Category Archives: Stoker

Commonwealth War Graves, Essex, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, photography, Royal Naval Reserve, Stoker, story, war

Stoker John Benson

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Stoker John Benson

John Benson was born on 29th April 1892, the second of eleven children to Thomas and Annie Benson. Thomas was from Grays, Essex, and this is where the barge captain raised his growing family. While it is likely that John would have also experienced life on the water, by the time of the 1911 census, he was recorded as being a labourer at the town’s brewery.

When war broke out, it’s evident that John wanted to play his part. On 18th November 1914 he enlisted as a Stoker in the Royal Naval Reserve, and was based at HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent.

Stoker Benson’s service records show that he was 5ft 3.5ins (1.61m) tall, had blue eyes and a fair complexion. He was also noted as having a number of tattoos on his forearms, including clasped hands, a bird and a lady’s head.

While John was primarily based at HMS Pembroke, he also served at sea; this included two years on board the cruiser HMS Grafton. In July 1917, however, he returned to Chatham again.

The Royal Naval Dockyard was a busy base that summer, so much so that temporary accommodation was set up in the barracks’ Drill Hall: this is where Stoker Benson found himself billeted.

On the night of the 3rd September, the German Air Force conducted the first night time raid on England. Chatham came in the firing line, and the Drill Hall received a direct hit. Stoker Benson was among those to be killed. He was just 25 years of age.

John Benson was laid to rest in the Woodlands Cemetery in nearby Gillingham, along with the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid.

Bedfordshire, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 1st Class Horace Sharp

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Stoker 1st Class Horace Sharp

Horace Stanley Sharp was born on 13th April 1894, the oldest of eight children to Harry and Edith. Harry was a labourer from Luton in Bedfordshire, and this is where he and Edith raised their family.

When he left school, Horace found work at a local iron foundry, but he wanted more of a career and, on 25th February 1913, he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class. His service records confirm that he was 5ft 4ins (1.62m) tall, had brown hair, grey eyes and that he had a fair complexion.

Stoker Sharp was first posted to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent. Here he would have received his training, but, during this time, he went absent without authorisation, and, as a result, spent 24 days in the cells. It seems that his training was extended as a result of this, as he was not given his first posting – on board the cruiser HMS Sirius – until January 1914.

Over the next couple of years, Horace served on two further vessels – HMS Alert, where he gained a promotion to Stoker 1st Class, and HMS Swiftsure, where he was detained for a further five days. The reason for this second time in the brig is not recorded, but, as it coincided with the death of Horace’s mother, the cause seems likely to have been connected.

In 1916 he returned to HMS Pembroke, before being assigned to the brand new battlecruiser HMS Repulse, where he served for a year, taking part in operations in the Persian Gulf and the Dardanelles.

At the end of July 1917, Stoker 1st Class Sharp returned to Chatham once more. The base was particularly busy that summer, and the large number of extra servicemen meant that Horace was billeted in temporary accommodation in Chatham Drill Hall.

On the 3rd September 1917, the first night air raid carried out by the German Air Force bombarded the town, and scored a direct hit on the Drill Hall; Stoker 1st Class Sharp was among those killed that night. He was just 23 years of age.

Horace Stanley Sharp was laid to rest, along with the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid, in the Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham.

Stoker 1st Class Horace Sharp
(from findagrave.com)

Horace’s younger brother Harry also fought in the First World War, serving a a Private in the 1st Battalion of the London Regiment. He was assigned to the 13th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, and fought at the 3rd Battle of Ypres in 1917.

He was wounded on 5th September 1917, receiving a gun shot wound in the back. Private Sharp was admitted to hospital, and died from his injuries later that day. He was just 20 years of age and passed away just two days after his older brother. He was laid to rest in the Reninghelst Military Cemetery in Belgium.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, killed in action, photography, Royal Navy, Scotland, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 2nd Class Archibald Hay

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Stoker 2nd Class Archibald Hay

Archibald Mitchell Hay was born on 7th February 1900 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the older of two children to Archibald and Elizabeth Hay.

There is little documented about Archibald Jr’s life; that he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class, is fact. It is likely that he did so in August 1917: the Royal Navy War Graves Roll gives his date of birth as 7th August 1899, so this would put him as being of an age to join up.

Archibald Sr also enlisted during the war – he joined the Royal Army Service Corps and gave his son as one of his dependents, citing his date of birth as 7th February 1900.

