Surgeon Fernand de Verteuil, H.M.S. GOOD HOPE

[Malcolm12hl]

As promised in my original GOOD HOPE stokers post, I append a summary of the key points from the diary of Surgeon Fernand de Verteuil, lost with H.M.S. GOOD HOPE at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November 1914.  The diary itself can be found at the National Archives as enclosure number 4 in file CO 295/498 (reports and correspondence from the Governor of Trinidad).  It is a 33 page typescript copy of the document sent to the Admiralty, covering the period from 27 August 1914 when the GOOD HOPE sailed from Trinidad until 22 October, when the ship left Port Stanley and de Verteuil left behind the diary to be sent to his father, who was Chief Medical Officer for Port of Spain West.

 

A fair amount of background information on Fernand de Verteuil himself can be derived from the diary and the covering correspondence.  He had been in private practice in Vancouver, British Columbia and had been visiting family in Trinidad when war was declared and he volunteered for service on the GOOD HOPE.  In addition, he reveals when news arrives of the sinking of the ABOUKIR, CRESSY and HOGUE, that he had served for 2 1/2 years on the HOGUE in the past (presumably before 1909 when the Navy List shows him entering the Reserves).

 

He confirms the recruitment of the "Native" stokers at St. Lucia, and indeed records treating one of them for a pen knife wound on the forehead caused by a fight with one of his countrymen on 30 August.  The other point of interest regarding these men is that he records several of them, together with a man signed on at Trinidad, being sent back to the West Indies with a collier on 11 September.  This might be the cause of the confusion over the names of some of those who went down with the ship.

 

The stopping points of the ship on her way south were as follows:
2 September - St. Paul's Rock
3 September - Fernando Noronha
8 September - Pernambuco
9-11 September - Ahblos Rocks (coaling)
14 September - Sta, Catharina Island
17-20 September - Montevideo

 

As de Verteuil himself records, he did not have a lot to do on the way south (there was already another surgeon on board when he joined), so he had the time to observe and experience a great deal - the result being a diary rich in detail and description.  Highlights include a description of large numbers of men sleeping on deck in the tropics, a "nervous breakdown" for the Engineer Commander on the way south, and a significant part of the crew getting drunk and out of control at Port Stanley.  Anybody who finds themselves with time on their hands at the National Archives should certainly give it a read.

 

Malcolm

 

 

[seaJane]

Thank you very much, Malcolm!

 

sJ

[michaeldr]

King's College London bio can be seen here http://www.kingscollections.org/warmemorials/st-thomas-hospital/memorials/de-verteuil-fernand-louis-joseph-marie

and more details in this article http://jrnms.com/JournalArticle.ashx?ID=12453

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The officers in this photograph are all named in the article here http://www.gwpda.org/naval/j0500001.htm

Edited 18 August , 2018 by michaeldr

[seaJane]

I contributed to that I do believe  the King's College page, I mean.

Edited 18 August , 2018 by seaJane

[Wexflyer]

Can someone say what the (N) in Cdr.(N) stands for?

Thanks

 

[seaJane]

(N) Officer borne for Navigating Duties

(T) Officer borne for Torpedo Duties

 

From the abbreviations in the front pages of the Navy List (digitised National Library of Scotland, also available archive.org).

 

 

Edited 19 August , 2018 by seaJane

[David_Underdown]

Believe nav officers were in a sense the descendants of the old warrant rank of Master.