VicMill Posted 4 September , 2007 Share Posted 4 September , 2007 Hi One of the men on Frittenden memorial is listed as being in Royal Marine Light Infantry on HMS Mars. I understand that this was a Depot Ship, but am not really sure what function they served. I have in my mind a picture of a ship moored at Chatham, but don't know if it was used for training, accommodation, or what? The man in question is Private Gerson William Stevens (CH/16743) and he died on 31 October 1916. He is buried in Woodlands Road Cemetery, Gillingham, which leads me to assume that there was an accident or an illness, but obviously this is just a guess and unfortunately the FAAM don't have his records, so I don't have anything concrete to base this on. So I thought I'd ask if anyone can give me some background about what went on on a depot ship. Thanks VicMill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 4 September , 2007 Share Posted 4 September , 2007 HMS MARS, 3842 tons launched 1848, was a training ship at Dundee until sold 10th June 1929. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historydavid Posted 4 September , 2007 Share Posted 4 September , 2007 Hello Vic, your man's Admiralty death record: STEVENS, GERSON W., PRIVATE, RMLI, 17643 (Ch), CHATHAM DIVISION, R.M.L.I. (ex MARS), 31-Oct-16, UK, ILLNESS. Notice that your service number is slightly different to the one I have (ADM confirmed by CWGC). Best wishes David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMill Posted 5 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 September , 2007 Thanks Malcolm and David. Interesting to see it confirmed that it was an illness, I think I'll try the local archive centre next time I'm in that neck of the woods, to see what else I can find out. I don't suppose anyone out there has a photo of HMS Mars? VicMill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 5 September , 2007 Share Posted 5 September , 2007 Vic, Type "Training Ship Mars" in Google.It may help you George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 5 September , 2007 Share Posted 5 September , 2007 The Mars was what we nowadays would call a reformatory or approved school. My Grandfather was sent there for truancy. All the boys were taught the rudiments of a trade. Grandad learned cobbling and still mended the family's shoes until he went off to the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 5 September , 2007 Share Posted 5 September , 2007 I did wonder if you would spot this Thread Tom. My Family,coming from the other side of the Firth,only viewed her from the distance.They probably got the dates mixed up but were convinced she was only towed away at the beginning of WW2. George p.s. Tom,some time ago we discussed the Mars and a Colleague says there's a Plaque on the mooring stage to commemorate the boys who lost their lives in WW1.Are they listed by Name and is your Grandfather commemorated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 5 September , 2007 Share Posted 5 September , 2007 I did wonder if you would spot this Thread Tom. My Family,coming from the other side of the Firth,only viewed her from the distance.They probably got the dates mixed up but were convinced she was only towed away at the beginning of WW2. George p.s. Tom,some time ago we discussed the Mars and a Colleague says there's a Plaque on the mooring stage to commemorate the boys who lost their lives in WW1.Are they listed by Name and is your Grandfather commemorated? The plaque was the work of a local historian. My family, not me, were at the unveiling and yes he is there. The ship was moored off Woodhaven and that became a seaplane and flying boat base in WW2. I remember seeing the Sunderlands, which could be seen from Dundee across the river. No road bridge then, she was down river from the railway bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMill Posted 5 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 September , 2007 Vic, Type "Training Ship Mars" in Google.It may help you George Good point George - I always forget about googling images. I've just done it and there are 10 pages of various images to chose from - I will not be so lazy in future VicMill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ionia Posted 5 September , 2007 Share Posted 5 September , 2007 The MARS was a "Majestic" Class battleship completed in 1897. She was obsolete by WW1 but was employed first in the Humber and then as a trooper to Mediterranean. She covered the Galipoli evacuations. She was paid off and became a depot ship at Invergordon in 1916. Sold 1921. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 6 September , 2007 Share Posted 6 September , 2007 Looks like we have been leading Vic up the garden path regarding the "Dundee Mars" as ionia has probably found the correct one In Tom's and my defence,though, I would refer Colleagues to the oldest Royal Naval vessel still afloat which is also berthed in Dundee.She is called the "Unicorn" and there was a bit of trouble in WW2 when another vessel,Aircraft Carrier?, was given the same name and it was only later realised that the Frigate "Unicorn" berthed in Dundee was still a commissioned Vessel. For anyone ever visiting Dundee I would recommend a visit to the "Unicorn".She served continuously throughout WW1 so there is the link but a bit of advice.Be careful as her headroom is low. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMill Posted 6 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 6 September , 2007 More investigations needed I think re G W Stevens and HMS Mars. Not knowing much about naval matters, I'm easily confused! HistoryDavid, I see that you had "ex-Mars" from his Admiralty Death Record. Could this mean that he had "graduated" from Mars and joined the RMLI, but died of an illness before seeing active service. I assume his death record is just that and doesn't give any further information. Any additional guidance of where to look would be appreciated. Thanks VicMill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 6 September , 2007 Share Posted 6 September , 2007 The Mars in the Tay would not have been HMS. I think she was referred to as atraining ship, so TS? During WW2 the Unicorn was the Cressy. I have posted on her. Also in Dundee now is Discovery. Back to where she was built. HES I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 7 September , 2007 Share Posted 7 September , 2007 Tom, Bit of a highjack I suppose. I see from the BBC Web-Site that they are still trying to fix a leak on the Discovery that has been there from her launch.What did she do in WW1? At least the Unicorn has never leaked.Must have been a sailor's dream in WW2, being drafted to the Unicorn,arrive in Dundee to find he is to crew a Napoleonic Frigate and then to be told to beggar off and find an Aircraft-Carrier bearing the same name. I love the photo,displayed on the Unicorn, of the captured U-Boat Captain rubbing his head coming down the gangplank, after having just banged it on a beam. He must have thought we were mad,interrogating him on a wooden hull. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 7 September , 2007 Share Posted 7 September , 2007 Quick correction here, RRS Discovery, specifically built for polar exploration. I don't know if she was active during the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 7 September , 2007 Share Posted 7 September , 2007 The man in question is Private Gerson William Stevens (CH/16743) and he died on 31 October 1916. He is buried in Woodlands Road Cemetery, Gillingham, which leads me to assume that there was an accident or an illness, but obviously this is just a guess and unfortunately the FAAM don't have his records, so I don't have anything concrete to base this on. Have you looked for his service register entry in ADM 159 at Kew? As David has highlighted a possible error in his service number, I would recommend a check on the medal roll in ADM171 or the ADM 313 indexes to clarify what the number is. That possible error may explain why the FAAM haven't given you anything. I would suggest that he was on the battleship Mars unless you have any other evidence to the contrary. Mars written on its own in an Admiralty document would imply one of His Majesty's Ships still in commission, not a Training Ship that left the Navy almost 50 years before. His death could tie in with the return of Mars, and the grave location suggests he died at the hospital or barracks, both which would be listed as Pembroke, or one of her sub stationsin the navy, but covered by Chatham Division for the RMLI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 7 September , 2007 Share Posted 7 September , 2007 He joined the RMLI before the war, so what training ship he was on would hardly be relevent. ADM 159/127 (CH/16743) joined between 1910 Oct-1911 June ADM 159/129 Ch17643 1912 Oct-1913 Sept Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historydavid Posted 8 September , 2007 Share Posted 8 September , 2007 Vic, I take the "ex Mars" to indicate that he had served on the ship prior to becoming ill. The larger warships carried a number of Royal Marines to enforce discipline and prevent mutiny; these men also manned one of the gun turrets in action. Best wishes David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMill Posted 26 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 26 September , 2007 Thanks for all the recent helpful replies. I think the Dundee Mars has been removed from the scene. VicMill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan johnson Posted 27 September , 2007 Share Posted 27 September , 2007 Thanks for all the recent helpful replies. I think the Dundee Mars has been removed from the scene. Thouhght you might like to see H.M.S.Mars. She was scrapped in 1921. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicMill Posted 27 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 27 September , 2007 Thanks Stan that's great, saves me searching through 10 pages of google images. VicMill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toms girl Posted 6 October , 2007 Share Posted 6 October , 2007 Hi One of the men on Frittenden memorial is listed as being in Royal Marine Light Infantry on HMS Mars. I understand that this was a Depot Ship, but am not really sure what function they served. I have in my mind a picture of a ship moored at Chatham, but don't know if it was used for training, accommodation, or what? The man in question is Private Gerson William Stevens (CH/16743) and he died on 31 October 1916. He is buried in Woodlands Road Cemetery, Gillingham, which leads me to assume that there was an accident or an illness, but obviously this is just a guess and unfortunately the FAAM don't have his records, so I don't have anything concrete to base this on. So I thought I'd ask if anyone can give me some background about what went on on a depot ship. Thanks VicMill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toms girl Posted 11 October , 2007 Share Posted 11 October , 2007 Hi One of the men on Frittenden memorial is listed as being in Royal Marine Light Infantry on HMS Mars. I understand that this was a Depot Ship, but am not really sure what function they served. I have in my mind a picture of a ship moored at Chatham, but don't know if it was used for training, accommodation, or what? The man in question is Private Gerson William Stevens (CH/16743) and he died on 31 October 1916. He is buried in Woodlands Road Cemetery, Gillingham, which leads me to assume that there was an accident or an illness, but obviously this is just a guess and unfortunately the FAAM don't have his records, so I don't have anything concrete to base this on. So I thought I'd ask if anyone can give me some background about what went on on a depot ship. Thanks VicMill Hi Vicmill Its a bit late but I have just come across the following: 'A deot ship acts as a mobile or fixed base for other ships or subs. or supports a naval base, some are specifically designed others are converted. Regards Margarette (aka Toms girl) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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