Either way, Archibald joined the Royal Navy. Again, full details of his service have not survived, but what is certain is that he was based at HMS Pembroke – the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent – during the summer of 1917.

The naval base was particularly busy at that point in the war, and the barracks’ Drill Hall was brought in as temporary accommodation. This is where Stoker Hay was billeted.

On the night of the 3rd September 1917, Chatham was bombarded by a German air raid, and the Drill Hall received a direct hit. Tragically, Stoker 2nd Class Hay was amongst those killed. He was just 17 years old.

Archibald Mitchell Hay’s body was laid to rest in the Woodlands Cemetery in Gillingham, alongside the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, London, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, Surrey, war

Stoker 1st Class John Green

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Stoker 1st Class John Green

John Green was born in Putney, London, on 9th September 1895. He was one of eight children to cab driver Albert Green and his wife, Bridget. When he left school, John found work as an errand boy, but clearly wanted bigger and better things.

On 8th October 1913, he enlisted as a Stoker 2nd Class in the Royal Navy. His naval records confirm that he was 5ft 4ins (1.62m) tall, had brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion. He was also noted as having a scar on the side of his right eye.

While John’s service records confirm his date of birth as that above, other documents suggest that his year of birth was 1897. This would have meant he would have been to young to enlist in the Royal Navy when he did, although it was not unusual for keen sailors to add a year or so to their age to ensure they were accepted.

Stoker 1st Class Green was initially sent to HMS Pembroke – the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent – for training. He spent six months there, before being assigned to the dreadnought battleship HMS Vanguard. He spent three-and-a-half years on board her, and gained a promotion to Stoker 1st Class in the process.

In August 1917, John returned to Chatham Dockyard. HMS Pembroke was a busy and cramped place that particular summer, and he was billeted to temporary accommodation set up in Chatham Drill Hall.

On the night of 3rd September, the town came under attack from a German air raid, and the Drill Hall received a direct hit. Stoker Green was badly injured and admitted to the Chatham Naval Hospital; he succumbed to his injuries the following day, days short of (officially) his 22nd birthday.

John Green was laid to rest in the Woodlands Cemetery in Gillingham, Kent, alongside the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, Suffolk, war

Stoker 1st Class Horace Godden

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Stoker 1st Class Horace Godden

Horace Cecil Godden was born on 8th February 1889 in the Suffolk village of Boxford. He was one of eleven children to Charles and Sarah Ann Godden. Charles was a butcher and pig trader, and butchering was a trade that Horace also got into on leaving school.

He was after bigger and better things, however, and on 23rd January 1914, he enlisted in the Royal Navy. as a Stoker 2nd Class. His service records show that he stood 5ft 3ins (1.59m) tall, had brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion. Horace was also noted as having a scar on the back of his left hand.

Stoker Godden was initially sent to HMS Pembroke – the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent – for training. His first sea-going assignment was on board the gunboat HMS Jason and, during his first year with the navy, he served on three ships in total.

Horace was promoted to Stoker 1st Class in December 1914, and served on board another two ships before returning to Chatham in November 1915. His time was not without incident, however, and he spent time in the brig on two separate occasions – for 7 days in May 1915, and for two weeks that October – although his crimes are not recorded.

In March 1916, Stoker 1st Class Godden returned to sea once more, this time on board the sloop HMS Cadmus. He came back to Chatham the following February, and then remained at the HMS Pembroke.

That summer, the Royal Naval Dockyard was packed to capacity, and Horace was billeted in temporary accommodation put in place at Chatham Drill Hall. On the night of the 3rd September 1917, during a German air raid, the Hall received a direct hit and Stoker 1st Class Godden was among those to be killed. He was just 27 years of age.

Horace Cecil Godden was laid to rest, along with the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid, in the Woodlands Cemetery in Gillingham, Kent.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, Middlesex, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 1st Class William Ferrett

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Stoker 1st Class Robert Ferrett

William Robert Ferrett (known as Robert) was born on 14th December 1889, and was the oldest of three children to William and Annie. William was a farm labourer from Dorset; Annie was born in Camberwell, South London, but, by the time Robert was born, the couple had settled in Kingsbury, Middlesex, where they raised their family.

