Canadian in the RNVR KIA May 10 1918 while serving on M.L. 254 Ostend

[John Gilinsky]

The above photograph is of a memorial in St. Paul's Bloor Street Anglican Church in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Lt. Ross was killed according to the memorial on May 10, 1918 while second in command of Motor Launch Number 254. Does anyone have any more information on this officer, his biography, his death, the battle in which he died and M.L. 254 itself?

Thanks,

John

Toronto

[per ardua per mare per terram]

At the UK National Archives ADM 273/7 Page 223: Gordon Fraser Ross. RNAS Officers Service. This can be requested using their shop online facility.

ADM 337/122/233 Page: 233. John F S Cridland . Gordon F Ross. Service record as RNVR Officer is online:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

[michaeldr]

there is a photograph here http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm...casualty=365716

and another memorial

[horatio2]

ML254 went alongside VINDICTIVE to bring off the crew. In the process she had been hit by a German 15 cm shell which killed the First Lieutenant (Ross) and a rating. Badly damaged, ML254 managed to get out the harbour at Ostende under heavy fire and in a sinking state and transferred the survivors to a destroyer before foundering. The captain of ML254, Lt Drummond was awarded the VC.

[historydavid]

Ross was the only man lost that day from ML 254.

Best wishes

David

[Canadawwi]

I've sent a lot of info on Ross (photo, newspaper articles, etc.) to the Canadian Virtual Memorial. View them here:

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm...casualty=365716

(click on thumbnails to enlarge and view the full article - some details of his service are contained within)

- Marika

[sadsac]

JOHN, find here the two awards to crew of ML 254, Lt ROSS receiving a `Mention' ;

DRUMMOND Geoffrey H N/E Lt. RNVR 79D214 M.L. 254

Vice Admiral Dover 28.08.18 Gazetted

Operations against Ostend 9.10 May, 1918 VC

Lieutenant Godfrey H Drummond.

Volunteered for rescue work in command of M.L. 254. Following "Vindictive" to Ostend, when off the piers a shell burst on board, killing Lieutenant Gordon Ross and deck hand J. Thomas, wounding the coxswain, and also wounding Lieutenant Drummond in three places. Notwithstanding his wounds he remained on the bridge, navigated his vessel, which was already seriously damaged by shell fire, into Ostend harbour, placed her alongside Vindictive, and took off two officers and 38 men - some of whom were killed and many wounded while embarking. When informed that there was no one alive left on board he backed his vessel out clear of the piers before sinking exhausetd from his wounds. When H.M.S. Warwick fell in with M.L. 245 off Ostend half an hour later theblatter was in a simking condition. It was due to the indomitable courage of this very gallant officer that the majority of the crew of the Vindictive were rescued.

ROSS Gordon F N/E Lt. RNVR 79D224 M.L. 254

Vice Admiral Dover 28.08.18 N/E Ostend 9-10.05.18 Mentioned in Despatches

Lt. Gordon F. Ross, R.N.V.R. (Killed in action).

Volunteered for rescue work in M.L. 254 - killed in the entrance to Ostend Harbour.

Regards Sadsac

[John Gilinsky]

Thanks Sadsac for your consideration in pointing us to this information.

John

[Liz in Eastbourne]

QUOTE (John Gilinsky @ May 12 2009, 07:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Sadsac for your consideration in pointing us to this information.

John

John, this is a very delayed response to your query, I am afraid, but I wonder if you have the funeral report from the
Dover Express of Friday 17 May 1918? I obtained it last year because I was researching Lieut Frederick Hugh Geoffrey Trumble RN, who was second-in-command on HMS Warwick (no relation, but a local research interest of mine). He was killed when the Warwick hit a mine.( EDIT No, he was accidentally killed when handling a Lewis gun from a motor launch.) I was assisted in this research by the wonderful people of the Dover War Memorial Project.

This funeral report follows a long account of the Ostend Raid of 10 May entitled
THE ‘VINDICTIVE’ BLOCKS OSTEND. DOVER PATROL’S LATEST FEAT.

