HMS Dido - Jutland

[Guest graham jones]

I understand that in May 1916 HMS Dido was not seagoing and was used as static supply depot for the 10th destroyer flottila and based in Harwich. A great uncle served with her feb-dec 1916. The family tradition has always been that he took part in the Battle of Jutland. This I have always discounted on the basis of his service record, however it has been suggested that this does not necessarily contradict the family claims on the grounds that Dido was also used as accommodation for seamen attached to the flotilla -a sort of manpower reserve

The theory now being that the great uncle (an ABS) was at Jutland serving on one of the destroyers.

I have insufficient knowledge of naval procedure to judge the likelihood of the scenario, and would welcome advice

[kin47]

Hello

He very well may have been at Jutland. Destroyers did not have Paymaster Officers who dealt with pay and victualling records. These Officers were in the Depot ships for that particular flotilla. If you would get your Great Uncle's service record it might show DIDO with another name in parenthesis following. The ship in the parenthesis would be the ship he actually served in.

Hope this is helpful.

don

[Gilgamesh of Uruk]

Harwich force destroyers - from both 9th and 10th flotillas - were present at Jutland, acting as part of the screen for the BCF. The main bulk of the Harwich force were not engaged, arriving on the scene too late to play an active part, despite Tyrwhitt's attempts to get them to sea. The Admiralty ordered them back to port, and they were only despatched later on to reinforce and replace those TBDs which were out of torpedos and low on fuel, so, yes, he could well have been present. If so, as part of the screen for the BCF, he'd have been present throughout the ations.

[Guest graham jones]

Thank you for the help, I have checked his service record and indeed the name Lightfoot is next to his name in parenthesis. This was the flotilla leader and so it does look possible. He was a diver, and presumably specialists like this were attached to the flottilla leader

quote name='kin47' date='Dec 15 2005, 10:17 AM' post='362276']

Hello

He very well may have been at Jutland. Destroyers did not have Paymaster Officers who dealt with pay and victualling records. These Officers were in the Depot ships for that particular flotilla. If you would get your Great Uncle's service record it might show DIDO with another name in parenthesis following. The ship in the parenthesis would be the ship he actually served in.

Hope this is helpful.

don