Category Archives: Royal Navy

Able Seaman, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Hampshire, history, Kent, killed in action, Leading Seaman, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Navy, story, war, Wiltshire

Leading Seaman William Snook

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Leading Seaman William Snook

William Albert Snook was born on 8th December 1885, in the Wiltshire village of Mere, The was the second of nine children to Frank and Louisa Snook. Frank was an agricultural labourer, and when he finished his schooling, this is a trade into which his son followed.

William wanted a life of adventure, however, and, on 25th June 1901, he joined the Royal Navy. Given the rank of Boy 2nd Class, he was sent to the training ship HMS Boscawen to start learning the skills he would need.

Boy Snook spent the next year at Boscawen, during which time he was promoted to Boy 1st Class. Over the next year, he spent time on three ships – the cruiser HMS Minotaur, and the battleships HMS Agincourt and Hannibal.

While assigned to Hannibal, William came of age. Now formally inducted in the Royal Navy, he was given the rank of Ordinary Seaman. His papers show that he was 4ft 11.5ins (1.51m), and had brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion.

William had enlisted for a period of twelve years, and during this time he would go on to serve on a further eleven ships, returning to HMS Victory, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth, Hampshire, in between assignments. His annual review consistently showed a very good character and a superior ability in his role. In March 1905 he was promoted to Able Seaman, and in July 1913, William received a further rise in rank, taking the role of Leading Seaman.

In March 1915, William was moved to HMS Princess Irene, an ocean liner requisitioned on the outbreak of war and converted to a minelayer. On the morning of 27th May 1915, she was moored in the Medway Estuary and was being loaded with mines in preparation for a mission. At 11:14am, a faulty primer on board set off a series of explosions, and she blew apart and sank. More than 250 crew – including Leading Seaman Snook – were killed. He was 29 years of age.

The body of William Albert Snook was brought ashore and laid to rest in the Woodlands Cemetery in Gillingham, Kent. He was buried alongside some of the other crew whose bodies had been rescued and identified.

Leading Seaman Snook’s headstone states that he was assigned to, and killed during the sinking of, HMS Bulwark. This is incorrect, and he was with Princess Irene.

Able Seaman, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Hampshire, history, Kent, killed in action, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Navy, story, war, Wiltshire

Able Seaman John Poole

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Able Seaman John Poole

John Poole was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, on 11th May 1893. One of nine children, his parents were James and Mary Poole. James was a quarryman, and, at the time of the 1901 census, the family were living at 5 Cross Street, on the southern edge of the town centre.

John was keen to make his mark on the world and when he completed his schooling, he joined the Royal Navy. His service papers show that he began his naval career on 12th March 1909, a couple of months short of his sixteenth birthday. Given his age, he was assigned the rank of Boy 2nd Class, and sent to HMS Impregnable, the training base in Devonport, to start learning his skills.

Boy Poole initially impressed his seniors, and, on 12th November, he was promoted to Boy 1st Class. The positive start to his career, however, was not to continue, and over the next five years, his service record is peppered with misdemeanours. The first of these came on 6th January 1910, when he did a bunk from base: the authorities caught up with him, however, and he was frogmarched back to Devonport some three weeks later.

On 1st February, John was given his first formal posting, on board the armoured cruiser HMS Donegal. He transferred to another cruiser – HMS Grafton – in April, but by August he has moved again, to the battleship HMS Swiftsure.

Swiftsure would remain John’s home for the next eighteen months, during which time he came of age. Now old enough to formally enlist in the Royal Navy, he was given the rank of Ordinary Seaman. His papers show that he was 5ft 3.5ins (1.61m) tall, and had brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion.

Ordinary Seaman Poole did not get off to a good start and, on 28th June 1911, he was sent to the brig for 28 days for refusing a duty. In April the following year, Swiftsure was docked in Portsmouth, and John saw a chance to go AWOL. Apprehended quickly, he was nevertheless sentenced to 42 days’ detention at HMS Victory, the city’s naval base.

Sent back to his duties on 3rd July 1912, Ordinary Seaman Poole was obviously no longer happy in his role. Going absent without leave again on 2nd December, a harsher sentence was granted when he was captured, and he was sent to the brig for 60 days.

As a new year dawned, John was assigned to another armoured cruiser, HMS Black Prince. The move did nothing to temper Ordinary Seaman Poole’s attitude, however, and he was sent to the brig on 5th September 1913, for refusing a duty. Intriguingly, he was released three weeks later, and just a fortnight after that, he was promoted to Able Seaman.

