HMS Vanguard 10 July 1917

[seaJane]

Remembering the men killed when HMS VANGUARD exploded in Scapa Flow.

http://www.scapaflowwrecks.com/wrecks/vanguard/

Especially medical officers Fleet Surgeon Edmund Fox, Staff Surgeon William George Barras and Surgeon Edward Rayner RN.

https://archive.org/details/JRNMSVOL3Images/page/n549/mode/2up

[RaySearching]

Remembering today stoker James Martin

 

from my notes

 

MARTIN JAMES

Stoker JAMES MARTIN
3493S H.M.S Vanguard Royal Naval Reserve

Just before midnight on Monday 9th July 1917 at Scapa Flow HMS Vanguard suffered an explosion probably caused by an unnoticed stokehold fire heating cordite stored against an adjacent bulkhead in one of the two magazines which served the amidships gun turrets 'P' and 'Q'

She sank almost instantly killing an estimated 843 men there were only two survivors
James died aged 37 in the incident. James went down with the ship his body lost to the sea
He was the son of the late Henry and Ellen Martin of Middlesbrough and the husband of Julia Martin (nee Finn) of 28 Olive Street Middlesbrough the couple married in Middlesbrough in 1901

James can be found on the 1911 census residing with his wife and four children at 23 Olive Street Middlesbrough employed as a stevedore

The claimant of a dependant’s pension is listed as Julia (widow) born 20/8/1882 of 28 Olive Street Middlesbrough with an allowance for five children Mary-Ellen born 10/11/1902, Christopher-James born 14/2/1905, Patrick-Henry born 23/9/1907, Thomas born 21/12/1909 and Katherine born 5/5/1912

James’s widow Julia married Pte 9299 Northumberland Fusiliers Patrick Kilby on the 2nd October 1917

Born Middlesbrough 15th March 1885

CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL

 

[58 Div Mule]

HMS Vanguard's detachment lost on that day included 92 men of the RMLI. (Most from Chatham Division), RMA and the Royal Marine's Band Service.

 

Source "Whith Full and Grateful Hearts" a register of Royal Marines Deaths 1914-19.

 

58 DM.