Did Your Ancestor's Take Part in the Zeebrugge & Ostend Raids

[Spud Trevor]

Paul,

I have a very small crudely made trench art shield possibly made from a piece of shell case. Stamped on it is:

G NOBLE AB

whilst on the other side is:

HMS PHOEBE OSTEND MAY 10 & 11 1918

I know nothing of the chap, but maybe of interest.

Regards,

Spud

[stevem]

Paul

I hope the following is of interest:

Adams, Roy Monfred

Rank: Pte.

Number: CH/21203

Ship: H.M.S. "Vindictive.", Royal Marine Light Infantry

Date of death: 23 April 1918

Age: 18

Cemetery: Lydd (All Saints) Churchyard, Kent, United Kingdom

The obituary was published in the Kentish Express on 4 May 1918

On Monday the funeral of Private Roy Monfred Adams, of the RMLI, who was one of the crew of the famous “Vindictive” took place with full military honours at Lydd. The gallant soldier was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Arthur Adams, of Icehouse Cottage, Lydd, and only eighteen years old. He enlisted on the 5th of February, 1917 and was the youngest to volunteer. The body was placed on a gun carriage, the firing party consisting of men of his own battalion. The principal mourners were the mother, father, sister and other members and relations of the family. There was also a detachment from the Royal Naval Wireless Station, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Garrison Artillery. The funeral service took place at the Wesleyan Chapel, the Rev Mr Vernon officiating. In his address the reverend gentleman spoke of the deceased as having been one of his Sunday school scholars whom they all liked. He also mentioned that he had received a letter from the deceased commanding officer testifying to the heroism of all the men of the RMLI who were engaged in the landings on the Mole, as they had to make three attempts before they were successful. The wreaths were numerous and as follows: from officers and men of the Royal Marines at Lydd, with regimental colours, Mr J T Goble and employees, Mum, Dad and family, Lydd County Schools (two wreaths), the Wesleyan Sunday school teachers, Aunt, Uncle and family at Boulderwall, Cousin Jack Aunt, Uncle and family at Brookland, Mrs Jones and Mrs Haisall, Mrs Haisall and family, Mrs A Balcomb, Mrs Brighton and Mrs Pope, Mrs Read and Miss Jones.

Regards

Steve

[clive_hughes]

Paul,

I have been across to Whitewell Church today, and can confirm that William Francis DSM RNR died on 24th August 1982, aged 91, and is buried there with his wife. There is no hint of his service career on the gravestone.

His family have told me that he was born on 1st May 1891: he lived at The Fields Farm, Tybroughton before & during the War period.

I'm certain they would be delighted to receive copies of the citations & action report, if you'd be so kind. I will email you directly, as I don't think they're online. I'm also sure they'd be happy for you to mention him in your forthcoming book.

Regards,

LST_164

[Paul D Kendall]

Spud,

Many thanks for your contibution. AB G Noble may have been a crew member during the Zeebrugge operation, but I cannot confirm this fact.

Kind regards

Paul

[Paul D Kendall]

Steve,

Thank you very much for sending me the content of this article. I have trawled through hundreds of newspaper articles at the British Newspaper Library, but I have not seen this particular article.

I am sure Dominic Walsh would find this of great interest for his project.

Many thanks

Kind regards

Paul

[Paul D Kendall]

Dear LST_164

If you can send me an email to paulkendall291@aol.com i can send the items to you online to forward to the family.

Kind regards

Paul

[domwalsh]

Hi Steve,

The obit of Roy Adams RMLI is very interesting., thanks for posting it. Did it by any chance have a photo of Adams with it?

Best regards,

Dom

[Paul D Kendall]

I am quite anxious to contact anyone related to the Australian sailors that took part in the Zeebrugge Raid, especially the family of Stoker N McCrory who served aboard HMS Thetis.

If you are related to the following men, please contact me at paulkendall291@aol.com

Warrant Officer Artificer Engineer William Edgar

Leading Seaman G Bush Service No. 7018 R.A.N.

Born Islington, London, England. 19th October 1887

Able Seaman L Newland Service Service No. 1937 R.A.N.

Born Ballarat, Victoria, Australia 16th August 1889

Leading Seaman Dalmorton Rudd Service No. 3389 R.A.N.

Born Sydney 14th June 1896

Lived in Campsie New South Wales

Able Seaman G Staples Service No. 2858 R.A.N.

Born Parkside, Southern Australia

Lived Semaphore, Southern Australia

Died 13th August 1920

Leading Stoker W Bourke Service No. 2237 R.A.N.

Born Perth, Western Australia 7th December 1891

Leading Stoker R Hopkins Service No. 3135 R.A.N

Born Wyong, New South Wales 5th October 1893

Lived Windsor, Victoria

Leading Stoker G Lockard Service No. 3123 R.A.N.

