HMS "Lynn"

[Wesley]

Can anyone help . . .

I am researching a man who served in the RNR aboard HMS “Lynn”. He either died or was KIA on 6th May 1915.

The problem is that I can find no information regarding the service of HMS “Lynn”, other than that she was involved in the recovery of casualties from the torpedoed “Marquette” off Salonika in October 1915.

The man in question is Sub-Lieut. Henry John WALSINGHAM, a native of London, who is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

I will be the first to admit that my knowledge of Naval operations leaves a lot to be desired so would be grateful for any advice!

[Coldstreamer]

The Times reports

The Times, Monday, May 10, 1915; pg. 3; Issue 40850; col A

note the name differs

[Wesley]

Many thanks Coldstreamer.

That’s definitely my man (I put the names the wrong way round in my first post!)

Sorry to ask for help again, but are you able to give me any pointers as to where I can find detailed accounts of the activities of HMS “Lynn” during the Dardanelles campaign?

I had suspected that was where Walsingham was killed, but have drawn a complete blank with anything I have read about the campaign.

I suspect I am looking in the wrong place!

[Coldstreamer]

Cant help anymore sorry as I know nothing about the navy in the war - early days though and Im sure you ll get a reply

Try googling if not

good luck

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Welcome to the Forum,

Have you looked for his service record in ADM 240 or the ships log ADM 53/47600 at Kew?

Per Mare

[Malcolm]

LYNN was one of a series of minesweepers.

Aye

Malcolm

[historydavid]

Wesley, this is the Admiralty record for your man:

WALSINGHAM, JOHN H., TY/S/LT, RNR, GOLIATH, died 06-May-15, ACCIDENT; killed in steering gear.

Best wishes

David

[sadsac]

Wesley, re HMS LYNN Logs ADM 53 / PRO/NA ;

ADM 53 / 47600 041214 310116

ADM 53 / 47601 010216 310717

Good Hunting Sadsac

[per ardua per mare per terram]

As WALSINGHAM died in 1915, I'm not sure why you'd need the log starting in Feb 1916; so ADM 53/47600 is most likely to give you the information.

Looking at historydavid's information, his ship might have been GOLIATH and he may have been on detatched duty, but her log for May 1915 was lost when she was sunk.

[michaeldr]

per the OH 'Naval Operations - Vol II' page 17 (Dec. 3, 1914: U-Boats and Scapa)

"It had been found that, useful as the minesweeping trawlers were, their speed was too low to allow them to work far enough afield to give him (the Commander-in-Chief) elbow room. To overcome the difficulty the Admiralty made a further draft on the mercantile marine by taking up eight fast railway packets and commissioning them as 'Fleet Minesweepers,' till especially constructed vessels came forward. [footnote: 'They were the Reindeer, Roebuck, Lynn and Gazelle of the Great Western Railway; Folkstone and Hythe of the South-Eastern and Chatham Railway; and Clacton and Newmarket of the Great Eastern Railway.]"

regards

Michael

[Wesley]

Thanks all for the extremely useful info!

I must confess to having not yet searched for Walsingham's service record...most of my time at Kew is spent trawling through WO/363!