John remained part of Black Prince’s crew until April 1914. After a short stint at HMS Excellent – the gunnery school in Portsmouth – he was given another assignment, on board the battleship HMS Bulwark. Part of the Channel Fleet, she was tasked with patrolling and defending Britain’s southern coast.

On 26th November 1914, Bulwark was moored in the River Medway, close to Sheerness. While she was being re-stocked with shells and ammunition, a number of poorly-stowed cordite charges overheated, detonating the shells stored nearby. The resulting explosion ripped through the battleship, and more than 740 crew were killed. The body of Able Seaman Poole was amongst those to be recovered. He was 21 years of age.

The body of John Poole was laid to rest alongside the other victims of the disaster, in the naval section of Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, Kent.

Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Navy, story, Surrey, war

Ordinary Seaman William Wheeler

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Ordinary Seaman William Wheeler

William Leonard Wheeler was born in Epsom, Surrey, on 8th September 1896. He was the fourth of six children to John and Mary Wheeler. John was a carman in a brickyard, and the family lived in Nonsuch Cottage on Leith Road.

When William finished his schooling, he took work as a gardener. He sought bigger and better things, however, and, on 12th September 1912, he joined the Royal Navy. Too young to formally enlist, he was given the rank of Boy 2nd Class, and sent to HMS Impregnable, the training ship, to start learning the skills he would need.

Impregnable would remain Boy Wheeler’s home for the next nine months, during which time he was promoted to Boy 1st Class. On 18th June 1913, he was give his first posting, on board the cruiser HMS Gibraltar. In November 1913, William was reassigned, and took up a post on board the battleship HMS Bulwark.

William came of age in September 1914, and fully enlisted in the Royal Navy. Given the rank of Ordinary Seaman, his service papers show that he was 5ft 1in (1.55m) tall, and had light brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion.

Bulwark was part of the Channel Fleet, tasked with patrolling and defending Britain’s southern coast. On 26th November 1914, she was moored in the River Medway, close to Sheerness, and was being resupplied with shells and ammunition. That morning, a handful of the cordite charges overheated, detonating the shells stored nearby. The explosion ripped through the vessel, and more than 740 crew – including 18-year-old William – were killed.

Ordinary Seaman Wheeler’s body would be recovered from the wreckage until 8th July 1915. He was laid to rest in the naval section Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, Kent, a short distance from the the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham.

Berkshire, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, photography, Royal Navy, story, war

Boy 2nd Class John Welch

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Boy 2nd Class John Welch

John Benjamin Welch was born in Eton, Berkshire, on 16th October 1899. The second of five children, his parents were Frank and Annie Welch. Frank was a house porter at Eton College, and the family lived at 4 Willow Place in the village, before moving to 8 Eton Square by the time of the 1911 census.

When he completed his schooling, John (who was known as Jack) found work in a local foundry. He sought a life of adventure, however, and, on 25th July 1916, he joined the Royal Navy. His service records show that he was just 5ft 3.5ins (1.6m) tall, with brown hair , blue eyes and a fresh complexion.

Being below the age to formally enlist, John was given the rank of Boy 2nd Class, and sent to the cruiser HMS Powerful to be trained on the job. Tragically for John, however, he contracted pneumonia, and the condition would take his life. He passed away on 14th November 1916: he was just 17 years of age.

The body of John Benjamin Welch was taken back to Berkshire for burial. He was laid to rest in the peaceful graveyard of St John’s Church, Eton.

John’s older brother, Frank, had also spent time serving his country. Enlisting in the Royal Field Artillery, and was attached to the 145th Brigade.

Gunner Welch served at Ypres and at Loos, and, by the spring of 1917, his unit was fighting in Salonika. He was wounded, and died of his injuries on 8th May that year: he was eighteen years of age.

By this point, through war and illness, Annie had lost a daughter, and three of her sons. The impact must have been unbearable: she died in the autumn of 1919, aged 43 years old.

