrew’s Church in Lowestoft.
www.roll-of-honour.com/Suffolk/LowestoftStAndrewChurch.html

10th May 1890 – Birth

Source WW1 Naval Casualties and the National Archive Catalogue entry for his Service Records.

The birth of Sidney Thompson Swan was registered with the Civil Authorities in the District of Mutford , Suffolk in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1890.

(Mutford District covered Lowestoft and the nearby villages).

1891 Census of England and Wales

The 10 month old Sydney T Swan, born Lowestoft, was recorded living at a dwelling on Cumberland Square, Anguish Street, Lowestoft. This was the household of his parents Thompson Swan Junior, (aged 27, a Fisherman, born Lowestoft) and Elizabeth, (aged 21, born Metfield, Suffolk).

Living next door is a Thompson Swan Senior, (59 and a retired Mariner) and his wife Rachel.

1901 Census of England and Wales

The Swan family are recorded at 2 Cumberland Square. As well as parents Thompson Swan Junior (38, Fisherman) and Elizabeth, (31, now said to have been born Harleston, Norfolk), children living with them are:-
Sydney……..aged 10…..born Lowestoft
Herbert…….aged 9…….born Lowestoft
Lily………...aged 7……born Lowestoft
Edith……….aged 5……born Lowestoft
Stanley…….aged 4…….born Lowestoft

1911 Census of England and Wales

The Swan family were now living at 38 May Road, Lowestoft. Father Thompson was absent on the night of the census but may simply have been out on the fishing grounds. Mother Elizabeth, (40, born Metfield, Suffolk) has been married for 21 years and has had 7 children, of which six were then still alive. Still single and living with her are:-
Sydney………aged 20…..Drift Fisherman
Edith…………aged 15….Beatster or Net Mender
Stanley………aged 14…..Grocery Errand Boy
Percy………..aged 6……born Lowestoft
Basil…………aged 2…...born Lowestoft
Also living with them is Thompsons unmarried sister, Lily Swann, aged 18, a Beatster (Net Mender), born Mendham, Suffolk.

1914 – Marriage

The marriage of a Sidney T Swan to an Annie Coleman was recorded in the Mutford District in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1914.

Post August 1911 it became compulsory when registering a birth with the Civil Authorities in England and Wales to also record the mothers maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows one potential child of Sydney and Annie. This was a Lilian A E Swan, mothers maiden name Coleman which was recorded in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1915.

The local council has put the Cemetery records on line. This records a 25 year Annie Swan, wife of Sidney Swan, who was interred on the 5th May 1916. Her last address was 1 Greville Road, Milford Haven.

On the day

From a forum post

the following is from "Naval Staff Monographs, Home waters":
***
It was she (U 85) and UC 66 that on March 11, at 4.45 a.m., off Newhaven, i.e. in about 50°40'N-00°08'E, opened fire on the small "Q" ship, the "Bayard" (Q.20), a lugger fitted with a motor and armed with one 13-pdr. and one 3-pdr. Q.20 was on a course S.E. when a submarine on the starboard quarter opened fire. A few minutes later another on the port beam opened fire. The wind seems to have been about S.W., and bringing the ship round to N.W., Lieutenant Walter Scott, R.N.R., sighted a submarine close on the port quarter. The order was given to get the boats out. The submarine was brought on the port beam, and at a range of only about 75 to 100 yards, Q.20 opened fire. The submarine returned the fire immediately, and a shell struck the ship, wounding two men. Down went the submarine, but four rounds were got off from each gun. Two explosions were seen (note: second and third shot of 13-pdr.) in the submarine, which was about 200 - 250 feet long. H.M.S. "Forester" came steaming up and cruised round about while Q.20, which was badly holed, made for land.

For this action GBP 200 was awarded to the ship; Lieutenant Walter L. Scott, D.S.C., R.N.R., was awarded a bar to his D.S.C.; Skipper Joseph Cowley received the D.S.C. and two seamen a D.S.M. Lieutenant Scott never received his in person, for Q.20 was sunk in collision on March 29 (note: C-in-C Portsmouth, Telegram 580 of March 29, 1917. The date June 26, 1917, in Navy Losses is an error); her captain and twelve men were drowned and the bar to his decoration had to be presented to his widow.

