HMS FORMIDABLE

[sadsac]

Hello My Men. I am looking for info on HMS FORMIDABLE, of WW1, especially a good photo.

One of `My' Swanley Naval School Boys was lost in her 1 January 1915.

COPLAND Joseph Uriah.

He started on leaving Swanley as Boy 2 Class, progressed up thro the ratings to Petty Officer & then was made Acting Gunner 1914. He was KIA aboard FORMIDABLE.

Any help in commemorating this `Old Boy' gratefully received.

Sadsac

[Sandie Hayes]

There is a very good book about the sinking of HMS Formidable by Mark Potts & Tony Marks 'Before the bells have faded' ISBN 9781847346834.

The smaller photograph is from 1898

The larger photograph reads HMS Formidable, lost in the channel 1st January 1915.

[Sandie Hayes]

I don't know if you already have this information:

He left £383. 8s 9d to his widow, Pricilla Holmes, and Fire Station Officer, Charles Gaines. He lived at 73 Cleave Road, Gillingham, Kent. He married in April 1903 at Watford.

The son of Joseph, a Metropolitan Police Constable, & Eliza Copland (both from Scotland), he was born on 17th May 1879 and baptised at St Mary the Virgin, Harefield on 29th June 1879.

He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

[sadsac]

Thank you for those two postings of info Sandie - great stuff, especially the photo's.

Sadsac

[tharkin56]

i seem to remeber getting info on this sinking from the Lyme Regis Museum, survivors washed up on the beach and the alarm being raised

[sadsac]

Thanks for the info Tharkin, will contact Lyme Regis for further.

Regards Sadsac