Able Seaman, Berkshire, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, Merchant Navy, Middlesex, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Navy, Scotland, story, war

Able Seaman Albert Clements

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Able Seaman Albert Clements

In spite of unpropitious weather, an exceedingly large number of people of all classes paid a last tribute to Able-Seaman Albert Edward Clements, at Eton, on Saturday last. The deceased, whose home was at 3, Tangier-lane, Eton, was on HMS Princess Royal, which took part in the naval fight in the North Sea, and he as severely injured by burns. He was taken on board HM Hospital Ship Plassy, but died on 31st May, and his remains were brought home on Thursday evening last week from Scotland. Clements as a boy showed an affection for the sea, and when old enough joined the merchant service and made several voyages. Five years ago from the day he was laid to rest he joined the Navy, and was at first on HMS Warspite and afterwards on the ship on which he received his mortal wounds. He was a loyal and devoted son, and after the death of his father three years ago was of great assistance to his mother. His father was for 29 years in the Royal service at Frogmore and consequently served under three Sovereigns – Queen Victoria, King Edward and King George. His elder brother, Charles George, was in the Oxford and Bucks LI, and was killed at Loos a year ago. The Admiralty, through pressure, was not able to send a representative, but his mother had received from that department a letter expressing its sympathy and appreciation of his services. A letter of sympathy has also been received from the King.

[Windsor and Eton Express: Saturday 17th June 1916]

The early life of Albert Edward Clements is a challenge to piece together. Born in 30th October 1896 in Marylebone, details of his parents are unclear and, by the time of the 1901 census, he seems to have been adopted by his paternal grandparents, George and Louisa. By this point the family were living at 4 Sunbury Road, Eton, the household being made up of Albert, his grandparents, and his four uncles and aunts.

At 45 years of age, George was a gardener’s labourer, but, as the newspaper report suggests, Albert had a hankering for the sea. He served on merchant vessels, but enlisted in the Royal Navy on 12th June 1912. Sent to HMS Ganges – the training base near Ipswich, Suffolk – he was given the Rank of Boy 2nd Class, as he was too young to formally join up.

By January 1913, Albert was assigned to the dreadnought battleship HMS St Vincent. Within four months he had moved to the heavy cruiser-turned-aircraft carrier HMS Vindictive. By the end of the year, however, Boy Clements received his main move, to HMS Princess Royal.

Albert was formally inducted in the Royal Navy on 28th May 1914, and was given the rank of Ordinary Seaman. His service records notes that he was 5ft 5ins (1.65m) tall, with dark brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He was also recorded as having a birth mark on the back of his left arm.

Princess Royal would remain Albert’s home for more than three years and, on 1st April 1915, he received a promotion to Able Seaman. His ship would be involved in some of the Royal Navy’s fiercest skirmishes, including Heligoland Bight and Dogger Bank, but it was during the Battle of Jutland, on the night of the 31st May 1916, that Albert was injured and died of his wounds. He was just 19 years of age.

The hospital ship Plessy brought the body of Albert Edward Clements back to shore, and he was taken home to Berkshire for burial. He was laid to rest in the cemetery of St John’s Church in Eton.

Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, injury, Kent, Middlesex, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Navy, story, war

Ordinary Seaman Albert Hillman

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Ordinary Seaman Albert Hillman

Albert Alsop Hillman was born in Islington, Middlesex, on 22nd September 1895. He was the second of five children to Alfred and Harriet Hillman. Alfred was a builder’s labourer from Hoxton, and, at the time of the 1901 census, the family had rooms at 36 Affleck Street, not far from King’s Cross Station.

The next ten years showed a downturn in the family’s fortunes. They had moved to rooms at 19 Chapel Street, but Alfred was no longer bringing in a wage, and was recorded as being an invalid. In fact, unusually, none of the household of seven – including Albert and his older brother, Alfred Jr, both of whom were of age to have left school – were recorded in any trade, and it is not clear what, if any, money was coming in.

This changed in 1913, when Albert joined the Royal Navy. He had been earning money as a van guard, but a life at sea offered a career and a regular wage. Sent to HMS Vivid, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Devonport, Devon, he spent the next five months learning the skills he would need as a seaman. Being below the age to formally enlist, however, he was given the rank of Boy 2nd Class.

On 15th November 1913, Boy Hillman was given his first assignment, on board the battleship HMS Venerable. She would remain his home for the next few months, during which time he was promoted to Boy 1st Class.

Albert was formally enlisted in the Royal Navy on 18th February 1914, and was given the rank of Ordinary Seaman. His service papers show that he was 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall, with brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion. His papers also note that he had a scar on his right cheek, and a number of tattoos on his left forearm.

After a short spell at Chatham Dockyard in Kent – also known as HMS Pembroke – Albert was given his second assignment, aboard the destroyer HMS Liberty. In August 1914, she was involved in the Battle of Heligoland Bight and, in a skirmish with the German 5th Flotilla. She was hit by the enemy cruiser Mainz, which landed a direct hit on the bridge, killing the ship’s commander, Nigel Barttelot, and a number of other crew. Albert was wounded, and the ship made its slow way back to port.

