Tag Archives: HMS Formidable

Commonwealth War Graves, Dorset, Great War, history, killed in action, Middlesex, photography, Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Navy, Stoker, story, war, Yorkshire

Stoker Henry Souter

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Stoker Henry Souter

Henry Souter was born in Thornaby, Yorkshire, on 10th August 1887 and was the youngest of four children. His father, John, died when he was just a year old, leaving his mother, Jane to raise the family single-handedly. To do this she found piecemeal work as a charwoman, sharing their home – 3 Edward Street – with two other families.

Henry is absent from the 1901 census, but his mother had moved to Willesden, Middlesex. His sister, Isabella, had married the year before, and she and her husband had relocated to London, presumably for work, taking Jane with them.

By the 1911 return, Henry was boarding with his brother James and his family. The siblings were living at 44 Spring Street, and both were working at a local iron works, James as a pipe moulder, Henry as a rolling miller.

When war came to Europe in the summer of 1914, Henry was called upon to play his part. His service records are long since lost, but he was attached to the Royal Naval Reserve as a Stoker, suggesting previous employment in the navy.

By the end of the year Stoker Souter had been assigned to the battleship HMS Formidable. A key vessel in the Channel Fleet, her role was part of a convoy patrolling the seas of the southern coast of Britain.

Early on the morning of 1st January 1915, while off the Dorset coast, the battleship was torpedoed by a German submarine. Other ships in her convoy came to her aid, but it would prove fruitless. After a couple of hours – and another torpedo strike – she sank, taking more than 540 officer and crew – including Stoker Souter – were lost. He was 27 years of age.

Henry Souter’s body was recovered, and was able to be identified. He had been brought ashore in Lyme Regis, Dorset, and he was laid to rest in a communal grave in the town’s cemetery.

Henry’s next-of-kin were identified as his sister, Annie, who was living in Thornaby, and his mother, Jane. Her address was given as 25 Melville Road, Stonebridge Park, London: she was still living with Isabella and her family – husband George and their six children.

Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Dorset, Essex, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, Middlesex, photography, Royal Navy, story, Sussex, war

Boy 1st Class Bernard Smyth

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Boy 1st Class Bernard Smyth

Bernard Arthur de Plumley Smyth was born in Erith, Kent, on 16th September 1897. The second of four children – all of them boys – his parents were Reginald and Emily Smyth.

Bernard’s early life was a delicate one, and he spent at least some time at Great Ormond’s Street Hospital in Camden, London. His weakened health was such that he was baptised at the hospital’s local church – St George the Martyr – on 11th February 1900.

It is intriguing to see Reginald Smyth’s life develop over the years. His son’s baptism record gives his line of work as labourer, but by the following year’s census, he had moved the family to Ifield, West Sussex, where he was noted as living on his own means. Moving forward another decade, and the family had moved again, settling in a 9-roomed villa in Burgess Hill. Reginald was now listed as being a nurseryman and the family of six were sharing their home with boarder Horatio Jacoby, who was living by private means.

Bernard was still a schoolboy at this point. His health had seeming recovered over the years, and he was ready to make his mark on the world. On 6th March 1913, he enlisted as a Boy 2nd Class in the Royal Navy. His service records show that he was 5ft 3ins (1.59m) tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion.

Boy Smyth was initially sent to HMS Ganges, the shore-based establishment in Suffolk, for his training. He remined there for six months, and was promoted to Boy 1st Class for his work.

On 26th September 1913, Bernard was given his first posting, on board the cruiser HMS Grafton. He remained on board for nine months, before returning to shore – this time to the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent – for the summer.

In August 1914, war was declared and by the end of that month, Boy 1st Class Smyth was given his second assignment, aboard the battleship HMS Formidable. She was a key vessel in the Channel Fleet, her role part of a convoy patrolling the seas of the southern coast of Britain.

Early on the morning of 1st January 1915, while off the Dorset coast, the battleship was torpedoed by a German submarine. Other ships in her convoy came to her aid, but it would prove fruitless. After a couple of hours – and another torpedo strike – she sank, taking more than 540 officer and crew – including Boy 1st Class Smyth – were lost. He was just 17 years of age.

We regret to record that a former scholar of the London Road Council Schools, Burgess Hill, lost his life through the disaster which came to HMS Formidable on January 1st. This was Bernard Arthur de Plumley Smith, the second son of Mr and Mrs Smyth, of Edward cottage, Brook Road, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, late of Elgin Villa, Crescent Road, Burgess Hill. He was 17 years of age, and a first-class boy on board the ship. He bore the reputation of being smart, steady ad industrious, and was well known in Burgess Hill…

[Mid Sussex Times: Tuesday 12th January 1915]

Bernard Arthur de Plumley Smith was laid to rest in a communal grave in Lyme Regis Cemetery, in the hills above the Dorset town where he had been brought ashore following his ship’s sinking.

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

Stoker 1st Class William Fawkes

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Stoker 1st Class William Fawkes

William Fawkes was born on 31st July 1883 in South Shields, Country Durham. One of seven children, his parents were called William and Ann. William Sr was a steam crane operator in the local docks, and the 1891 census found the family living with Ann’s widowed husband Ralph in an apartment on Bedford Street.

Ralph died not long after the census was taken, and it seems that William and Ann took over the tenancy. The 1901 return found the family living at 8 Bedford Street, this noted as being a private home. William Jr had finished school and was employed as a labourer to a blacksmith; three of his sibling were also gainfully employed, the family managing to scratch together enough of a living to pay the rent.

By the start of 1903, William Jr was starting to get itchy feet, and sought out a career on the ocean wave. On 5th January he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class, and was sent to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, for his training. His service records confirm that he was 5ft 3.5ins (1.61m) tall, with bark hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion. He was also noted as having his initials – WH – tattooed on the back of his right hand.

Stoker Fawkes completed his training in October 1903, and was sent to the battleship HMS Sans Pareil as his first posting. He only remained on board for a couple of months, before a move to another battleship, HMS Resolution. In June 1904, he was transferred again, to HMS Swiftsure, a third battleship that he would call home for the next three years.

During his time on board Swiftsure, William was promoted, gaining the rank of Stoker 1st Class for his work. Over the next decade, he served on a further seven ships, returning to his base in Kent between voyages.

In the spring of 1904, William married Mary Hornby. The daughter of a publican, she had continued to support her mother and siblings after his death in 1897. With William at sea, the 1911 census found her living in a one-roomed apartment on Commercial Road in South Shields, together with her mother, Euphemia, and her son, James. He was born a couple of years before she married William and bore her maiden name: it is unclear whether James was her husband’s son.

By the summer of 1914, war had been declared, and Stoker 1st Class Fawkes had been assigned to another battleship, HMS Formidable. She was part of the Channel Fleet, her role to patrol the seas of the southern coast of Britain.

Early on the morning of 1st January 1915, while off the Dorset coast, she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-24. Other ships in her convoy came to her aid, but it would prove fruitless. After a couple of hours she sank. 120 members of the crew were saved, but more than 540 officer and crew – including Stoker 1st Class Fawkes – were lost. He was 31 years of age.

William Fawkes’ body was one of those recovered and identified. It seems that Mary was unable to cover the cost of a funeral. Her husband was, instead, laid to rest in a communal grave in Lyme Regis Cemetery, in the hills above the Dorset town where he had been brought ashore.

Able Seaman, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Dorset, Essex, Great War, history, Kent, killed in action, Leading Seaman, Middlesex, Ordinary Seaman, Petty Officer, photography, Royal Navy, story, Surrey, war

Petty Officer William Feldon

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Petty Officer William Feldon

William Feldon was born on 16th October 1878, the middle of three children – and the only son – to William and Jessie Feldon. William Sr was a carpenter from Highgate, Middlesex, but it was south of the Thames, in Lambeth, Surrey, that the family were raised.

When he finished his schooling, William Jr found work as a general labourer. He was drawn to bigger and better things, however, and a life at sea was to catch his eye. In June 1894, he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class. His service records noted that he was 5ft 2ins (1.57m) tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion.

By the time William had completed his initial training, he had been promoted to Boy 1st Class. He was then moved to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent.

By October 1895, he was given his first posting, on board the torpedo cruiser HMS Archer, and he would remain assigned to her for the next two years. During this time, William came of age and was formally inducted into the Royal Navy, and was given the rank of Ordinary Seaman. His commitment to the service was pretty clear, and, within seven months he had been promoted again, to Able Seaman.

After a short spell back at Pembroke, William was assigned to HMS Wildfire, another shore establishment just along the coast in Sheerness. He remained there for nine months, during which time he was promoted again, to the rank of Leading Seaman.

In May 1899, William was moved to another posting, on board the gunboat HMS Partridge. This assignment provide him with the route to further promotion: he remained on board until July 1901, having risen to Petty Office 2nd Class on 1st July 1899 and Petty Officer 1st Class on 23rd September 1900.

Over the remainder of his initial term of service, William served on six further vessels. The sea was in his blood by this point, and when his contracted ended on 15th October 1908, he re-enlisted without any hesitation.

Away from the Navy, William fell in love. On 23rd October 1909, he married Ada Plumpton, who was 25 years old, and who lived in Battersea, Surrey. The couple exchanged vows at St Faith’s Church in Southwark, but settled down in the village of Dovercourt, Essex. They went on to have two children, Doris, who was born in 1910, and Elsie, who came along the following year.

