Royal Edward Troop ship

[rothweb]

Hello Sotonmate,

many thanks for the info. If I have understood correctly apart from officers names the list only says how many soldiers from each Regiment were on board, but there is no record of the names of the soldiers on board. I know that there were 83 drafts from 2nd. Bat. SWB on board. Is there any record anywhere naming the soldiers and when they went out to Gallipoli? Unfortunately in the case of my great uncle George his Service record has been lost, at least I can find it nowhere on record. I only have the Service record of his brother William.

Does anyone have a copy of The Times dated 19th. August 1915. Apparently the names of a number of the survivors of the sinking were published on that day.

Hello Joe,

from my latest reading of the attack on the Royal Edward and the survivors, all the RAMC personal who survived were sent to Egypt for duty, None were sent to Gallipoli. If George was on board the Royal Edward he must therefore have transferred to the 2nd. Bat. SWB in the UK. Apparently his SWB reg. no. 3/24825 indicates that he was originally with the 3rd. Bat. SWB, which was a Training Battalion, originally in Brecon but later posted to Sniggery camp, Liverpool as a part of the Mersey Garrison. George Comes from Edgworth, near Bolton in Lancashire, so it would make sense that he was with the East Lancashire RAMC initially and later the 3rd. Bat. SWB in Liverpool.

However I do know that a large contingency of the East Lancashire RAMC were sent to Gallipoli around this time and my thought was that on Arrival at Gallipoli, in view of the extremely heavy losses the 2nd. Bat. SWB had suffered on 21st. August at Scimitar Hill, they may have needed reinforcements desparately and George volunteered on Arrival on 26th. August to Transfer immediately to the 2nd. SWB. Does anyone else have similar Information indicating that their relatives transfered from RAMC to the Infantry on Arrival in Gallipoli?

[sotonmate]

rothweb

You might like to PM Kath here (you will see that she has contributed here),she has a deep interest in this ship and might have info to help you. I remember looking in files for her some time back.There is another thread here somewhere,I think,with more detail.

[Guest fboulton]

Hi

Greetings from a newcomer to this site.

I have a cousin of my father's who was a sailor on the Royal Edward when it was crossing the Atlantic on the Avonmouth to Canada run. I am trying to find out if he was still a crew member when the ship was requisitioned and hence sunk in WW1.

His name is George Boulton, born 1889, staying with parents on the night of 1911 census (presumably whilst Royal Edward was moored at Avonmouth) and listed as a sailor on the ship.

As I have never found him listed as a casualty on CWGC site, I have always assumed he survived the war, until I found this very knowledgeable forum. Hence, if anyone can let me know if he was still a crew member in WW1 I would be very grateful.

Thank you

Fred

[Kath]

Fred, I've looked through the crew lists for the Royal Edward; not many survive.

Could not find George Boulton as an A.B. or Sailor.

Will look at the Royal George lists of which there are more.

There is more than one G.B. in the records in Anc..try & F...M. P..t.

Kath.

[Guest fboulton]

Hi, Kath.

Many thanks for looking - I think I will continue assuming that he was discharged before the outbreak of hostilities.

And yes, there are quite a few Boultons around Bristol by the end of the 19th century,

Fred

[Guest Cobby]

My Great Grandfather went down on this ship. I believe he was with the 2nd Battalion Royal Hampshire Rgmnt bound for Gallipoli. His name was Spearink. We are approaching the 100th anniversary of the sinking in three years (August 13th. 2015). I'm thinking about forming a committee to consider the feasability of organizing a 100th anniversary memorial visit to the site. It went down near the Island of Kos, Greece. The British Government used a hospital ship to conduct a memorial service at the site due to the great loss of life. This was to thwart a possible attack by a U-Boat.

There are so many of us that owe their existence to those men, I think it would be great to honor their sacrifice in this way. The party would stay in hotels on the island and we would charter every available vessal to ferry us to the actual site for the 9:15 a.m service on August 13th. I'm sure there would have to be Chaplains that would take the trip, and the event would definitely capture the attention of the media.

Please respond With any thoughts or ideas on this thought.

Thanks, Tony

My Great Grandfather went down on this ship. I believe he was with the 2nd Battalion Royal Hampshire Rgmnt bound for Gallipoli. His name was Spearink. We are approaching the 100th anniversary of the sinking in three years (August 13th. 2015). I'm thinking about forming a committee to consider the feasability of organizing a 100th anniversary memorial visit to the site. It went down near the Island of Kos, Greece. The British Government used a hospital ship to conduct a memorial service at the site due to the great loss of life. This was to thwart a possible attack by a U-Boat.