(The only submarine involved was UC 66 (Oblt.z.S. Pustkuchen), she was not damaged at all !)

The Q-20, as BAYARD was also known, was run down in the dark by s.s.TAINUI ON 29th March 1917. As the TAINUI was a civilian vessel and was held to have been responsible by the court of inquiry, claims for compensation were made.

here is the list of those who died on Q 20. Please note, one of those lost on the day of the sinking served under an alias and another man died of injuries.
BAILEY PERCIVAL R.A. O/TELEGRAPHIST J 35282 (Dev) 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
COOK ALFRED T. DECK HAND, RNR D A 7823 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
HAMBLIN HERBERT H. A.B. J 3788 (Po) 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
HINTON WILLIAM T. A.B. J 14581 (Po) 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
KELLY JOSEPH H. 2nd HAND, RNR D A 2882 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
LOCKEY HARRY DECK HAND, RNR D A 2689 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
POWER JOHN J. SEAMAN, Newfoundland RNR X 2275 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
RANKIN ALEXANDER DECK HAND, RNR S D 449 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
SCOTT WALTER L. TY/LT, RNR 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
STEWART JAMES B. O/SIGNALMAN J 29093 (Po) 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
SWAN SIDNEY T. DECK HAND, RNR D A 4629 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
TAYLOR ALFRED DECK HAND, RNR S D 3081 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS Alias WILLOWS, ALFRED
TETHER LUKE DECK HAND, RNR D A 10422 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
TURNBULL HUGH P.MacL. A.B. J 13908 (Po) 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
WATSON HENRY R.H. A/E.R.A. 4c M 19435 (Po) 29/03/17 SHIP LOSS
MARJORAM PERCY J. DECK HAND, RNR D A 8590 10/04/17 DIED OF WOUNDS
1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/53766-...

(Mildly photoshopped to minimise the visual impact of damage that was present on the original image.)

The edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday, July 14th 1917 has a picture of this man.

The caption reads “Leonard Augustus Girdlestone, R.N.R., son of Mrs Spender, of 13, Epsom Terrace, Kirkley Run, drowned at sea.”

That sailor on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website is:-

GIRDLESTONE, LEONARD AUGUSTUS
Rank:……………………......Seaman
Service No:……………….7156/A
Date of Death:………….14/05/1917
Age:……………………….....19
Service:……………………..Royal Naval Reserve
…………………………….......H.M. Whaler "Pilotwhale."
Grave Reference:
Cemetery:
CARLTON COLVILLE ADDITIONAL CHURCHYARD
Additional Information:
Son of Laura Agnes Spencer (formerly Girdlestone), of 13, Epsom Terrace, Kirkley Run, Lowestoft, and the late James Girdlestone.
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/397680/GIRDLESTONE,%2...

The WW1 Naval Casualties database records that Seaman 7156.A.(Ch) Leonard Augustus Girdlestone was “Killed or died by means other than disease, accident or enemy action” on the 14th May 1917 whilst serving aboard HM Whaler ‘Pilot Hale’. He was buried at Carlton Colville Churchyard, Lowestoft. Leonard was born at Lowestoft on the 13th October 1896. The next of kin informed of his death was his mother, Laura Spencer, of 13, Epsom Terrace, Kirkley Run, Lowestoft.

I have visited the Carlton Colville Additional Churchyard in the past, (its just an extension of that surrounding Saint Peter’s Church), but did not notice Leonards grave.

The Naval Reservist Service Records for A 7156+ Leonard Augustus Girdlestone, born Lowestoft on the 13th October 1896, are held at the National Archive under reference BT 377/7/7168
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8465591

There is no obvious Civil Probate for this sailor.

Leonard is also remembered on the Carlton Colville War Memorial.
www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/names/listing/4910?page=2

13th October 1896 – Birth?

Source – WW1 Naval Casualties database and the Service Records catalogue entry at the National Archive.

However the birth of a Leonard Augustus Girdlestone was not registered with the Civil Authorities in the District of Mutford, Suffolk, until the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1897. Then, as now, there was a 42 day period after the birth to register with the Civil Authority. After that significant fines kicked in with hearings in a Criminal Court. I suspect Leonard may therefore have upped his age in order to be able to volunteer.

