DoverCastleSam Posted 19 August , 2008 Share Posted 19 August , 2008 My great great grandfather, Private Samuel Dudley no18681 of The Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, was a survivor of the attack on the Hospital ship Dover Castle 26/5/1917. According to my father, records of the sinking do not tally with his grandfathers account of the rescue. It is stated, in all records found, that either 6 or 7 stokers were killed in the initial attack and that all other passengers survived. According to Private Dudley all bedridden passengers went down with the ship, he had been gassed, but was otherwise in good health, and spent time in the water after the ship had sunk. He helped save a man whose arm had been amputated and recieved honourable discharge on the 12th September 1917 recieving a sum of £25. We have a photo of the survivors of the ship, picturing 22 men and 2 young girls, which I will happily download to anyone who is interested. Any views on this account and further information would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 19 August , 2008 Share Posted 19 August , 2008 Off the point somewhat, but, was Dudley from Shropshire? Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoverCastleSam Posted 19 August , 2008 Author Share Posted 19 August , 2008 Off the point somewhat, but, was Dudley from Shropshire? Neil Dudley was from Belper, Derbyshire, he was stationed at Belle View, Shropshire, he lived the remainder of his life in Rochdale, we have a copy of his certificate of honourable discharge, should that be of any interest to you. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 19 August , 2008 Share Posted 19 August , 2008 Hi Andy. It sure would. Also ,i'd expect forum member, Annette (6th Shropshires) would also be interested. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historydavid Posted 20 August , 2008 Share Posted 20 August , 2008 Per the Tower Hill Memorial list of seamen with no known grave the DOVER CASTLE lost 6 mercantile marine men: 2 firemen, 1 fireman & trimmer and 3 trimmers from her main crew, plus 1 man from the medical crew, described as a bathman, whose body was recovered and is buried in Bone War Cemetery. The DOVER CASTLE, 8,271 tons, was quite a large ship and must have required a sizable crew plus a significant number of medical personnel of all grades, including dotors and nurses. The implication of your GGFs story is that all (less 7) of these people managed to save themselves whilst ignoring the bed cases, which would probably have been the majority of the sick. It does not ring true. A man in the water, in what must have been very frightening circumstances, would often obtain a very distorted picture of what was happening around him. Your GGF obviously believed what he said and it would appear to be substantiated by this picture you refer to of THE survivors of the ship, 22 men and 2 girls, presumably nurses. I suspect this picture was taken after one rescue ship ship landed them, probably by a newspaper correspondent that may have thought they were the only survivors. Best wishes David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoverCastleSam Posted 21 August , 2008 Author Share Posted 21 August , 2008 Hi Andy. It sure would. Also ,i'd expect forum member, Annette (6th Shropshires) would also be interested. Neil Hi Neil, I will scan it and email it to you sometime next week. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 21 August , 2008 Share Posted 21 August , 2008 Thanks Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoverCastleSam Posted 9 September , 2008 Author Share Posted 9 September , 2008 Thanks Andy Hi Neil, sorry I've not forgotten, the certificate is too big to scan, I will have to reduce the size. I will send it as soon as I can. Alternatively, I could send you a colour photocopy, if there is an appropriate address to contact you at. Andy andy.milligan@yahoo.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilEvans Posted 9 September , 2008 Share Posted 9 September , 2008 Message Sent Thanks Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwenda.marriott Posted 26 March , 2009 Share Posted 26 March , 2009 I have been doing some research on the torpedo attack on the Dover Castle in May 1917 and saw your posting on this forum about your great grandfather being one of the survivors. My grandfather was also on the ship when it was attacked, he was a member of the Kings Royal Rifles and had suffered a bad schrapnel wound to his knee. He too, helped another injured soldier jump from the ship into the water. I have a photograph of my grandfather with about a dozen men, and they have a handwritten sign in front of them saying "Survivors of the Dover Castle-May 27th 1917" I do not know where it was taken. If you are interested in this I can scan it and send, I would like to see the photo you have if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoverCastleSam Posted 21 April , 2009 Author Share Posted 21 