Was Herbert Ernest Clements ever torpedoed?

[brookeratheber]

Herbert Ernest Clements

Family history :-  Service number K30017  Served on HMS Pembroke & Diligence. Torpedoed in WW1 floated in oil for a number of hours. Invalided out 27/03/1918 with very good character. Died later at home from effects in 1918 age 36
Buried Remembrance Day 11/11/1918

But I can find no evidence that he or HMS Diligence was torpedoed or that he died from the effects of floating in oil. 

There is normally some basis of fact in family history.

I have attached his service record but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Can anyone shed any light?

Thanks

 

UK, Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 - Ancestry.co.uk.pdf

[horatio2]

1 hour ago, brookeratheber said:

I can find no evidence that he or HMS Diligence was torpedoed or that he died from the effects of floating in oil. 

Nor can I. You need his death certificate for cause of death and for confirmation tht his death was attributable to RN service. I read his record (hard to read in places) as:-

Serving in ship’s company of HMS DILIGENCE from 8 March 1916 to 9 October 1917, destroyer depot ship at Scapa Flow.

Drafted, via the RN hospital ship PLASSY, to RN Barracks, Chatham  (HMS PEMBROKE).

Discharged invalided [“??? Heart Disease ???] on 27 March 1918.

I cannot find him on CWGC (non-attributable death?). The Admiralty Medal Roll shows that he was only entitled to the British War Medal (which was claimed post-war by his widow), so his time in DILIGENCE did not count towards a Victory Medal.  A torpedoed ship would have qualified for a Victory Medal.

 

Edited 3 June by horatio2

[horatio2]

2 hours ago, brookeratheber said:

There is normally some basis of fact in family history.

I would not bet on this being so. Family legends are often nonsense.

Edited 3 June by horatio2

[Matlock1418]

1 hour ago, horatio2 said:

Discharged invalided [“??? Heart Disease ???] on 27 March 1918.

Does rather look like "Heart Disease"

From WFA/Fold3 pension index cards he appears to have been eligible for a £10 Gratuity and £1 pw for 35 weeks disability pension - unfortunately the cards don't specify for what.

His widow, Annie Louisa CLEMENTS, 59 Cavendish Ave., Gillingham, also claimed an Alternative Pension Widows  [i.e. a higher rate of pension based on his pre-service earnings] but again unfortunately doesn't say how he died - however from the card reverse we can see the Awards File Destroyed 11.3.65 so it seems likely she was successful and likely claimed for some years.

M

Edited 3 June by Matlock1418
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[sadbrewer]

On 03/06/2023 at 11:42, horatio2 said:

I would not bet on this being so. Family legends are often nonsense.

 Agreed...many family stories are divorced from any kind of reality....the GWF often exposes them...sometimes unfortunately, but history must be warts n all.