Mutford District covered Lowestoft and the nearby villages, including Carlton Colville.

1901 Census of England and Wales

The 3 year old Leonard Girdlestone, born Hevingham, Norfolk, was recorded living at 54 St Peters Street, Lowestoft. This was the household of his parents, but only his mother was home on the night of the Census. She was Laura, wife of the head of the household, aged 41 and born Saxlingham, Norfolk. As well as Leonard her other children still single and living at home are:-
Morris(?)…..aged 14…..born Saxlingham
Lewis………aged 11…..born Saxlingham
Cyril……….aged 8…….born Saxlingham
Adela………aged 6…….born Saxlingham
There is also an 18 year old boarder, Charles Cable, a fisherman from Kirkley, Suffolk.

Going back to the 1891 Census, the 31 year old Laura was recorded living at a dwelling on New Road, North Walsham with her husband James, (30, a Rural Postman, born North Walsham) and their three children, Norris(?), (4, born North Walsham), Evelyn, (3, born North Walsham) and Lewis, (1, born North Walsham).

Going back to the 1901 census, there is a 40 year old married James Girdlestone, born North Walsham, who was recorded working as a Cook aboard the fishing boat ‘Myrtle.’ She was tied up at Lowestoft on the night of the census.

The death of a 42 year old James Girdlestone was recorded aboard the ship Prairie Flower in 1902. (I could not find a ship loss of that name recorded in 1902). However, going on the details on the 1911, the birth of Thirza Amelia Girdlestone was recorded in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1902 in the Mutford District, and the marriage of Laura Agness Girdlestone to John Spencer was recorded in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1903.

There is no obvious Civil Probate for John.

1911 Census of England and Wales

By the time of this census mother Laura Agness (51) has been married for 8 years to a John Spencer, (56, a Hawker, born Birmingham) and they and some of Laura’s children were living at 13 Ebenezer Terrace, Kirkley Run, Lowestoft. Laura states the current marriage has produced 7 children, all currently alive, but I think she is referring to her previous marriage as all the children listed have the surname Girdlestone. They are:-
Lewis James……aged 21….born North Walsham, Norfolk…Fisherman
Cyril Ebeneza….aged 18…...born North Walsham, Norfolk…Fisherman
Adela Laura……aged 16…..born Trimingham, Norfolk
Leonard Augustus..aged 13…born Kirkley, Lowestoft
Thirza Amelia…..aged 8……born Lowestoft

On the day

Monday, 14 May 1917

Pilotwhale, Admiralty whaler
GIRDLESTONE, Leonard A, Seaman, RNR, A 7156, drowned
www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1917-05May.htm


It looks from his cap band that Leonard had also served aboard HMS Columbine at some stage.

HMS Wild Swan was an Osprey-class sloop built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1870s. She was launched in 1877 and became a base ship in 1904, being renamed Clyde. She was renamed Columbine in 1913 and was sold for breaking in 1920.
(She seems to have been used as a training ship for men of the Royal Naval Reserve.)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Wild_Swan_(1876)

The ship following her conversion to a permanently moored depot ship, (and renaming as Columbine) in the Firth of Forth can be seen here:-
www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_edin_t/0_edinburgh_transport_shipp...

(Mildly photoshopped to minimise the visual impact of damage that was present on the original image.)

The edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday, August 4th 1917 has a picture of this man. The caption reads “First-class P.O. Arthur Reeve (Roger) Jarvis, husband of Mrs. Jarvis, 5, St Ann’s Terrace, Oulton Broad, killed in the blowing up of H.M.S. Vanguard.”

JARVIS, ARTHUR REEVE
Rank:…………………..........Petty Officer 1st Class
Service No:…………….....176573
Date of Death:……….....09/07/1917
Age:…………………….........40
Service:…………………......Royal Navy
…………………………...........H.M.S. "Vanguard."
Panel Reference:……….21.
Memorial:………………......CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information:
Son of Mrs. Keeble (formerly Jarvis), of Wickham Market, Suffolk; husband of Mildred Jarvis, of 5, St. Anns Terrace, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft.
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3052972/JARVIS,%20ART...

