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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

HMS Vivid 2 HMS Dartmouth and HMAS Australia


Steve @ Keene

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Hi Guy's,

I am researching a relative, who also served on the HMS Vivid2, his name was Joseph Johnston service number 288165 served from 1898 until 1916 when he died in Cobh Cork on the HMS Colleen, he was a 1st Class Stoker. DOB: 25th July 1878 born in Moate, Westmeath Ireland. I am looking to see if anyone has photos of Marine Stokers that served on the Vivid, Britannia, Magnificent, orion, to name but a few.

Any info would be very much appreciated.

Thank you,

Lilya

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  • 4 years later...

Hi, Steve.

I don't know whether you or anyone else is still following this thread - which I've just seen - so I won't write much now.  However, for the past 16 years or so I've been researching Charlie Mills from my village, and the other lads from the village killed in the 20th Century wars.  Charlie was a Leading Stoker on Dartmouth and was killed by one of the two torpedoes from  UC25 (Austrian U89).  So he must have been a mate of your Grandad.  I have information about the battle, which in one way was the first '3-dimensional' naval battle, with aircraft, surface ships and submarines.  The Commander of the Austrian ships was Horthy, later Dictator of Hungary and mate of Hitler, and the next commander (or one of the next commanders - I haven't checked my records) of UC25 was Donitz (it won't let my type an umlaut!), who became the Admiral i/c submarine warfare under Hitler and took over from him on his suicide.  All fascinating stuff.  Let me know if there's anything particular you want to know.

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  • 1 year later...

Hi 

I am currently researching my family tree. I know that my great grandfather Thomas Chapman (born 1882 in Gloucestershire) was a stoker in the navy. Recently I found a record giving his service number SS100396. The writing is quite difficult to read but it looks like he served on the Vivid II, Implacable, London, Victorious and Suffolk.

Would you be able to share any further information? Thanks in advance.

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Welcome to the GWF.

It is difficult to comment without seeing the ledger record. Please post it here. Your GGF was a Special Service (SS) stoker RN. His engagement (enlistment) required him to serve five years in the Fleet from 1903 followed by a further seven years in the Royal Fleet Reserve (RFR) while pursuing his civilian employment. He would have been mobilised from the RFR for service in WW1.

The engagement papers that he signed in 1903 are in the archive of the Fleet Air Arm Museum (National Museum of the Royal Navy).

Edited by horatio2
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Ian

 

I have looked at your GGF's service record and am happy to say that it is fairly easy to interpret.  As Horatio explained, he signed on for 5 years plus 7 years with the Royal Fleet Reserve.  Apart from the beginning and closing months of his initial service (when he was on the books of VIVID II, the shore establishment/barracks for stokers at Devonport) he spent all his time on the pre-dreadnought IMPLACABLE (completed in 1901, and at the time a frontline ship).  He was promoted from Stoker 2nd Class to Stoker 1st Class in February 1905, the rating he kept for the remainder of his naval service, and was discharged "time expired" to the RFR at the end of his five year's service in 1909.  He was called back to the colours as part of the general RN mobilization on 2 August 1914, and at the end of that month was posted from the Devonport barracks to the pre-dreadnought LONDON.  Time had moved on rapidly after the Dreadnought revolution, with the result that LONDON (completed 1902) was now a second-line vessel, which was returned to active service from the reserve Second Fleet.  The LONDON served initially in the Channel Fleet before being deployed to the Mediterranean in early 1915 to participate in the Dardanelles campaign.  She then served in the Adriatic in 1916 before returning to Britain to pay off in October 1916.  Your GGF served throughout this commission, and returned to VIVID II, the Devonport stokers' barracks when the LONDON paid off.  He stayed there until he was transferred to VICTORY II (not VICTORIOUS) in March 1917.  VICTORY II was the Portsmouth equivalent of VIVID II - ie. the stokers' shore establishment at Portsmouth.  From there he was posted to the armoured cruiser SUFFOLK (completed 1904) in May 1917, staying there until demobbed in June 1919.  His new ship went to the China Station soon after he joined, and stayed in the Far East until 1919.  While there, she was part of the Allied anti-Communist intervention force at Vladivostok in late 1918 and early 1919.

