R.N.A.S. Man Killed at Zeebrugge, 23rd April 1918

[hattonjohnp]

Jim

AMI E C Poll (his name in Airmen Died) and AMI C A Wilkinson were both killed on HMS Iris during the Zeebrugge Raid, as were other RAF men, Lt Col F A Brock and MechII J Rouse, who were on other ships. I'd say that the newspaper made a mistake with respect to the service of the men as the RAF was still very new at the time, and the men, and their relations, probably still thought of themselves as being RNAS, rather than members of the new organisation.

The CWGC may have followed the data supplied by AMI Poll's unit, which may have chosen to ignore the RAF, especially as he was killed in a sea action.

Regards

Gareth

Just picked this up from a Google search - I realise it's a very old post - but the John Rouse (Air Mechanic 2nd class) mentioned in your post was my great uncle.

He was on board a Destroyer, HMS Myngs - and was (from what I can tell) the only fatality on board Myngs during the 23rd April raid. He had only just turned 18 and family folklore has it that he was last seen jumping off the ship in flames.

There is a memorial in Zeebrugge to John and 4 other servicemen who died during the raid but whose bodies were never found.

Tragic really. I have just recently discovered that John's older brother William died (almost certainly) as a result of a direct hit on him and his fellow gun crew at Hébuterne in 1916 (he was in the RFA).

I've always wondered what an air mechanic was doing on a destroyer durinf such an action... but I gather the raid was largely manned by volunteers.

Fascinating history, though.

John Hatton

[hattonjohnp]

The 36 men who served with Brock on Vindictive, Iris and Daffodil were definitely RNAS, not RAF (as were the RNAS men who served on the support vessels who mainy handled smokescreens). They formed part of the landing parties that attacked the mole at Zeebrugge, mainly handling flamethrowers. All were from the experimental station at Stratford. Have a look on the forum for previous threads on this. If you'd like to PM I can forward you a copy of a report on their activities by a member.

Thanks for reproducing the cutting. Did it have photos of either casualty?

Dom

Replying to a very old thread - but I'd love to see the RNAS report, if you'd be good enough to copy it to me. My Great Uncle John Rouse was an 18 year old Air Mechanic II serving with the RNAS on board HMS Myngs - and died as a result of a malfunction with one of the tanks connected with the laying of the smoke screens.

Regards,

John H

[Guest]

I know this thread is very old but I came across it whilst researching an RNAS reference on a memorial at Basford Cemetery in Nottingham.  It seems I've taken a picture of the Ernest Pool memorial that was mention at the beginning of this post, I've attached a copy of it - hope it's of use.

[domwalsh]

On 12/07/2020 at 16:46, petezab said:

I know this thread is very old but I came across it whilst researching an RNAS reference on a memorial at Basford Cemetery in Nottingham.  It seems I've taken a picture of the Ernest Pool memorial that was mention at the beginning of this post, I've attached a copy of it - hope it's of use.

Nice one

[LoweK]

May be of interest:

 

SS Royal Iris was a Mersey Ferryboat built in 1906 for Wallasey Corporation. She was built as Iris for service on the River Mersey. In 1918 she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for action during the Zeebrugge Raid. She was renamed Royal Iris in recognition of her part in this action and returned to civilian duties. She was sold in 1931 and renamed Blarney in 1946. She was scrapped in December 1961. 

[high wood]

I was lucky enough to stumble across this framed memorial card yesterday. The glass needs replacing which will be done as soon as I can get to the glaziers. Please excuse the distortion caused by my camera.

[high wood]

The memorial 'card' measures 21 inches by 14 inches and appears to have been printed specifically to honour the memory of Frank Brock's Stratford boys.

 

Service records courtesy of Find my past.

Edited 18 September by high wood
Adding photograph.

[high wood]

With regard to the men listed as wounded, I cannot find Terney F. J. and I believe that this may be a mis-transcription of his name.

[Keith_history_buff]

F/27308 Air Mechanic 2nd Class  Francis Joseph Terney (b. 30 Apr 1897 Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire - d. 4Q 1983 Hillingdon, Greater London)

Lieutenant Hewett R.E. submitted a report, which mentions that he and F/7005 Petty Officer(?) Ernest Taylor were "gun bearers", accompanied by F/51617 Air Mechanic 2nd Class John Stevenson Hutton who had phosphorous grenades. All three accompanied Captain Halahan's party on the mole.

[KizmeRD]

This is him.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6827287

MB

Edited 18 September by KizmeRD

[Keith_history_buff]

Terney and Taylor were gun bearers.

 

[high wood]

16 minutes ago, KizmeRD said:

This is him.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6827287

MB

Thank you, I have got him now. Clearly the N.A. description is a mis-transcription and has been carried to the FMP data base.

21 minutes ago, Keith_history_buff said:

F/27308 Air Mechanic 2nd Class  Francis Joseph Terney (b. 30 Apr 1897 Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire - d. 4Q 1983 Hillingdon, Greater London)

Lieutenant Hewett R.E. submitted a report, which mentions that he and F/7005 Petty Officer(?) Ernest Taylor were "gun bearers", accompanied by F/51617 Air Mechanic 2nd Class John Stevenson Hutton who had phosphorous grenades. All three accompanied Captain Halahan's party on the mole.

Thank you, very helpful.

[Keith_history_buff]

An error on my part. Lieutenant Graham Scott Hewett was in the RNVR, it was Arthur Lloyd Eastlake who was a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers.