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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Michael Keveany RMLI


Pat Twomey

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Michael Keveany (1977) b. 1899 enlisted in Glasgow 15 Feb 1917 and served on HMS Glory from 21 May 1918 until his death from 'disease' on 4 October 1918. I would be most grateful if someone was able to decipher his previous record from Feb to May 1918. And below under 'Wounds ...' it seems to say 'took part in attack on Zeebrugger, Belgium...' does this indicate that he was wounded in this battle?

Thanks if you can help with this.

Pat

Naval papers Keaveny.pdf

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He is listed as "Accounting Section for Special Marine Detachment'

Anyone know what this might mean? Also, according to the HMS Glory log around that time a number of the crew were named as having died (probably Spanish flu) but Keaveany's name did not appear - so maybe he was ashore when he died.

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I think the shrapnel wound to his head was later than Zeebrugge and would occurred during fighting in Northern Russia.

MB

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Thanks for that KizmeRD I make it out as the 30th June 1918 that the 'Shrapnel wound to the scalp' occurred while he was serving on HMS Glory in Murmansk.

He took 'part in attack on Zebrugge' on 22/23 April 1918 but I can't make out which ship he was on at that time.

 

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The RM Field Force, North Russia, did not land in Murmansk until 31 May 1918 and saw no action during June., their main task being to train Finnish troops.

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Thanks for the clarification h2 - I had no idea what the timeframe was for issuing wound certificates.

MB

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More details of his RMLI service may be obtained from the papers in his Attestation Pack, copies of which can be purchased from theFleet Air Arm Museum (Digitisation on Demand service).

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1 hour ago, horatio2 said:

More details of his RMLI service may be obtained from the papers in his Attestation Pack, copies of which can be purchased from theFleet Air Arm Museum (Digitisation on Demand service).

Thanks for that information Horatio 2. Can these papers be ordered online or is it only through a personal visit that they can be purchased? 

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I do not believe a personal visit is necessary. I suggest a first contact by telephone (Enquiries for the Fleet Air Arm Museum, please call 01935 840 565) or email - collections.research@nmrn.org (National Museum of the Royal Navy). I would be interested to know how you get on and what they propose to charge you, as the service has only recently re-started after a very prolonged shut-down.

 

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'...I would be interested to know how you get on....'

I contacted the Fleet Arm Museum with regards to the attestation papers of Michael Keaveny and I was told to put my request in writing which I did and a few days later received the news that they had the papers and they amounted to ...9 sides of mainly foolscap paper. Our fees for digitising attestation packs is £50 for up to 20 sides and a £20 processing fee excluding VAT. All in, including VAT it would come to £84 for a scan of the attestation pack.  I then asked if I could access the papers personally and am awaiting a reply to that request.

Pat

 

 

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Significantly more expensive than previously (pre-shutdown pricing).

MB

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Now part of the NMRN group, finances managed accordingly.

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1 hour ago, KizmeRD said:

Significantly more expensive than previously (pre-shutdown pricing).

Three to four times the previous (2018) charges, which, under the same NMRN "management", would have been about £25-£30 for hard, colour copies .

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The good news is that I can access the papers 'free of charge' if I visit in person to their off-site collections store on the 2nd or 4th Thursday of the month between 10.30 and 13.00 by booking in advance. The bad news is I will not be able to make this trip until the new year.

Are the naval attestation papers similar to the army ones?

 

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There were different forms for RN and RMLI/RMA.

RMLI and RMA used Admiralty Attestation Form R.105, which was similar to the army form.

RN entrants signed used the appropriate Admiralty Engagement Form S.55. That had no army equivalent.

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  • 1 month later...

Still trying to determine which ship he was serving on when wounded in the attack on Zeebrugge? His service on HMS Glory seems to be from 1/05/1918 to his death on 04/10/1918. He is previously recorded as:

15/0/1917 - 05/09/1917 'Recruit Depot'

06/09/17 - 31/1/17 'Plymouth'

01/01/1918 - 20/05/1918 it looks like '4th RMB' but I could  be mistaken.

The attack on Zeebrugge was in April 1918 and any help in deciphering '4th RMB' would be appreciated.

Thanks

Pat

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"4th RMB" = 4th Royal Marines Battalion. Assaulted the mole at Zeebrugge and, in their honour, no subsequent 4th Battalion has ever been raised.

Men of RMLI Plymouth Division formed 'C' Company (Nos 9, 10 11 and 12 Platoons) of the battalion, who were embarked in HMS VINDICTIVE with the Battalion HQ and 'B' (Portsmouth) Company.

For a 4th Bn.narrative see (Chapter 12)   -   https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89100004282&view=1up&seq=227&skin=2021

Edited by horatio2
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Thanks Horatio for the information and for the link to General Blumberg's book -  with a fascinating and detailed account of the attack on Zeebrugge.

Much appreciated and most helpful!

Pat

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