HMS Pekin - trawler "Nightfall"

[Sandra Bennett]

Thanks so much for making the documents we have make sense. We have his medals from the service in WW1 and below is a picture of the minesweeping medal which we are very grateful to have.  Many thanks Sandra

[Parky1964]

Hi my Grandad served on the Tervani and Pekin and wondered if you claimed the minesweeper clasp with his medals as I have my Grandads medals but not the clasp .We're they issued ? Thanks

[horatio2]

Welsome to the GWF @Parky1964.

HM Trawler TERVANI was sunk by a mine on 5 Dec 1916 with the loss of fifteen crew members. She was never based on HMS PEKIN at Grimsby, even though she was, originally, a Grimsby trawler. The RN Mine Clearance Service (MCS) was not formed until February 1919 so TERVANI could not have participated.

HMS PEKIN (Grimsby shore base) would not have been a ship of the MCS. There was no "minesweeper clasp" to WW1 medals. Perhaps your GF served in another boat/ship which was part of the MCS in 1919-20?

May we know his name and number?

[Parky1964]

Alfred Garnham, DA 16369

[horatio2]

A trawl through his two records:-

Record as a signal boy 553.SB -  https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8550618

and record as deckhand 16369.DA -   https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8523866

appears to show that, apart from his time as a boy in HM trawler TERVANI, he only served at sea for five months.

In the sinking of HMS TERVANI your GF and the Senior Officer (Lieutenant GWH LYNDON RNR) were the only survivors of a crew of seventeen. His deckhand record notes that he suffered concussion from the mine explosion and this may explain why, despite advancement to deckhand in May 1917 (his 18^th birthday), he did not serve at sea again until August 1918. Instead he is recorded as drafted to the shore base at Harwich (HMS GANGES, where TERVANI was based) until 16 Aug 1918. He is then borne on the books of the base at Immingham (HMS WALLINGTON) until 13 Jan 1919, serving in the hired Buckie drifter HMS VICTORPID, a net vessel.

Thereafter, he was drafted to shore at Grimsby (HMS PEKIN) until demob in Aug 1919. I can see no indication that he was a volunteer for, or served at sea with, the 1919 Mine Clearance Service (MCS), so he would not qualify for the MCS badge and MCS additional pay. His only active minesweeping time would have been in HMS TERVANI in 1916.

 

Edited 29 June , 2022 by horatio2

[Parky1964]

Thankyou very much for this information.My Grandad had a large scar on the top of his head and I believe being blown up did affect his mental health 

[Washington]

Good day to you all , I have come across another (2nd) great grandfather who appears to have served in the RNR , “Pekin” is the only name I could recognise, which has led me to this thread, so thought I would post, with the hope of some help with translation & maybe assisting those with an interest. Thank you 😊

James Riley, RNR Service record.pdf

[horatio2]

A rather 'thin' RNR record. It seems he was skipper of the Grimsby hired trawler MANX ADMIRAL until invalided. Preumably to be employed around the Humber bases.

MANX ADMIRAL, hired trawler. Built 1912, 219grt, Grimsby-reg GY.665. Armament: 1-6pdr. In service 12.14-1919 as boom defence vessel.

However, he may not have been a sea-going skipper for very long because he only qualified for the British War Medal (which was never claimed). Had he been sea-going for a significant period in 1914-15 he would also have qualified for the 1914-15 Star. The several medical notes paint a sad picture of a man who was not up to the job.

It is noteworthy that he had 25 years prvious service as 1547.E as a First Class Deck Rating. No records survive for this pre-war service.

[Washington]

20 minutes ago, horatio2 said:

A rather 'thin' RNR record. It seems he was skipper of the Grimsby hired trawler MANX ADMIRAL until invalided. Preumably to be employed around the Humber bases.

MANX ADMIRAL, hired trawler. Built 1912, 219grt, Grimsby-reg GY.665. Armament: 1-6pdr. In service 12.14-1919 as boom defence vessel.

However, he may not have been a sea-going skipper for very long because he only qualified for the British War Medal (which was never claimed). Had he been sea-going for a significant period in 1914-15 he would also have qualified for the 1914-15 Star. The several medical notes paint a sad picture of a man who was not up to the job.

It is noteworthy that he had 25 years prvious service as 1547.E as a First Class Deck Rating. No records survive for this pre-war service.

Thank you Horatio, very much appreciate your time . Yes a “severe mental breakdown” paints a sad picture. Probably worth pointing out though (although conjecture) .. his son George Henry Riley was taken prisoner of war 29-10-14 at 1st battle of Ypres, I can’t help but wonder if this was part if not most of the cause of his bad mental health at that time.

i will look for a photo of the Manx Admiral, thanks and regards

james