There are so many of us that owe their existence to those men, I think it would be great to honor their sacrifice in this way. The party would stay in hotels on the island and we would charter every available vessal to ferry us to the actual site for the 9:15 a.m service on August 13th. I'm sure there would have to be Chaplains that would take the trip, and the event would definitely capture the attention of the media.

Please respond With any thoughts or ideas on this thought.

Thanks, Tony

[Guest Bonnex]

My father was one of the eleven 2nd SWB survivors that arrived at Suvla a few days after the sinking. I have tried several times without success to find names of members of his draft that survived and the names of the other ten that went with him to Sulva. Any advice on how I might complete a nominal roll for the draft of would be most welcome.

Thank you,

Norman

[Stebie9173]

The list of survivors published on 19-8-1915 was for the crew and not the troops being carried:

Steve.

[Kitty55]

On 15/09/2006 at 12:52, stevem49 said:

Just realised that I have the casualty list for the Royal Edward. 11,000 ton allied Troop Transport sunk by German Sub near Italian Dodecanese Island of Kos - 1,865 troops drowned. From the list i seem to have all of the Norfolk men

example of details -

Surname - Kemp

Cname Tom

No 20612 TF

rk L/Cpl Bn1

born Spalding Lincs, living Mileham Norfolk, enlisted Norwich Norfolk.

Fa D at sea 13/08/1915 HT Royal Edward

If anyone would like me to check the print out just let me know.

Steve

 

Hi

Although I've got the names of four that survived from Dereham I've no idea who drowned. Many went from Dereham on board the King Edward to Murdos. Can you please tell me if there are any attached to the town? In particular I'm looking a the Staff-Sergt of the RAMC - ie. Staff-Sergt A. Johnson - he ended up being named on the DROHI (Dereham Roll of Honour) as a Sergt-Major so I'm assuming he was either not on the Royal Edward or survived. I know the other Staff-Segt of the 2nd EAFA RAMC was also a Dereham man and made it to Murdos.

I am slowly trying to work my way through the 2,000 Dereham men who left to serve - several were in the RAMC but as yet I've not found all their information out.

 

thanks and take care, Kitty

[Kitty55]

Hi to anyone looking for soldiers on the King Edward sinking.

Lists I have are as follows: -

RAMC Survivors - 1/3 EAFA; 3/1 EAFA and 54th (EA) Casualty Clearing Station

List of missing from - 1st Essex Regiment (mainly Norfolk men); RAMC 1st EAFA (TF) & RAMC East Anglian Clearing Station

 

thanks and take care, Kitty

[stevem49]

On 23/10/2019 at 22:44, Kitty55 said:

Hi to anyone looking for soldiers on the King Edward sinking.

Lists I have are as follows: -

RAMC Survivors - 1/3 EAFA; 3/1 EAFA and 54th (EA) Casualty Clearing Station

List of missing from - 1st Essex Regiment (mainly Norfolk men); RAMC 1st EAFA (TF) & RAMC East Anglian Clearing Station

 

thanks and take care, Kitty

Kitty

Might be best to contact the expert and also the lady who now has my list 'Kath'  She may of course be on soon to reply.  You can contact Kath, via the post on this page number 54.

 

Regards

Steve

[Kitty55]

4 hours ago, stevem49 said:

Kitty

Might be best to contact the expert and also the lady who now has my list 'Kath'  She may of course be on soon to reply.  You can contact Kath, via the post on this page number 54.

 

Regards

Steve

 

Hi stevem49,

I was just offering information if anyone hadn't got the lists that I mentioned as I've found them in my local paper - The Dereham & Fakenham Times, as it's not online yet. I know that the main papers for Eastern England didn't have the ones in that I mentioned.

I've also found out about the Staff Sergt that I was enquiring after. He wasn't on that ship - so all of those from Dereham who were on Royal Edward didn't drown - that's all four of them. I RAMC & 3 in the Essex Regt.

So now I'm moving on to other soldiers as I've got over 2,000 to cover and sort out into the relevant years for my book.

Thanks anyway.

 

Thanks and take care, Kitty

[Guest]

My Grandfather Arthur George Seager was one of the lucky one ones who survived.