The WW1 Naval Casualties records that Petty Officer 1st Class Arthur Reeve Jarvis, Royal Navy, was “Killed or died by means other than disease, accident or enemy action” on the 9th July 1917 whilst serving with HMS Vanguard. He was born Ipswich on the 10th February 1878. His next of kin was his wife, Mildred Jarvis, 5 St Anns Terrace, Oulton Broad, Near Lowestoft.

The Royal Navy Service Records for 176573 Arthur Reeve Jarvis, born Ipswich on the 10th February 1878, are held at the National Archive under reference ADM 188/291/176573.
Its never very clear from the Archive Catalogue entry, but I believe they commence in 1893.

There is no obvious Civil Probate for this man.

10th February 1878 – Birth?

Source – WW1 Naval Casualties database and the Catalogue entry at the National Archive for his service records.

However the Civil Authority records have the birth of an Arthur Reeve Jarvis being registered in the Ipswich District in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1876.

The genealogy site I use for the basic checking also has a record of a baptism of an Arthur Reeve Jarvis in Suffolk in 1879, but unfortunately my subscription level doesn’t give me any more information than that. Neither FamilySearch or FreeReg has that record currently, (April 2017).

1881 Census of England and Wales

The 5 year old Arthur Jarvis, born Ipswich, was recorded living at the hamlet of California, Wickham Market, Suffolk. This was the household of his mother and step-father. Mother Maria Keeble, was aged 30 and born Rendlesham, Suffolk. Step-father William Keeble was aged 3 and an Agricultural Labourer from Wickham Market, Suffolk. He has three other step-children, William, (6) and Samuel, (3) – both born Ipswich, and Jane,(1), born Wickham Market. Also living with them is Marias’ mother, Pamela Reeve, a 68 year old widowed Nurse, born Rendlesham, Suffolk.

There is no obvious death record for a male Jarvis in either the Ipswich District or the Civil District that covered Wickham Market. I also could not find a likely candidate for the marriage of a male Jarvis to a Maria Reeve in England and Wales, in the years prior to the birth of the eldest child above. (There is a marriage of a Stanley Jarvis to a Maria Reeve in the Chelmsford District of Essex in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1872, and there is also a death of a Stanley Jarvis, aged 28, recorded in the Ipswich District in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1876, which, if they are the same individual, might be worth considering)

1891 Census of England and Wales

The Keeble family were now recorded living at 3 California, Market Needham. The adults in the household are parents William Keeble, (39) and Maria Keeble, (40), and “Boarder” Pamela Reeve, an 89 year old widow.

Jarvis children in the household are Arthur, (15, Agricultural Labourer), Samuel, (13, Agricultural Labourer) and Jane, (11).

Keeble children are Alice, (9), Harry, (6), Laura, (4) and Emma, (1) – all born Wickham Market.

The most likely match for his future wife is an 8 year old Mildred Burley, born Theberton, Suffolk, who was recorded living at a dwelling on The Hill, Wickham Market. Her parents were David, (44, an Iron Moulder, born Theberton) and Harriett, (45, born Fruntingfield(?), Suffolk). The couple have 5 other children living with them.

1901 Census of England and Wales

There is no obvious match for William on this census, but it seems likely he was already in the Royal Navy. Although the scope of the 1901 census had been extended to take into account Royal Navy personnel pretty much anywhere in the world, there was one important exclusion – Royal Navy ships & personnel at British Empire locations that had their own local census at the same time. The most significant of these for this purpose are the separate censuses covering Scotland and Ireland.

The most likely match for his future wife is an 18 year old Mildred Burley, now shown as born Leiston, Suffolk. Mildred was a live in Scullery Maid at The Mansion, Bryanston, Dorset.

1911 Census of England and Wales

The 33 year old Arthur Reeve Jarvis, a single man, was recorded as a Petty Office (Seaman Class) aboard HMS Sphinx on the night of the 2nd April 1911. There is no location given but casting my eye down the crew list there is one possible clue. The presence of Interpreter 2nd Class Kellaw Beman(?), born Mosul, Nineveh may indicate they are either in the Eastern end of the Mediterranean or the Red Sea. It also has some Royal Marines aboard, but is not that significant as the Commanding Officer only holds the Naval Rank of Commander.