April , 2009 Thanks for your response, We too have a similar photograph of a group of the survivors, our photo is of a group of 22 men, one having a bandaged amputated arm and there are two young girls (approximately 11 or 12 years old) who are holding the handwritten sign. The pictures were taken somewhere on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa (I will try and find out more). My GGFather boarded the ship at Valletta and was travelling towards Gibraltar when they were attacked. We would be very interested in seeing the scan of your photo, and hearing your version of events. Thanks Andy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrecktec Posted 21 April , 2009 Share Posted 21 April , 2009 These are the men that died on Dover Castle: BARRETT, Owen William Fireman & Trimmer MM BARTLEY, Charles Thomas Fireman MM BRAND, George Charles Fireman MM KENTCHEN, William George Trimmer MM MOOR, A. H. Bathmn MM TAYLOR, Henry George Trimmer MM Cheers Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwenda.marriott Posted 21 April , 2009 Share Posted 21 April , 2009 Thanks for your response, We too have a similar photograph of a group of the survivors, our photo is of a group of 22 men, one having a bandaged amputated arm and there are two young girls (approximately 11 or 12 years old) who are holding the handwritten sign. The pictures were taken somewhere on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa (I will try and find out more). My GGFather boarded the ship at Valletta and was travelling towards Gibraltar when they were attacked. We would be very interested in seeing the scan of your photo, and hearing your version of events. Thanks Andy. Thank you for the reply, I think I have found out where the photo I have was taken. Did this by more research on the web and found that the survivors were taken on board HMS Cameleon and shipped to Bona, 50 miles away from where the torpedo attack took place. After a great deal of searching and pot luck found that this was the old name for Annaba, on the Algerian coast. But I don't know if it was outside a hospital where my pic was taken.... will Scan photo and send soon. Which regiment was your GGfather in? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwenda.marriott Posted 21 April , 2009 Share Posted 21 April , 2009 These are the men that died on Dover Castle: BARRETT, Owen William Fireman & Trimmer MM BARTLEY, Charles Thomas Fireman MM BRAND, George Charles Fireman MM KENTCHEN, William George Trimmer MM MOOR, A. H. Bathmn MM TAYLOR, Henry George Trimmer MM Cheers Ron Thanks for your reply and the info. Do you have any connection with someone in your list? Regards Gwenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrecktec Posted 21 April , 2009 Share Posted 21 April , 2009 Afraid not Gwenda I just like doing research and writing books about shipwrecks Cheers Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 2 July , 2013 Share Posted 2 July , 2013 My grandfather, James Thomas Wright, served as a fireman (stoker?) on the HMHS Dover Castle from 1915 to 1917, and survived the sinking. My cousin has the paperwork that he was given to identify him to the officials at Gibraltar as a "Distressed British seaman" from the Diover Castle and his seaman's CCD book showing the ships that he served on. I remember him talking about being torpedoed and as far as he was concerned, everyone that survived the initial explosion was evacuated to the Cameleon. I would be very interested to see the photograph of the survivors, if that is possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 3 July , 2013 Share Posted 3 July , 2013 QUOTE (Silent Warrior @ Apr 21 2009, 04:31 PM) These are the men that died on Dover Castle: BARRETT, Owen William Fireman & Trimmer MM BARTLEY, Charles Thomas Fireman MM BRAND, George Charles Fireman MM KENTCHEN, William George Trimmer MM MOOR, A. H. Bathmn MM TAYLOR, Henry George Trimmer MM Cheers Ron Thanks for your reply and the info. Do you have any connection with someone in your list? Regards Gwenda The Mercantile Marine Memorial does not name AH MOORE. It does name WALTER MUNDAY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polly.Glott Posted 24 November , 2018 Share Posted 24 November , 2018 I'm researching my grandparents' war experiences, and the Dover Castle sinking featured in their memories. My grandmother was a Red Cross VAD nurse at Valletta hospital. Her friend, name unknown, was travelling to Gib from Valletta with the wounded, and Granny went on board before the ship sailed, to wish her bon voyage. She inadvertently left her little coin purse behind when she returned to shore. Her friend shoved the purse into her apron pocket as the ship was sinking, and it was safely returned to its owner-one of the few material possessions to survive. It is in my possession now. Such memories that little purse could tell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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