When Liberty reached Pembroke once more, Albert was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital in Chatham, and would remain there for the next more than a year.

The death has taken place in the RN Hospital, Chatham, of Able Seaman Albert Hillman, who sustained terrible injuries whilst serving in HM destroyer Liberty in the sea fight in the Bight of Heligoland on August 28th, 1914. For sixteen months the young fellow – he was only 19 years of age – suffered, but he bore his pain unflinchingly and without a murmur, winning the admiration of the medical and nursing staff. It will be remembered that Lieut.-Com. Nigel Barttelot and six members of the crew of the Liberty were killed in the action, one died from wounds, and eleven others were wounded.

[Sheerness Guardian and East Kent Advertiser: Saturday 15th January 1916]

The newspaper report includes a couple of errors – Albert held the rank of Ordinary Seaman, and was 20 years of age when he died – and has a stoic and heroic sense of how the injured man bore his wounds with grace and calm.

The body of Albert Alsop Hillman was laid to rest in the naval section of Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, not far from the Kent hospital in which he had been tended for so long.

Air Mechanic, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Kent, photography, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, story, Suffolk, war

Air Mechanic 1st Class Reginald Blowers

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Air Mechanic 1st Class Reginald Blowers

Reginald Blowers was born in Carlton Colville, near Lowestoft, Suffolk, on 15th December 1892. He was the third of six children to Edward and Mary Bowers. Edward was a brickmaker, and the 1901 census recorded the family living at Brickyard Cottages, off Victoria Road.

The next census, taken in 1911, showed a big change for the family. Edward was now listed as a fisherman, the Third Hand on the vessel Passion Flower which, at the time the return was collected, was moored in Padstow, Cornwall.

Meanwhile, Mary and the children, along with her nephew Alfred, were living a 1 Stanley Road, Oulton Broad. Alfred was a fisherman, while Reginald was now employed as a carpenter. Two of his siblings were also working: sister Alice was a general servant, while 13-year-old brother Edward was an errand boy.

When war broke out, Reginald’s skills stood him in good stead. He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 23rd November 1914, and was assigned to the Royal Naval Air Service as an Air Mechanic 1st Class. His service papers note that he was just under 5ft 5ins (1.64m) tall, with bark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion.

Air Mechanic Blowers was sent to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, for his training. In April 1915, he transferred to HMS President II, another shore base, which served ports in London, Chatham and Sheerness.

In the winter of 1915/16, Reginald fell ill. He had contracted tuberculosis, and was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital in Chatham. Sadly, his condition would prove fatal: Air Mechanic Blowers passed away on 10th January 1916, at the age of 23 years old.

The body of Reginald Blowers was laid to rest in the naval section of Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, not far from the dockyard he had come to know as home.

Armourer, Armourer's Crew, Armourer's Mate, Chief Armourer, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Hampshire, history, illness, Kent, photography, Royal Navy, Scotland, story, war

Chief Armourer William Dimmick

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Chief Armourer William Dimmick

William Henry Dimmick was born in Titchfield, Hampshire, on 10th November 1871. The oldest of four children, his parents were John and Harriett Dimmick. John was a butcher, but when he completed his schooling, he became chose a different path.

The 1891 census recorded William as lodging with the Merritt family in Clanfield, to the north of Waterlooville, Hampshire. He was employed as a blacksmith, but either this was a means to an end, or he had itchy feet.

On 30th June 1893, William enlisted in the Royal Navy. Part of the Armourer’s Crew, his service records show that he was 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall, with light hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He was sent to HMS Excellent, the shore base on Whale Island in the Solent, and she would become the home to which he would return over the next few years.

Armourer’s Crew Dimmick’s contract was for twelve years and, during that time, he would serve on five separate ships. A lot of his time, however, was spent ashore, and his service papers note spells at both HMS Wildfire and HMS Pembroke, both on the North Kent Coast.

William’s time was not mis-spent, however, and he started to rise through the ranks. On 20th April 1897 he was promoted to Armourer’s Mate; in November 1898 he was made an Armourer. On 1st November 1902 he rose to Acting Chief Armourer, a role that was made permanent twelve months later.

Away from work, William found love. He married Florence Dunford in around 1902, and the couple would go on to have three children – William Jr, John and Florence Jr – between 1902 and 1911.

When William’s contract came to an end, he immediately re-enlisted. Over the next few years, he was given five more postings, before being assigned to HMS Natal in September 1912. An armoured cruiser, she was attached to the Grand Fleet during the First World War, but did not take part in any battles.