There doesn’t appear to be much on line about this ship. Wikipedia has this briefly to say.

HMS Sphinx was a composite paddle vessel launched in 1882 and sold in 1919.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Sphinx

From a piece supporting the sale of medals for a crewman involved in the anti-slavery patrol work of this ship. There are some wonderful pictures, including a picture of the ship.

In 1907 HMS Sphinx took six escaped enslaved Africans aboard whilst cruising off the coast of Oman.

Although outlawed in Europe, the trade in African slaves was still acceptable in many of the Arab states. The East Indies station covered areas surrounding the Indian Ocean such as the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, Aden, Ceylon, India and part of the East Coast of Africa.

HMS Sphinx was serving on the East Indies Station between 10 February 1907 and 26 March 1909. The Africans had escaped in a canoe from a slave-trading village on the coast on hearing that a Royal Navy ship was in the area.

In his report (15 October 1907) Commander Litchfield of HMS Sphinx wrote that "six fugitives" came aboard whilst the ship was on a cruise off the Batineh Coast between 10 and 14 October.
The first three came off the canoe at 2245 on 10 October. They were men aged 17, 20 and 22. Two complained of being badly treated and the third had been fairly well looked after and had only escaped when he was threatened with being sold.

Off the coast of Khadara village, two of the men came in off a canoe at 12:00 on 12 October and then a further one the next day at 05:00. The master of one slave had kept him in manacles for three years. The enslaved man had escaped with his leg irons still on. Commander Litchfield had these removed by the ship's carpenter.
www.medalsofengland.com/medals.php?id=73&medalid=669

(No doubt the ship was on a similar patrol at the time Arthur was aboard).

Another picture of the ship
www.alamy.com/stock-photo-hms-sphinx-composite-paddle-ves...

The most likely match for his future wife is a 26 year old Mildred “Burleigh”, born Ipswich, ,who was recorded as a live in Domestic Servant at 95-97 High Street, Lowestoft. This was the household of Edward and Grace Wills, and the address is a Drapers Shop.

1911 – Marriage

The marriage of an Arthur R Jarvis to a Mildred Burley was recorded in the Mutford District of Suffolk in the April to July quarter, (Q2), of 1911.

(Mutford District covered Lowestoft and the nearby villages).

Post August 1911 it became compulsory when registering a birth in England and Wales to also record the mothers maiden name. A search of the General Registrars Office index of births for England and Wales for children registered with the surname Jarvis, mothers maiden name Burley brings up on match in the Mutford District. This was a David R J, in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1913. (It may be a co-incidence but the death of a David Roger J Jarvis, born 21st November 1912, was recorded in the Waveney District of Suffolk in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1980).

On the day

Shortly before midnight on 9 July 1917 at Scapa Flow, Vanguard suffered a series of magazine explosions. She sank almost instantly, with the loss of 843 of the 845 men aboard.

On the afternoon of 9 July 1917, the ship's crew had been exercising, practising the routine for abandoning ship. She anchored in the northern part of Scapa Flow at about 18.30. There is no record of anyone detecting anything amiss until the first explosion at 23:20 She sank almost instantly, with only three of the crew surviving, one of whom died soon afterwards. A total of 840 crewmen were lost, plus two Australian stokers from the light cruiser HMAS Sydney serving time in the battleship's brig. One of the casualties of the disaster was Captain Kyōsuke Eto, a military observer from the Imperial Japanese Navy, which was allied with the Royal Navy at the time through the Anglo-Japanese Alliance.

A Board of Inquiry heard accounts from many witnesses on nearby ships. They accepted the consensus that there had been a small explosion with a white glare between the foremast and 'A' turret, followed after a brief interval by two much larger explosions. The board decided, on the balance of the available evidence, that the main detonations were in either 'P' magazine, 'Q' magazine, or both. A great deal of debris thrown out by the explosion landed on nearby ships; a section of plating measuring approximately six by four feet (1.8 by 1.2 m) landed on board the battleship Bellerophon. It was found to be from the No. 2 Hydraulic Room abaft 'A' barbette. It showed no signs of a blast from 'A' magazine, which reinforced the visual evidence suggesting that the explosion took place in the central part of the ship.