Back at sea, Petty Officer Feldon was assigned to the cruiser HMS Boadicea. He spent two years on board, before moving to another cruiser, HMS Blonde, for another two years. In between voyages, William returned to the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham.

On 13th January 1914, Petty Officer Feldon was posted to the battleship HMS Formidable, part of the Channel Fleet patrolling the seas of the southern coast of Britain.

Early on the morning of 1st January 1915, while off the Dorset coast, she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-24. Other ships in her convoy came to help, but after a couple of hours – and another torpedo strike – the damage was too great and she sank. 120 members of the crew were saved, but more than 540 officer and crew – including Petty Officer Feldon – were lost. He was 36 years of age.

William Feldon’s body was one of those recovered and identified. He was laid to rest in a communal grave in Lyme Regis Cemetery, in the hills above the Dorset town where he had been brought ashore.

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

Stoker 1st Class Horace Bernthall

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Stoker 1st Class Horace Bernthall

Horace Frank Bernthall was born in Clapton, Middlesex, on 19th February 1893. One of twelve children, his parents were Henry and Ellen. Henry was a general labourer, and this is work into which his sons followed.

By the time of the 1911 census, the Bernthall family were living on Folly Lane in Walthamstow, Essex. Henry and Ellen were sharing three rooms with six of their children – of which Horace was the eldest. The census return confirms that, of their twelve children, four had died by this point. Three of the family were working – Henry, Horace and another sibling, 16 year old Arthur.

Horace set his sights on bigger and better things, and on 30th August 1912, he enlisted in the Royal Navy. He took up the role of Stoker 2nd Class, his records confirming that he was 5ft 5ins (1.65m) tall, with brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion.

Stoker Bernthall was initially sent to HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, for his training. He remained there for the next five months, before being assigned to the pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Formidable. She was to remain his home for the nest two years, and was where he gained promotion to Stoker 1st Class in August 1913.

HMS Formidable was attached to the Channel Fleet, primarily guarding the waters separating Britain from France. Early on the morning of 1st January 1915, while off the Dorset coast, she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-24. Other ships in her convoy came to help, but after a couple of hours – and another torpedo strike – the damage was too great and she sank. 120 members of the crew were saved, but more than 540 officer and crew – including Stoker 1st Class Bernthall – were lost. He was just 21 years of age.

Horace Frank Bernthall’s body was one of those recovered and identified. He was laid to rest in a communal grave in Lyme Regis Cemetery, in the hills above the Dorset town where he had been brought ashore.

The spelling of the family surname varies across the documents that cover Horace’s life – Bernthal, and Burnthall being two other suggestions – but I have gone with Bernthall, as that is what is recorded on his baptism record.

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

Stoker 1st Class William Eley

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Stoker 1st Class William Eley

William Charles Eley was born on 13th February 1890 in Liverpool, Lancashire. One of nine children, his parents were William and Ellen Eley. William Sr was noted as being a butcher on his son’s baptism record, but by the following year’s census, he was recorded as being a general labourer, and this is the line of work in which he continued.

When William Jr completed his schooling, he found employment as a carter. He sought bigger and better things, however, and, living so close to the Mersey dockyards, he was drawn to the sea. On 13th March 1908 he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class. His service records confirm that he was 5ft 6.5ins (1.69m) tall, with brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He was also noted as having amole on his right cheek.

William was sent to HMS Acheron for his initial training. He spent six months on board, before moving to his first posting on board the battleship HMS Albermarle. She would be Stoker Eley’s home for the next eighteen months, and he gained a promotion to Stoker 1st Class during this time.

Over the next three years, William would serve on two more ships – HMS Victorious and HMS Lancaster. In between assignments, he was based at HMS Pembroke, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Chatham, Kent. On 15th March 1913, he completed his initial contract of five years’ service, and was transferred to reserve status.

This time back on civvy street would not last for long, however. On 2nd August 1914 William was mobilised once more and, after a few weeks back in Chatham, he was assigned to the battleship HMS Formidable. She was attached to the Channel Fleet, primarily guarding the south coast.

At 2:20am on Friday 1st January 1915, while off the Dorset coast, the Formidable was torpedoed by the German submarine U-24. Other ships in the convoy tried to assist, but after a couple of hours – and another torpedo strike – the damage was too great and she sank. 120 members of the crew were saved, but more than 540 officer and crew – including Stoker 1st Class Eley – were lost. He was just 24 years of age.

Luckily, William Charles Eley’s body was recovered and identified. His father had died a few years before, and it seems likely that Ellen could not afford to have her son brought back to Lancashire for burial. Instead, he was laid to rest in a communal grave in Lyme Regis Cemetery, Dorset, high above the seaside town where he had been brought ashore.