Born Sydney, Australia 28th February 1893

Leading Stoker J Strong Service No. 2536 R.A.N.

Born Gallymount, New South Wales 10th November 1893

Lived Annandale New South Wales

Leading Stoker N McCrory Service No. 1183 R.A.N.

Born Sydney, Australia 24th January 1892

Lived Surrey Hills New South Wales

The attached link will lead you to an article that I wrote for the Digger Magazine in December 2005, which also featured on the Navy News website in February 2006.

http://www.navynews.co.uk/letters/archive_letters_0602.asp

I look forward to your response.

Kind regards

Paul

[Paul D Kendall]

I am quite anxious to contact anyone related to the Australian sailors that took part in the Zeebrugge Raid, especially the family of Stoker N McCrory who served aboard HMS Thetis.

If you are related to the following men, please contact me at paulkendall291@aol.com

Warrant Officer Artificer Engineer William Edgar

Leading Seaman G Bush Service No. 7018 R.A.N.

Born Islington, London, England. 19th October 1887

Able Seaman L Newland Service Service No. 1937 R.A.N.

Born Ballarat, Victoria, Australia 16th August 1889

Leading Seaman Dalmorton Rudd Service No. 3389 R.A.N.

Born Sydney 14th June 1896

Lived in Campsie New South Wales

Able Seaman G Staples Service No. 2858 R.A.N.

Born Parkside, Southern Australia

Lived Semaphore, Southern Australia

Died 13th August 1920

Leading Stoker W Bourke Service No. 2237 R.A.N.

Born Perth, Western Australia 7th December 1891

Leading Stoker R Hopkins Service No. 3135 R.A.N

Born Wyong, New South Wales 5th October 1893

Lived Windsor, Victoria

Leading Stoker G Lockard Service No. 3123 R.A.N.

Born Sydney, Australia 28th February 1893

Leading Stoker J Strong Service No. 2536 R.A.N.

Born Gallymount, New South Wales 10th November 1893

Lived Annandale New South Wales

Leading Stoker N McCrory Service No. 1183 R.A.N.

Born Sydney, Australia 24th January 1892

Lived Surrey Hills New South Wales

The attached link will lead you to an article that I wrote for the Digger Magazine in December 2005, which also featured on the Navy News website in February 2006.

http://www.navynews.co.uk/letters/archive_letters_0602.asp

I look forward to your response.

Kind regards

Paul

[sadsac]

Paul, have you got this Aussie ???

CARTER James AB C 233522 D.o.B ; 250589 P.o.B ;Sydney Australia

Occ ; Diver Group 30

30.01.18 to 13.06.18 PEMBROKE 1

Too many other ships to mention unless you want them.

Sadsac

[Paul D Kendall]

Sadsac

Many thanks for your help, but AB James Carter did not take part in the Zeebrugge or Ostend Raids.

Kind regards

Paul

[martinsharrison]

DID YOUR ANCESTOR'S TAKE PART IN THE ZEEBRUGGE RAID (23RD APRIL 1918) OR OSTEND RAIDS (23RD APRIL & 10th MAY 1918)?

Hello Paul,

I believe that my great grandfather (Harrison) may have taken part in the Zeebrugge Raid and been seriously wounded on it.

I'm afraid I don't have his full name to hand or know his military designation but my late father told me that he had been a Royal Marine.

He must have been a fairly unusual participant. I suppose he was in his forties at the time of the Raid because his son (my grandfather), an accomplished amateur boxer, worked in Chatham Dockyard and had already served with Keyes on submarines in the Sea of Marmara.

My father was born in 1921 and among his earliest recollections was being taken, carrying a bunch of bananas, to visit his grandfather in the RN hospital.

The family lived in Gillingham and I believe that my great grandfather is buried in Woodlands cemetery. I remember being told that before WW I he had been an instructor for the Tsar's army. He was reputedly something of a PE fanatic and legendary devotee of mustard baths - "hot enough to take your skin off".

I would be interested if you have any record of his participation in the Raid.

Thanks,

[Paul D Kendall]

Hello MSH

Thank you for your email. I have looked on my casualty list and cannot see a Royal Marine named Harrison listed as a casualty. I compiled this list from a casualty list published soon after the raid in conjunction with the Zeebrugge casualty list at the National Archives at Kew.

I do have in my possession a muster list of the men from RMLI and RMA who took part in the Zeebrugge Raid. I will look at this list tonight when I am at home.

Kind regards

Paul

[martinsharrison]

Thanks for your reply, Paul.

All I recall is being told that he HAD been a Royal Marine. He must have been middle-aged at the time of the Raid and may not have been in the service then.

