eric e Posted 30 January , 2007 Share Posted 30 January , 2007 Hi pals, My family think this is a photo of my GG Uncle Richard Whiteman. Can any pals out there please tell me something about him from the clues in the photo. His son John also joined the navy and tragically died on the Hood. Thanks. Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 30 January , 2007 Share Posted 30 January , 2007 Eric, Thats a grand Photo, he is a Chief Stoker with a Trio and Long Service and Good conduct medal; at a guess this could be him: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=2 Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 30 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 30 January , 2007 Charles, Many thanks for the info. Tried NA earlier but couldn't find him till now. He is actually the Richard Whiteman who was born at Burwarton Shropshire, but wouldn't have found him without your'e imput. Is it possible to find his ship from his cap badge? Cheers. Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 30 January , 2007 Share Posted 30 January , 2007 Eric, Not from his cap badge but if that is your man you can for 3.50GBP download his Service Record and get his Royal naval history. Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 30 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 30 January , 2007 Charles, Thanks again I didn't realise I could get that much information. Will do it tomorrow and let you know the results when I get them. Cheers. Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 31 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 31 January , 2007 Charles, Down loaded Dick Whiteman's service record today. Fantastic information which I'm trying to understand. Joined up 9th February 1892. My aunt told me that he was on more than one ship that sunk. Well he was on HMS Cressy when it was torpedoed by U9 on 22nd September 1914. Pembroke II and Ganges are mentioned quite a lot. Were they training ships? There is also a reference to Ceto [Navy off Ramsgate] have you any thoughts on that. Getting late so will post more tomorrow if of interest. Cheers Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 31 January , 2007 Share Posted 31 January , 2007 Eric, If you post any questions Im sure the experts will be able to help, Ceto was His Majestys Yatch and a Depot at Ramsgate, HMS Pembroke II was RNAS Eastchurch, Sheppey, Kent - June 1913 to 01.04.18 when it was turned over to the RAF. Hms Ganges Here: http://www.hmsgangesassoc.org/rnteshotley.html Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 3 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 February , 2007 Charles, Thanks again for info. Richard seems to have been with Ceto from 6th March 1915 till 17th May 1919. He was demobbed on 11th November 1919 aged 47. Sorry for delay in posting but I picked up a book [bloody heavy]of The London Illustrated News July-December 1914 this week and it's quite a read. Quite a bit on the sinking of HMS Aboukir Hogue and Cressy. Photo's of some of the officers killed and a double page drawing entitled "Torpedoed! The fate of a good samaritan: the sinking of the British cruiser Hogue". Later on in the book a photo of the victorious U9 crew sailing back into port. If you would like any info from the book while I have it please just ask. Cheers, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pippee Posted 18 February , 2007 Share Posted 18 February , 2007 Hello Eric I hope you don't mind me butting in like this... I was browsing the net for family history purposes and came across this site and your query. My great grandfather Thomas Bernard Whiteman was cousin to Richard. Thomas' father being Henry - brother to Richard's father John. My late grandfather Ernest George (liked to be known as George) remembered his son John, who along with so many others lost his life on the Hood. The photo you supplied is quite spooky really, as there is a strong resemblance to my late father and uncle. Regards Pippee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 18 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2007 Pippee, Have PM'ed you some info I have on the Whiteman family. By the way you're the second distant relative I've met since joining this forum. Since down loading Richard Whitemans service record I had been intending to ask if anybody could explain to me the abbreviations RFR Chat [Chatham ?] A for me please, it appears again after his sinking on the Cressy. Many thanks, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 18 February , 2007 Share Posted 18 February , 2007 He joined the Royal Fleet Reserve his number was Chatham A2067, on 25/4/14 and was mobilised on 2 August 1914 (that was before war was declared). A class A reservist, like him, was under 45 and in receipt of a life pension. Pension traced 14/1/14 and recommenced 10/6/1920. After Cressy it says that he was a Chief Stoker with 9 years experience. Harrier Auxiliary Patrol depot ship at Ramsgate, relieved by Ceto 6 Mar 1915. Can't make out the comment for 6/7/16, looks like traced medal, but that seems a bit late for him to get a Long Service Good Conduct Medal, unless he'd been caught out earlier in his career! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 19 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 19 February , 2007 Hi Per ardua per mare per terram, Thank you for your response. Had a look at Richard's character rating, from 1892 till his demob in 1919 [11th November] his rating had always been very good except for 1900 when it was just good. Seems a pretty exemplary record to me. Do you know how a sailors rating was assessed and by whom? It also states traced gratuity 4/4/11 on another page of his record, would this be towards his pension? I could post his complete record if you would like more info, but under 100kb it's none to clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 19 February , 2007 Share Posted 19 February , 2007 To get the LSGC medal the rating had to be very good for 15 consecutive years, so the 'good' reset his qualification. His commanding officer assessed the rating. Gratuities were awarded for long service and for War service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 20 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2007 Per ardua per mare per terram thanks once again for your response. I wonder what Richard did to only warrant a good rating. Bet he was miffed when that appeared on his record. Still, shows the discipline they had to serve under I suppose. Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_harvey Posted 22 February , 2007 Share Posted 22 February , 2007 there is a 2nd sheet to this service record it would be on the bottom of 165931, and this would record the rest of his ww1 service Hope this helps James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 22 February , 2007 Share Posted 22 February , 2007 The National Archives downloads usually give both the first sheet and the continuations. Eric as such a mark would (and did) affect the award of his LSGC medal it must have been serious, or a personality clash. Have you cross checked the earlier ships that he was on to see if he qualifird for any other medals? As 1900 was the time of the Boer War and Boxer Rebellion maybe missing those (if he did) gave him sour spirits! Per Mare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 23 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2007 James, Thank you for your reply. How did you know Richard's service record ran to 2 sheets? As you say it is on the bottom of sheet 165931 which includes Frederick Charles Jacks service record. Can post if anyone wants to see it. He served from 1892 to 1904. Here is the rest of Richard's war record. Per Mare, From 21st March 1899 to 11th July 1901 Richard was on the Warspite. No mention of medals as far as I can see but gained 3 badges by 9-2-1905. Thanks, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_harvey Posted 23 February , 2007 Share Posted 23 February , 2007 I knew as it said so on the bottom of his service record. It looks like in 1899 something happened as he was given 2nd class for conduct, are there any remarks on his sheet that would give a clue? James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 23 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2007 I knew as it said so on the bottom Of course it did silly me Originally I was going to post Richard's complete service record but to get under 100kb made the whole thing practically illegible. Can't see any remarks that would give a clue to his 2nd class conduct, but then again I don't always see what's in front of me. Thanks James, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 4 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2007 I visited Richard's grave last week and on the headstone were the initials CPO. His service record states that he was a Chief Stoker when demobbed. Would that rank mean he was also a Chief Petty Officer. Apologies if the question is blindingly obvious. Regards, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 4 July , 2007 Share Posted 4 July , 2007 Eric, Any photo's? When did he die? Chief Petty Officer is his 'Substantive Rank', Stoker is his trade, He would always be called 'Chief Stoker' though. Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 4 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2007 Hi Charles, Thanks for your reply, now I understand. Richard died in 1930 aged 57. He his buried in Cleobury Mortimer cemetery, in the same plot as his parents and one of his brothers, William. Did you mean photo's of the grave? I did take some photo's but to be honest the panel with Richard's details on wasn't very clear. I intend going back and giving the site a clean up, and then will photograph again. I posted before that Richard had a son called John who was lost on the Hood, well it seems he also had a son called Richard who was a Sergeant in the army and took part in raids into France during the 2nd World War. Family lore remembers him as a bit of a madcap. Regards, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 4 July , 2007 Share Posted 4 July , 2007 Eric Photo of the grave, sounds as though you are doing OK. Have you a photo of John to add to this site. http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/w/WhitemanJW.htm Would be nice, as for Richard madcap raids into france 'Commando' sounds good. Regards charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 4 July , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 July , 2007 Charles, Thanks for the link. I have a photo of John, it is taken with his wife Mary standing outside their home I presume. The name of the house is "The anchorage". The photo is quite poignant because it is in the form of a Christmas card and is signed "from Mary with love". I guess it was sent to my grandfather after John's death. I will certainly send the photo to the hood crew memorial site. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Regards, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric e Posted 7 August , 2007 Author Share Posted 7 August , 2007 Charles, Finally a photo of Richards panel on the family gravestone. Tried cleaning but with no real improvement and didn't want to damage the lettering. By the way I sent the photo of John to the Hood memorial website but I haven't had a reply yet. Regards, Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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