Stoker Francis Draper

[mattgibbs]

Hello there folks - and especially anyone interested in navy service, because I don't know much about it;

I have a medal group of 4 to this chap, Francis Draper. I have the 2 lists from the online archives detailing his 2 periods of service, his initial number was SS108290 - I assume that SS means Short Service, as he appears to have been a 5+7 man. He came out in mid 1914, and was then recalled on the outbreak of war, 3 months or so later!

He was demobbed at the end of WW1 but then re-joined in 1921with a new number K59669, what does this mean, please?

Also I see from his service that he appealed to have one of his annual conduct sheets reviewed because after being on HMS Ocean when she was sunk off the Dardanelles he went onto another ship where his conduct was only assessed as Good, and I believe this would have meant no LS&GC for him? Do these conduct reports survive? I am also struggling to find out what this vessel was, I think its a Yacht? Triad? I assume this would have been the vessel he was posted to after rescue from HMS Ocean?

The final entry in the log book for him seems to be a stamp dated 1931 stating records transferred to Index Card, but there is also a note stating service traced for what I assume was award of his LS&GC medal. He was on HMS Eagle and also HMS Rodney during her working up trials I think [from the date] and during the Invergordon Mutiny.

Any ideas, or hints on where to look for more gratefully recieved.

Regards

Matt

[sadsac]

Hello Matt, details of `your chap' as are as follows ;

From Short Service SS 108290 he re-mustered to a stoker giving him the number of K59669

DRAPER Francis Claude Charles Stoker K59669 D.o.B ; 060291 P.o.B ; Cardiff

Details in File No. ADM 188 / 980

DRAPER Francis Claude Charles SS108290

Details File No. ADM 188 / 1114

Files can be downloaded at PRO/NA for £3.50

Regards Sadsac

[horatio2]

Both official numbers are for the stoker branch but the K number indicates he re-enlisted for Continuous Service (CS - 12 years) instead of Special Service (SS - 5 + 7 years).

[mattgibbs]

Thanks! I have got the files. Now time to trace more about the ships, I've already searched for him in the census to get an idea of his background, and know a bit about his family life etc. Must have seen a bit of the world compared to his prospects as the son of a poulterer in Cardiff!

Not sure what kind of a life he would have had, first as a Boy seaman, then Stoker II and a year and a half later Stoker I.

Despite not being either a big medal collector or specially into the RN this is an interesting exercise. .

Just in case you're interested, the list [inc shore bases I think] is:

Vivid

Majestic

New Zealand

Leander

[1909 to 1914]

Ocean

Triad

Lord Nelson

Vivid

[1914-1919 when demobbed]

Vivid

Dauntless

Impregnable

Victory II

Eagle

Rodney

[1921 to at least 1928 when record changes to card but log notes his LGSC traced 27.10.32 so he was still serving then.]

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Not sure what kind of a life he would have had, first as a Boy seaman, then Stoker II and a year and a half later Stoker I.

In addition to looking after the boilers (initially coal fired, so a very dirty job), he would have gained mechanical knowledge in order to advance. There are several threads on stokers on the forum for you to get your teeth into.

[horatio2]

The FAA Museum have his SS (but not CS) enlistment papers.

[mattgibbs]

Thanks chaps for the pointers.

Per Ad, I'll search the forum on Stoker as a keyword then.

Horatio2, I will contact the Fleet Air Arm Museum then. [Funny that, since one of my dist. relatives was an FAA Swordfish crew] I assume that the enlistment papers will be similar to the Army ones? With regard to the CS service when he rejoined am I right in thinking he would have signed for something like 12 and 10 in the reserve? If he did the 12 and came out in 1933 then I assume he would have been liable for recall in 1939?

Regards

Matt

[horatio2]

CS enlistment was for an initial limited engagement of 12 years, with the option (if approved) of signing on for a further 9 years for pension. At the end of either period there was also the option of enrolling in the RFR ('A' RFR if a pensioner, otherwise 'B'). RFR were liable to recall.

Enlistment papers not the same as an army attestation but serving a similar purpose.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

His Majesty's Ship Vivid - the barracks at Devonport.

Pictures of his ship:

Majestic http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_majestic.htm

New Zealand it depends what date he served on her; launched 1904, but renamed in 1911 http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/king...20New%20Zealand

launched 1911: http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/new_zealand_navy.htm

Leander http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/lean...m#HMS%20Leander

Ocean http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_ocean1.htm

Triad http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/r_n_gunboats.htm scroll down

Lord Nelson http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/lord_nelson.htm

Dauntless http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_dauntless.htm

Impregnable training ship

Victory II administerative base for stokers based in Portsmouth.

Eagle http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_eagle.htm

Rodney http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/rodney.htm

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Ocean

8th Battle Squadron Channel Fleet.

21 August 1914 sent to Queenstown as guard ship.

September 1914 sent to East Indies Station to support cruisers in convoy duty.

October 1914 escorted Indian convoy to Bahrein.

October-December 1914 senior ship in operations against Basra.

December 1914 stationed at Suez to defend the canal.

Supported troops in the region.

Late February 1915 transferred to the Dardanelles [Gallipoli].

1 March 1915 received damage in attack on forts.

4 March 1915 supported landings.

18 March 1915 during attack hit a mine and sank.

http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/pre-dreadnought/hms-canopus.html

Lord Nelson

6 May 1915 brief engagement with battlecruiser Yavuz Sultan Selim (ex Goeben).

May-June 1915 refit at Malta.

2 December 1915 took part in destruction of Kavak Bridge.

January 1916 Eastern Mediterranean Squadron.

October 1918 refit at Malta.

November 1918 part of Allied squadron through the Dardanelles to Constantinople.

http://www.worldwar1.co.uk/pre-dreadnought...ord-nelson.html

More detailed details of where the ships were will be in their Ships Logs at the UK National Archives, Kew (in ADM53), these are original documents, not online. As they have a day to a page, they are best viewed there.

[mattgibbs]

Thanks, I've been browsing the web for some info on the where and when aspect of several of his ships. Ocean, Lord Nelson, Eagle and Rodney seem to be the most written about

A puzzler is Victory II [Eagle] and I assume some kind of admin related reason for setting up Victory II and the assignment actually being Eagle, but the date is before she was commissioned, perhaps when she was doing trials and refit.

Many thanks for all the info.

Regards

Matt