Robert also took up labouring work in a washhouse when he left school, and had left home by the time of the 1911 census. He was recorded as boarding with James and Sarah Kemp in Willesden Green. There may have been an ulterior motive for him as, that summer, he married their daughter, Daisy. There may have been an ulterior motive for the marriage as well as, later that year, the couple had the first of their two children, who they named William.

War was on the horizon and, in the spring of 1915, Robert enlisted, joining the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class. His service records show that he stood just 5ft 1.5ins (1.56m) tall, had brown hair, brown eyes and a medium complexion. He was also noted as having tattoos on both arms and a scar on his forehead.

Stoker Ferrett’s first posting was at HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent. After three months’ training, he was assigned to the battleship HMS Vanguard, on board which he spent the next two years. While he was promoted to Stoker 1st Class during this time, it was not all plain sailing. The records show that Robert spent two separate periods of time in the brig – 14 days in December 1916, and a further 14 days in June 1917 – although his misdemeanours are unclear.

In June 1917, soon after his second imprisonment, Stoker Ferrett was transferred back to HMS Pembroke. The dockyard was particularly busy that summer and Robert found himself billeted in temporary accommodation in Chatham Drill Hall.

On the night of the 3rd September, the German Air Force conducted the first night time raid on England. Chatham came in the firing line, and the Drill Hall received a direct hit. Stoker 1st Class Ferrett was badly wounded and was taken to the Royal Naval Hospital in the town. His injuries proved too severe, however, and he passed away the following day. He was 27 years of age.

Robert Ferrett was laid to rest in the Woodlands Cemetery in nearby Gillingham, along with the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid.

Robert’s younger brother, Robert Frederick Ferrett, also fought in the Great War. He served as a Private in the 7th Battalion of the London Regiment, but was killed at the Somme on 23rd July 1918, aged just 21 years old. He was laid to rest in the Pernois Cemetery in Picardie.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, illness, Kent, Leading Stoker, Petty Officer, photography, Royal Navy, Somerset, Stoker, story, Wales, war

Stoker Petty Officer Gilbert Clark

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Stoker Petty Officer Gilbert Clark

Gilbert John Clark was born in Bedminster, Somerset – now a suburb of Bristol – on 6th January 1884. He was one of eleven children to Jonah and Elizabeth Clark. Jonah was a coal miner from Devon, who travelled to find work. He and Elizabeth left Devon for Somerset in the early 1880s, before moving to Glamorgan, South Wales in 1891. This seemed not to last long, however, and, by 1895, the family were living back in Bristol.

The 1901 census recorded Jonah and Gilbert’ older brother, William, working the mines. Gilbert, however, had found different employment, working instead as a labourer for a brick maker. This did not turn out to be a long-term career for him, however, and, on 25th August 1904 he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class.

Gilbert’s service records show that he was 5ft 3ins (1.6m) tall, had black hair, dark brown eyes and a dark complexion. He was also noted to have a number of tattoos on his left arm, including a woman’s head, a figure of a woman and a cross with a man, crossed hands with a flower, a snake heart and an arrow.

Stoker 2nd Class Clark enlisted for a period of twelve years, and was initially based at HMS Vivid, the Naval Barracks in Devonport. After his training, he was given his first posting, on board HMS Barfleur. He quickly transferred, however, and in April 1905 was assigned to the battleship HMS Vengeance.

Gilbert’s three years on Vengeance were mixed. During that time, he spent two separate periods in the cells. The first, in February 1906, was for desertion, and resulted in ten days in the brig. The second, in August that year meant he was locked up for a further five days although the misdemeanour this time is not documented. This second period in the brig seemed to bring Gilbert to his senses, however, and the rest of his time on board Vengeance seems blemish-free, and even gave him a promotion to Stoker 1st Class.

The remainder of Gilbert’s twelve years’ service saw him assigned to a further eight vessels; between voyages he returned to the Devonport Naval Base. He also received a further two promotions: Leading Stoker in May 1912, and Stoker Petty Officer in February 1914.

War was imminent, by this point, and, at the end of his initial contract, he volunteered to remain in the Royal Navy for the period of the hostilities. After a six-month posting in Devon, Stoker Petty Officer Clark served on three more vessels. It was while he was on board HMS Bacchante, however that he fell ill with influenza. The ship was moored at the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, at the time and he was admitted to the RN Hospital in the town.

Sadly, Gilbert’s influenza turned to pneumonia and proved too much for his body to bear. He passed away from the lung conditions on 13th February 1919, at the age of 35 years old.