On 30th December 1915, Natal was moored in the Cromarty Firth, when an internal explosion from faulty cordite ripped her apart. She sank, and at least 390 crew and civilians were killed.

The next record for William is that of his passing – from pneumonia, at home, on 28th January 1916. He was 45 years of age. It is unclear whether he had been on board Natal a month before, and whether there was any connection between his illness and the explosion.

The family were living in Sheerness, Kent, at the time of William’s death, His body, however, was laid to rest in the naval section of Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, not far from HMS Pembroke, the dockyard in Chatham, Kent, which he had called home for some time.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Kent, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 2nd Class Frederick Crane

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Stoker 2nd Class Frederick Crane

Frederick Leonard Crane was born in Sittingbourne, Kent, on 27th September 1896. The youngest of eleven children, his parents were brickfield labourer George Crane and his wife, Frances.

Frances died in the spring of 1900, and when Frederick left school, he initially found employment as a horse driver on a farm. By the time war broke out, however, he had changed careers, and was working as a blacksmith.

Frederick enlisted on 8th November 1915, joining the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class. His service papers note that he was 5ft 7.5ins (1.71m) tall, and had fair hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. Stoker Crane was sent to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, for his training.

Tragically, Frederick’s time in the forces was to be a tragically brief one. At the end of December, he was admitted to the naval hospital in the town, as he was suffering from cerebro-spinal meningitis. The condition was get the better of him, and he passed away on 2nd January 1916. He was just 19 years of age.

The body of Frederick Leonard Crane was laid to rest in Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, not far from the Kent port that he had started to call home.

Able Seaman, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Cornwall, Devon, Great War, history, illness, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Navy, story, war

Able Seaman John Williams

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Able Seaman John Williams

The funeral of Mr Williams… of South-street, took place on Saturday, the interment being made by the Vicar of Braunton (Rev. JH Prince) in the St Brannock’s Churchyard. There were many manifestations of sympathy, and blinds were drawn all along the route to the Churchyard. The Vicar, in the course of a sympathetic and short address to the bereaved relatives, related a touching incident at an interview he had had with the deceased a few days before his death. The Vicar asked him if he would not rather die peacefully at home than out with his comrades, who were keeping the silent vigil on the seas and in conflict with the enemy. The dying sailor replied in the negative, and said he would sooner be with his comrades, fighting for his King and Country. This, said the Vicar, struck the key-note of Mr Williams’ unselfish life, and by his death they had lost an upright and steady inhabitant.

[North Devon Journal: Thursday 22nd March 1917/

John Williams was born on 4th May 1886 in St Agnes, Cornwall. Details of his early life are a challenge to confirm, but the newspaper report goes on to name two of his brothers as Alfred and Cecil, and one of his sisters as Olive. Piecing this information together with census documents, it seems likely that his parents were William and Elizabeth (his pension record gives Mrs B Williams, which may be Bessie).

The 1891 census records the family as living in St Agnes. William is missing, although it is possible that he was away at sea when the return was taken. John does not appear on the 1901 census, but his trail can be picked up again a year later, when he enlisted in the Royal Navy.

John was working as a butcher when he chose a seafaring career path, and he was sent to HMS Impregnable, the training ship moored at Devonport, Devon, for his induction. He was below the age to formally join up, and so was given the rank of Boy 2nd Class.

Over the next two years, John learnt the tools of his trade. He was trained at three Devon bases – Impregnable, HMS Lion and HMS Vivid – and was promoted to Boy 1st Class in February 1903. On 4th May 1904 he came of age, and officially enlisted in the Royal Navy, given the rank of Ordinary Seaman. His service records note that he was just 5ft 1in (1.55m) tall, and had dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion.

Ordinary Seaman Williams was on his first formal posting by this point, and was serving on board the gunboat HMS Harrier. By November 1904, however, he was transferred, and became part of the crew of the armoured cruiser, HMS Suffolk. She remained his home for the next eighteen months, during which he was promoted again, to Able Seaman.

Over the next decade, John would serve on a further six ships, returning to HMS Vivid in between assignments. The work, particularly after the outbreak of war, was taking a strain on his health, however, and, on 3rd May 1916, he was medically discharged from duty, suffering from tuberculosis.

By this point, John’s mother had moved to Devon and was living in the village of Braunton. Following his discharge, he returned to live with Elizabeth – Bessie – and remained there until his death some nine months later. John died on 12 March 1917, aged 29.

The body of John Williams was laid to rest in St Brannock’s Churchyard, Braunton.