Born in Norwich, but was transferred to the Essex regiment his number was 20627.

Afterwards he suffered ill health, and spent most of his last years bed ridden. He died at the young age of 51.

My uncle , also Arthur, was a Japanese POW and survived that. My grandfather died just before his son got home from being a POW, but died knowing his son was

safe and on his way home. 

 

 

 

 

[Lynda61]

Hi Kitty, does the name John Allen Mansbridge appear on the list of casualties from the Royal Edward ? Many thanks.

[Kath]

10 hours ago, Lynda61 said:

John Allen Mansbridge

 

http://www.ramc-ww1.com/profile.php?cPath=0_333_630_675_681&profile_id=8637&osCsid=6391701b90fa19a55dccd514a2ff641a

 

Kath.

[Lynda61]

Thank you Kath, I had found that but I was wanting to know if he was on the list of men that died on the Royal Edward that day. We were told that he was on a hospital ship but it seems more likely that he was on the Royal Edward.

[Kath]

John Allen Mansbridge appears in  The Times, Monday, Sep 06, 1915; pg. 6; Issue 40952; col F   
 

"MISSING BELIEVED DROWNED"

[Lynda61]

Thank you Kath, this is what I’ve been looking for. 

[Kath]

John Allen Mansbridge was a coal miner from Wath on Dearne.

He is listed as lost on the Royal Edward in the 8th. & 13th. September 1915 - Sheffield Daily Telegraph,

10 September 1915 - Cambridge Independent Press,

and 13 September 1915 - Leeds Mercury. 

[Lynda61]

Thank you Kath, this is great information, I’m looking into this for a relative who is a great granddaughter of John Allen Mansbridge. He had about 9 of 10 kids so there were lots of stories passed down but she wanted to get to the true circumstances of his death. You have helped so much, so glad I found this forum.

Thanks again, Lynda.

[Kath]

Lynda, can you get to Rotherham record office?

The "Rotherham Times" has reports of the men & a picture of John Allen Mansbridge.

Edited 7 February , 2020 by Kath

[Lynda61]

I’m in Canada but will be going to Rotherham in June, I’ll make sure I go to the records office. Thanks again.

[Guest]

Hi,

I cannot see him on the list of survivors; however I am searching for a possible ancestor of mine that could have died on board the Royal Edward. His name is James Gale, He was a stoker on board in 1911 (1911 census) and was lodging with my great grandmother and her family in Avonmouth. Does anyone know if he was on board? 
 

kim

[PRC]

1 hour ago, Kwilt12 said:

I cannot see him on the list of survivors; however I am searching for a possible ancestor of mine that could have died on board the Royal Edward. His name is James Gale, He was a stoker on board in 1911 (1911 census) and was lodging with my great grandmother and her family in Avonmouth. Does anyone know if he was on board?

 

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

As a member of the merchant marine he would have been on a different survivors list if he was on the ship. However a volunteer project had been working on transcribing the crew lists for UK merchant vessels from 1915. The key information needed is age and birth place.

 

I see from the 1911 Census of England and Wales that there was a 30 year old single man, James Gale, a Fireman with the Royal Edward Line, (it looks like either the census checker or the enumerator has added Stoker when they were classifying his occupation), who was born St Phillips, Bristol, and who was recorded at 38 Callowhill Street, Bristol. Is that the right man?

 

Looking at the 1915 crewlist site they have a crew agreement for the ship Mechanician, commencing on the 2nd April 1915 at Avonmouth and ending on the 12th May 1915 at Liverpool. It's noted on the first page as an extension of an earlier contract that started on the 9th March 1915. Although the James Gale recorded there was 'only' 32, his birthplace is given as Bristol and his home address is given as 21 Callowhill Street, Bristol, which seems a bit of a co-incidence.

Oddly it doesn't look like he signed for his wages, although that seems to be true of a couple of other members of the crew.

https://1915crewlists.rmg.co.uk/document/191895

 

Which doesn't mean "your" James Gale couldn't have gone on to sign on again later in the summer aboard the Royal Edward, but if it's the same man then he wasn't working continuously aboard that ship.

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

[Kath]

James Gale is not in the newspapers' lists of the crew survivors.

I don't see him in the June 1915 trip crew list.

He is not in the CWGC.

Kath.

Edited 21 February , 2020 by Kath