GEMGIRL67 Posted 28 January , 2007 Share Posted 28 January , 2007 A couple of years ago I found out that I had a great-uncle who had been killed in WW1 and was buried in Basra. So I looked up the information about him on the CWGC and it said he had been a first-class stoker on board HMS Moth. I recently found out some more information. It said he died from accidental drowning after he fell overboard from a dingy, whilst trying to get along side HMS Tarantula. (ironic thing is, I have always had a fear of the sea and am terrified of spiders, especially tarantaulas!) I was wondering if anyone knows more about HMS Moth, and also, could anyone explain more about what a first-class stoker is, what is the equivelent rank in the army? I just assumed it was the lowest rank, and they just made fires but my boyfriend said he seems to think it was quite a high rank. Many thanks. Angela x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMurphy Posted 28 January , 2007 Share Posted 28 January , 2007 Angela, This pic is of HMS Moth and Tarantula abt 1926. Both part of the 'Insect Class' of Torpedo Gunboats who served in the Persian Gulf in 1916. Ships of the "Insect Class" were built between 1915 and 1916 for WWI duty and they may have been some of the most well traveled ships Britain ever produced. This class consisted of: HMS Aphis, HMS Bee, HMS Cicala, HMS Cockchafer, HMS Cricket, HMS Glowworm, HMS Gnat, HMS Ladybird, HMS Mantis, HMS Moth, HMS Scarab and HMS Tarantula. More about her is on this website: http://www.hmsfalcon.com/index.htm#Aphis Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMurphy Posted 28 January , 2007 Share Posted 28 January , 2007 Although not an expert on the ranks of the RN at the time. A Stoker First Class was roughly the equivalent of a Lance Corporal or less. The Army and Navy ranks don't always exactly correlate, even these days with a more structured rank system in which Lance Corporal and Able Seaman don't exactly correlate (in the Australian system anyway! Other old Navy 'buffs' on the forum may be able to tell you more about their duties etc. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 28 January , 2007 Share Posted 28 January , 2007 Angela, Theres lots of information about Stokers in this thread: Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kin47 Posted 28 January , 2007 Share Posted 28 January , 2007 Hello Angela Just a point of information, was your Great Uncle Stoker 1c Philip Jones? All best don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 28 January , 2007 Share Posted 28 January , 2007 Angela Have you got a copy of his register of service? You can get it from the National Archives in Kew or download it for £3.50. Enter his service/ official number in the relevent box and it should come up. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...amp;queryType=1 Per Mare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEMGIRL67 Posted 28 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 28 January , 2007 Hello Angela Just a point of information, was your Great Uncle Stoker 1c Philip Jones? All best don Oh my god Don! Yes my great uncle was Stoker 1c Philip Jones from Wrexham, North Wales. How did you guess that? I am so speechless. Thank you. I am so grateful to everyone who has replied with information for me, you are wonderful. My great-uncles details were: Philip Jones service no: K/25397 date of birth: 28/12/1893 date of death: 19/06/1917 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 28 January , 2007 Share Posted 28 January , 2007 Angela, If you get in touch with the Fleet Air Arm Museum you will be able to get a copy of his enlistment papers, which are in their archive. H2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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