FUNERAL OF THE HEROES OF THE OSTEND RAID
Only four bodies of those who lost their lives in the blocking up of Ostend Harbour were brought to Dover, and in two cases the bodies were sent away for burial.

The funeral at Dover took place on Tuesday afternoon, at St. James’s Cemetery, of Lieut. Fred Hugh Jeffery (sic) Trumble, R.N., and Lieut. Gordon Ross, R.N.V.R. Full Naval honours were accorded, and a large number of Naval ratings followed.
The interment took place close to the spot where those who lost their lives in the Zeebrugge raid were laid to rest. The Rev. F. M. Tunnicliffe, R.N., was the officiating clergyman; and at the conclusion of the service the “Last Post” was sounded by two Royal Marine buglers.

The following mourners (Lieut. Trumble) were present:-
Mrs Trumble (mother), Commander Bayldon (uncle), Mrs Pink (aunt) and Lieut. Pink (cousin).

Lieut. Gordon Ross came from Canada.

Floral tributes were also sent by the following:- From his mother (anchor); from Aunt Carrie; from Aunt Edie, Alan, Barbara and Gerald;
to Lieut. Gordon Ross, R.N.V.R., from Cotty Savage, Mickey and Bubbler;
with greatest respect, from the ship’s company, H.M.S. “Warwick” (harp); with greatest respect from the ship’s company, H.M.S. “Warwick” (anchor); from the captain and officers of H.M.S. “Warwick”; from Vice-Admiral Roger Keyes, in memory of Lieut. Gordon Ross, R.N.V.R., who was killed in action whilst endeavouring most gallantly to save others in Ostend Harbour; from Vice-Admiral Roger Keyes, in memory of Lieut. Trumble, R.N., in grateful appreciation of his gallant services in action with the enemy; from Commander Bayldon, R.N.R.; in memory of our fallen comrade from officers and men of the Dover Motor Launch Flotilla; with heartfelt sympathy, from Admiral Dampier’s staff; to Lieut. G. Ross, R.N.V.R., with deepest sympathy from a few friends at the Grand Hotel.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by
Mr. J. Parsons, of Beaconsfield Rd., Dover.

Edited 14 January , 2015 by Liz in Eastbourne

[John Gilinsky]

Thanks Liz for your consideration and posting this funeral burial report. I presume Ross is still there. Does anyone live locally who might snap one or two good photos and post them here especially as I posted the elaborate marble memorial for this Canadian officer that exists here in Toronto?

John

Toronto

[Liz in Eastbourne]

Thanks Liz for your consideration and posting this funeral burial report. I presume Ross is still there. Does anyone live locally who might snap one or two good photos and post them here especially as I posted the elaborate marble memorial for this Canadian officer that exists here in Toronto?

John

Toronto

John - I 've just remembered I have got a photo sent to me by the good people of the Dover War Memorial Project, and have found it in my in-box, so I will ask them if they are happy for me to post it on the forum. Of course there's the additional problem that I haven't a clue how to do that and was going to ask you if I could forward it to you and ask you to do it, but your message box is full!

Liz

[John Gilinsky]

Thank you Elizabeth in England! Please find below a photograph taken by someone associated with the Dover War Memorial Project of Lt. Ross's gravemarker in Dover, England. I hope that family members can now see both his Toronto memorial and his grave marker.

John

Toronto

Canada

__________________________________________________________

THE DOVER WAR MEMORIAL PROJECT

http://www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk

Remembering the people from our Front Line Town who fell in the World Wars

The Dover War Memorial Project is run by volunteers and is dependent on

donations.

Please help us remember those who gave all they could.

http://www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk/howtohelp.htm

[Liz in Eastbourne]

Glad to have been able to help, John. If people go to the Dover website (details on your post) they will also see that Lieut. Ross is commemorated in the Dover Patrol remembrance book.

Liz

[Mark Groombridge]

 

[domwalsh]

Well  done, Mark