I'll see if I can track down some more information.

[Paul D Kendall]

MSH

I have just checked the Royal Marine Light Infantry / Royal Marines Artilley muster list for the Zeebrugge Raid and can confirm that two men named Harrison took part in the operation on St. Georges Day in 1918. They are listed as:

Private J W Harrison PO 2466S No.8 Platoon B Company.

Private S Harrison PLY 1755S No.12 Platoon C Company.

Both men would have been part of the RMLI party that stormed the Mole from HMS Vindictive.

If you have any further information it would be useful to know, so that we can verify that your great grandfather did take part in the Zeebrugge Raid.

Kind regards

Paul

[martinsharrison]

Hello Paul,

I am grateful for your help but I am afraid I cannot confirm that my great grandfather was either of the two. I'll have to do some more research at my end to give you something more to go on. Though, I think I do recall my father saying that my relative was aboard Vindictive.

I'm guessing that he was one of the ten or so wounded on the Raid (and treated at the RNH, Windmill Road) that were subsequently buried in Woodlands Cemetery after the War.

When I was last there a couple of years ago with my late father he pointed toward the Naval Section and said that my great grandfather was buried there. Unfortunately, it was not a good time to visit.

I don't suppose that you have a list of the Zeebrugge contingent in the cemetery that we could cross-check?

Regards,

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Hello MSH

Have you searched for the service records for your great grandfather and grandfather?

It would be possible for your great grandfather to still be serving in his 40s and if he was still serving in WWI that makes searching easier as he will be on the medal roll, offline, in ADM 171/169 on microfilm at Kew.

[martinsharrison]

Thank you for your reply and very worthwhile suggestion.

I haven't performed that search but their medals are in the family, so it would be an invaluable exercise not just for them but for my great uncle, who I understand died at the second battle of Ypres, and for my grandmother's first husband, who fell at the Somme.

Regards,

[Paul D Kendall]

MSH

Thank you for your email. I have cross referenced the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery register for Woodlands Cemetery at Gillingham and the only Harrisons buried here are:

Engine Room Artificer 5th Class Desmond John Harrison C/MX 53684 Royal Navy

Died 08/10/45 aged 25

Private Arthur Harrison PO 11998 Royal Marine Light Infantry Died 26/11/14 age unknown.

Once you obtain further information let me know. If it can be proven that your great grandfather fought at Zeebrugge I can send the RMLI / RMA Muster list which includes his name and various official documents relating to the raid plus photos which I can send to you.

Kind regards

Paul

[sadsac]

MSH - given your G.Fathers forename(s) may be able to trace back to G.G.Father

Sadsac

[per ardua per mare per terram]

MSH,

May I suggest that you start new topics for the men that you are searching for? That way the various experts will find it easier to find the threads and help you.

The navy and Royal Marines service records are easiest to find; they are both held in order of service number. The RN service resisters (summeries of service) are online, whilst the RM registers are on microfilm at the National Archives If you have the medals and the number is on them, you will fird the register pages quiclky. For your ancestors in the army, The Long Long Trail site has explanations on how to carry out the research.

All the best

Per Mare

[martinsharrison]

Many thanks, I appreciate all your help.

[martinsharrison]

Hello Paul & Sadsac,

I'm grateful for your help and a little perplexed that the trail went cold in Woodlands Cemetery. I shall try to get more background.

My grandfather's name was Frederick George Harrison.

Regards,

[Paul D Kendall]

MHS

He might be buried in Woodlands Cemtery, but he might have died after leaving the RMLI and therefore he might be buried in a civilian grave (non CWGC).

If you obtain definite information please feel free to write back.

Kind regards

Paul

[annschmidt]

Re:DID YOUR ANCESTOR'S TAKE PART IN THE ZEEBRUGGE RAID (23RD APRIL 1918) OR OSTEND RAIDS (23RD APRIL & 10th MAY 1918)?

My paternal grandfather LEONARD JOSEPH COOPER J73342 was at Zeebrugge in April 1918 as an Ordinary Seaman in the Royal Navy---family history says he may have been on the Iris or the Daffodil but I have absolutely no proof of this---maybe you can help me???

I have all his service records--he was born in 1899, joined the Merchant Navy in 1916, was torpedoed whilst serving on the Arabia on 6/11/1916, joined the Royal Navy ("for the duration of hostilities") on 18 june 1917 and was finally discharged (I think) on 26/7/1923.

He visited Zeebrugge every year in April with the ever diminishing band of comrades from the Raid until shortly before his death in 1984---we may have some photos still in the family but i need to see my mother to check this.

I would love to find out any more about him as I failed to take sufficient notice when he was alive and able to tell me himself!

AnnS