 

One additional feature of your GGF's naval career that you might find interesting is that he seems to have had a penchant for getting into trouble!  He spent no fewer than three different periods in "Cells" (ie. in detention) for undisclosed misdemeanours: 10 days in May-June 1905, 14 days in December 1906 (both times aboard the IMPLACABLE), and 5 days in February 1915 (on the LONDON).

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  • 4 months later...

Hi I have a picture in a family photo album where I don't know most of the people in it. Its always been a mystery to us , it says hms vivid on his hat and I have a feeling he's a Corkman possibly a Murphy?  

WP_20151108_022.jpg

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  • 1 year later...

Hi Just registered as I found this forum.... some great post.. Im doing the family tree on my mothers side and found some interesting information.. my Grandad was on the Vivid 2 from or around 1914 - 1919... not to sure of the exact dates.

 

As it happens it turns out by pure chance my wife Grandad served on the same ship at the same time.. spooky stuff.

 

I have attached the service record or conduct card of my Grandad John Carter.. please see attached pic.

 

I was after pictured or any info that anyone has or would like to share.... its so amazing.. keep safe. 

Carter J.png

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1 hour ago, Dave Venables said:

my Grandad was on the Vivid 2 from or around 1914 - 1919... not to sure of the exact dates.

Your GF did not serve during WW1. He enlisted in the RN on 3 December 1918 and was in Devonport Barracks (VIVD II) until 14 April 1919. After sea service in HM Ships GLASGOW and DARTMOUTH he was back in barracks (VIVID II) in January and March 1921. From March 1921 to August 1922 he was in HMS DEFIANCE a non-sea-going training ship at Devonport and then discharged invalided.

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59 minutes ago, horatio2 said:

Your GF did not serve during WW1. He enlisted in the RN on 3 December 1918 and was in Devonport Barracks (VIVD II) until 14 April 1919. After sea service in HM Ships GLASGOW and DARTMOUTH he was back in barracks (VIVID II) in January and March 1921. From March 1921 to August 1922 he was in HMS DEFIANCE a non-sea-going training ship at Devonport and then discharged invalided.

Thank you for this valued information.. can you tell me any info on my wife's gr GF.. please see attached..

Newell J.png

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He enlisted as a seaman for the duration of the war ("Hostilities") on 23 Jan 1917 but had actually volunteered earlier. In the interim, he was enrolled in the RNVR as Y. 23202 and continued in his civilian occupation until called forward in Jan 1917. After initial training at Devonport (VIVID I) he was given a sea draft to the cruiser HMS GRAFTON. From Jul 1918 to Mar 1919. he served in the RN Depot Suez, borne on the books of HMS DUKE at Port Said. This was followed by another four-month sea draft to the sloop HMS BRYONY. He was demobilised from Devonport Barracks (VIVID II).

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13 minutes ago, horatio2 said:

He enlisted as a seaman for the duration of the war ("Hostilities") on 23 Jan 1917 but had actually volunteered earlier. In the interim, he was enrolled in the RNVR as Y. 23202 and continued in his civilian occupation until called forward in Jan 1917. After initial training at Devonport (VIVID I) he was given a sea draft to the cruiser HMS GRAFTON. From Jul 1918 to Mar 1919. he served in the RN Depot Suez, borne on the books of HMS DUKE at Port Said. This was followed by another four-month sea draft to the sloop HMS BRYONY. He was demobilised from Devonport Barracks (VIVID II).

Thank you so much for this information...  

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  • 3 years later...

Hi Steve,

My Great-Great Grandfather William Charles Summerfield also worked on HMS Vivid II. I think he was one of the engine room artificers, his service number was K.15663 He was born in 1892 but only lived until 1947. I don’t have any pics of him in his uniform only of him with my Great-Great Grandma near the time of his death. I do however have this one of his service.

IMG_8674.jpeg

Edited by Taili Peters
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20 hours ago, Taili Peters said:

I think he was one of the engine room artificers

He was not an Artificer but a Stoker (later leading stoker - Ldg Sto).

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