Gilbert John Clark’s body was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St John the Baptist Church in Peasedown St John, where his parents were then living.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, Lancashire, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 1st Class Frederick Parker

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Stoker 1st Class Frederick Parker

Frederick John Parker was born on 26th November 1889 in Wavertree, Liverpool. He was the oldest of four children to John and Ellen Parker, both of whom had been born in North Ireland, and had sought out a new life in the busy English port.

There is little concrete information about Frederick’s early life. What is clear is that he wound work as a painter when he left school, and enlisted in the Royal Navy on 22nd April 1908, as a Stoker. He joined the service for five years, and was places on reserve in 1913.

When war broke out, Stoker Parker was called into action again and, during his time back in the Royal Navy was based at HMS Pembroke, the shore-based establishment in Chatham, Kent.

The base was a bustling place during the war and, by the summer of 1917 temporary accommodation was set up in the barracks’ Drill Hall; this is where Frederick found himself billeted.

On the night of 3rd September 1917, Chatham suddenly found itself in the firing line as a wave of German aircraft bombed the town. The Drill Hall received a direct hit, and Stoker 1st Class Parker was amongst those to be instantly killed. He was 29 years old.

Ninety-eight servicemen perished during the Chatham Air Raid that night. They were buried in a mass funeral at the Woodlands Cemetery in nearby Gillingham. This, too, is where Frederick John Parker was laid to rest.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, London, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 1st Class Henry Jones

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Stoker 1st Class Henry Jones

Owen Henry Jones was born in Islington, Middlesex, on 23rd October 1888. His father was tailor Edward Jones, but little additional information about Owen’s early life remains.

By the end of 1913, he was working as a packing case maker and living in Shoreditch. He had met Ada Elizabeth Cornelius, the daughter of a dock labourer, and the couple married on Christmas Day at St Peter’s Church in Hoxton Square.

Within a year, war had engulfed Europe and, on 1st June 1915, Owen enlisted in the Royal Navy. His service records show that he had swapped his names round, and was going by Henry Owen Jones. He was 5ft 9ins (1.75m) tall, had light brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion.

Stoker 2nd Class Jones was initially sent to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, for his training, but, within a couple of months, was assigned to the monitor vessel HMS Lord Clive. He served on board for just over a year, gaining a promotion to Stoker 1st Class in the process.

After six months back in Chatham, Henry was given his second posting, on board another monitor ship, HMS General Wolfe. After just three months, however, he found himself back on shore at HMS Pembroke.

The Dockyard was particularly busy that summer, and the large number of extra servicemen meant that Henry was billeted in temporary accommodation in Chatham Drill Hall.

On the 3rd September 1917, the first night air raid carried out by the German Air Force bombarded the town, and scored a direct hit on the Drill Hall; Stoker 1st Class Jones was among those killed instantly. He was just 28 years of age.

Henry Owen Jones was laid to rest, along with the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid, in the Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham. Tragically he was buried as ‘unidentified’: the records state that he lies “in one of the following graves: 516, 522, 735, 935, 937, 948, 642.”

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, London, photography, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war

Stoker 1st Class Reginald Clark

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Stoker 1st Class Reginald Clark

Reginald James Clark was born on 30th March 1896 in Shoreditch, East London. His parents were carver Reginald Clark and his wife, Elizabeth.

When he left school, Reginald found work as a boot packer, but was war on the horizon. On 3rd March 1915, he enlisted in the Royal Navy, signing up for the duration as a Stoker 2nd Class. His service records show that he stood 5ft 4.5ins (1.63m) tall, had dark brown hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion.

Stoker Clark was initially sent to the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent – also known as HMS Pembroke – for training, but was soon given his first posting. This was on the depot ship HMS Hecla, and he spent more than two years aboard, gaining a promotion to Stoker 1st Class in the process.

In June 1917, Reginald returned to Chatham, and spent the summer barracked at the Dockyard. HMS Pembroke was particularly busy at that point in the war, and temporary accommodation was needed quickly. Chatham Drill Hall was brought into service, and Reginald found himself billeted there.

On the 3rd September 1917, the German Air Force carried out its first night air raid: Chatham was heavily bombed and the Drill Hall received a direct hit; Stoker 1st Class Clark was among those killed. He was just 21 years of age.

Reginald James Clark was laid to rest, alongside the other victims of the Chatham Air Raid, in the Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham.