HMS EDGAR - MLK70

[Sgt Stripes]

Hi. I have come across a reference to a sailor serving on MLK70 while serving in HMS EDGAR. Is MLK70 a Lighter or some kind of barge. Many Thanks For Looking at my question.

[seaJane]

Can you copy out the reference with a bit of context? Normally if a man was serving on one ship while borne on the books of another, one of the ship names would be in brackets.

 

I can't find an MLK or MLC abbreviation at all and wonder if you have in fact a mistranscription of another ship name such as (MINTO).

 

sJ

[michaeldr]

SJ is most probably on the right track here in that a mistranscription has occurred 

I suspect that the correct ref is not MLK70 

but rather MLX70 [or Motor Lighter X70]

 

SJ is also correct in that context will be most helpful here

 

The Edgar was at the Dardanelles when the  X Lighters were used, particularly at the Suvla landings on Gallipoli

so a date for this ref of yours would be most useful 

 

 

[michaeldr]

Correction to the above

 

The ref could indeed have been to MLK70

Per http://www.xlighter.org/index.html the lighters were renumbered once they reached the Aegean with water lighters receiving a L prefix and others a K

quote:

"In succession of arrival in the Aegean, the 14 Water Lighters were given an ‘L’ number. i.e. L1 = X182 — L14 = X96, and the lighters for troops, horses, field guns, stores etc were given a ‘K’ number

i.e. K1 = X40 — K77 = X166"

 

The crucial points are what is the context and date for your ref?

Edited 28 November , 2017 by michaeldr

[seaJane]

Thanks michaeldr that's illuminating!

[seaJane]

Thanks michaeldr that's illuminating!

[Sgt Stripes]

Hi Many thanks For your replies to my question. I have looked at the log book of HMS ST GEORGE another ship this man served in and have found two entries, the first for 28 Sep 1916 (met  MLK55 at Salonika) the second again when she was at Salonika 3 Oct 1916 (Motor Lighter K 40 came alongside to be disinfected) . If you go to ebay and enter HMS Bedford in the search box a 1914-15 star trio comes up for sale awarded to 231833 PO A R MATTHEWS RN. A copy of his service papers are shown with the medals . His papers also state that he was commended for service in lighters at Stavros so it looks like there was a lighter known as a K lighter . Would really like to know if this assumption is correct.   

[michaeldr]

The website which I mentioned earlier says - The X lighters were then dispersed to Constantinople, Lemnos, Salonika, Gibraltar, Egypt and two were taken to Bombay.

From the info which you have given it sounds as though when the X lighters were dispersed (after the Dardanelles/Gallipoli) to places like Salonika, they kept their new prefixes (K and L) which they had received on arrival in the Aegean

There is also a 'contact' page on the website and it may be worth dropping David Mallard a line for further info

 

Good luck

Michael

[michaeldr]

There are ten pages here http://www.clydemaritime.co.uk/x-lighters listing the X lighters with their launch date, builder's details etc etc

The listing is organised according to their original 'X' number, though in the individual details a few of them also give their later 'K' number

 

 

 

[Sgt Stripes]

Many thanks michaeldr. What a super web site. Lots of information .