Although the explosion was obviously an explosion of the cordite charges in a main magazine, the reason for it was much less obvious. There were several theories. The inquiry found that some of the cordite on board, which had been temporarily offloaded in December 1916 and catalogued at that time, was past its stated safe life. The possibility of spontaneous detonation was raised, but could not be proved. It was also noted that a number of ship's boilers were still in use, and some watertight doors, which should have been closed in war-time, were open as the ship was in port. It was suggested that this might have contributed to a dangerously high temperature in the magazines. The final conclusion of the board was that a fire started in a four-inch magazine, perhaps when a raised temperature caused spontaneous ignition of cordite, spreading to one or the other main magazines, which then exploded.
The wreck was heavily salvaged in search of non-ferrous metals before it was declared a war grave in 1984, although some of the main armament and armour plate were also removed. As might be expected the wreck, which lies at a depth of 14.2 metres (46 ft 7 in), and its associated debris cover a large area at 58°51′24″N 3°06′22″W58.8566°N 3.1062°W. The amidships portion of the ship is almost completely gone and 'P' and 'Q' turrets were blown some 40 metres (130 ft) away. The bow and stern areas are almost intact as has been revealed by a survey authorised by the Ministry of Defence in 2016 in preparation for the centenary commemoration planned for 2017.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Vanguard_(1909)
www.scapaflowwrecks.com/wrecks/vanguard/history.php

A definitive reason for the cause of the cordite explosion has never been found. The possiblities:
•spontaneous detonation of cordite, which had become unstable
•the cordite having caught fire from heating in an adjacent compartment
•sabotage
Of the three, sabotage is the least likely: no agency or individual has ever claimed responsiblity; there has never been any evidence turn up in support of the theory; and just as important is the fact that when she was lost, Vanguard was one of the least modern ships in the Grand Fleet. The security measures for her were no different than for the more recent arrivals in Scap Flow. It stands to reason that any 'agent' with the ability to destroy a Royal Navy capital ship would choose one of the more powerful ones.
Instead, the most likely cause was the second: a fire in an adjacent compartment (coal bunker or patent fuel space) which smoldered away undetected, long enough for some cordite near the adjoining bulkhead to overheat to dangerous levels.

One eyewitness account, that of Charles William Mynott a signalman in HMS Marlborough would report:
I was on watch on HMS Marlborough between 8pm and midnight [in] 1917 or 1918 and was facing HMS Vanguard and saw her start to explode, 1st aft 2 midships 3 foc'sle and then one huge explosion. I woke the Signal Boatswain who was asleep on the Bridge.

Following is an extract from a notebook maintained by Able Seaman Ernest "Mick" Moroney who witnessed the Vanguard explosion when on watch duty aboard HMAS Melbourne at Scapa Flow, 9th July 1917. Courtesy of Paul Moroney of Australia.
"HMS Vanguard Battleship blown up in Scarpa Flo Hbr all hands lost, spectator 9 July 17. 2 saved.

HMS VANGUARD Scarpa Flow North Scotland at 11.20 pm on the 9th July a great explosion occurred in the midst of the Grand Fleet, a terrible detonation took place lighting the whole fleet as if it were daylight there was a crash and one of the big boats went sky high with a crew of 900 men all searchlights were switched on immediately but not a thing was to be seen.
A trawler which was close by got smothered in blood and pieces of human flesh, and afterwards picked up half the body of a marine the only body recovered up to date. I happened to be on watch and saw nearly everything no one knows how she went up, but seeing she had a new ships company it is surmised that it was the work of German spies (Later) 2 men saved 1 Marine and 1 AB I Officer died immediately after. 187 men recovered from the sea."
www.gwpda.org/naval/vanguard.htm

A transcription of the report of the Court of Enquiry can be read here.
www.gwpda.org/naval/a1373681.htm

(Mildly photoshopped to minimise the visual impact of damage that was present on the original image.)