HMS Pembroke II Chatham

[michael9943]

Hello all, My Grandfather served with HMS Pembroke II from 1902 until 1922. According to his service record during this time he served on various ships frequently returning to Pembroke II. Can anyone give any information as to why all the different ships and how can I find out where those ships went.

Thanks Michael

[ARABIS]

Hello Michael,

Welcome to the Forum. If you could list the ships with the dates your grandfather served in them, then we might be able to help you.

Regards,

ARABIS.

[joseph]

Michael,

When a man joined the Royal Navy he was given a 'Base Port' in your grandfathers case this was Chatham this was known as Pembroke in your Grandfathers time. Some views he would have seen here;

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/micheal.overt...embroke%203.htm

It was his base he would return for training, if he was ill etc, it also administered his drafts (what ship he served on) so he would be refered to as a Chatham Rating as that was the hub he revolved around.

As ARABIS says a list of ships with dates would help, if there is the name of a ship with another name after it in brackets that is his Depot ship and the ship he actually served on.

Regards Charles

[michael9943]

Hello Michael,

Welcome to the Forum. If you could list the ships with the dates your grandfather served in them, then we might be able to help you.

Regards,

ARABIS.

Hi Arabis Thanks for your help I have attached the list. At first it was too big so I hope you can read it.

Michael

[michael9943]

Hi Charles Thanks for your help I attached a typed version of the service record in my reply to Arabis. I saw your photos thanks.

Michael

[ARABIS]

Michael,

Could you try posting the service record in smaller sections please?

Thanks,

ARABIS.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

If you have mande it into a word file, you can copy and paste it into a post.

[michael9943]

Hi Arabis Whatever I try and attach does'nt work so here is just a list of the ships, List & no.Rating and dates:-

Pembroke II 15 7253 Stoker 15 Aug 02 to 30 Jun 03

Sutlej 5a 299 " 01 Jul 03 to 27 Nov 03

Berwick 142 " 28 Nov 03 to 12 Mar 06

Pembroke II 15a3 8276 " 13 Mar 06 to 15 Jul 06

Royal Oak 5a 23 " 16 Jul 06 to 31 Dec 06

Victorious 5a 22 " 01 Jan 07 to 01 Jan 08

Tenedos 14a2 126 " 08 Jan 08 to 31 Mar 08

Pembroke II 16a3 13091 " 01 Apr 08 to 08 Apr 08

Victorious " 09 Apr 08 to 24 Aug 08

Albermarle 5a 10 Act Ld St 25 Aug 08 to 17 Feb 10

Pembroke II 15a 34757 " 18 Feb 10 to 22 Mar 10

Tenedos 14a 2863 " 23 Mar 10 to 15 Jul 10

Pembroke II 14a7 28 Ld Stoker 16 Jul 10 to 08 Nov 10

Blanche 5a2 17 " 09 Nov 10 to 21 Oct 11

Pembroke II 15 3050 SPO 22 Oct 11 to 27 Oct 11

St George 12 7 " 28 Oct 11 to 30 Apr 12

Tyne 12 16(1)5 " 01 Mat 12 to 30 Apr 13

Pomone 16 Y 1 " 01 May 13 to 30 Jun 13

Tyne 16 T 4 " 01 Jul 13 to 07 Dec 13

Pembroke II 15a2 468 " 08 Dec 13 to 05 Feb 14

Goliath 12a2 35 " 06 Feb 14 to 28 Jul 14

Victorious 5a1 13 " 29 Jul 14 to 04 Aug 14

Pembroke II 15a2 1419 " 05 Aug 14 to 28 Aug 14

Undaunted 5a1 23 " 29 Aug 14 to 13 Nov 17

Pembroke II 15aa5280 " 14 Nov 17 to 04 Feb 18

Apollo Lookout 1270l 19 " 05 Feb 18 to 22 Jul 18

Pembroke II 15a2 6654 " 23 Jul 18 to 28 Aug 18

Blenheim (Tilbury) 12 134/16 Ch Stoker 29 Aug 18 to 26 Mar 19

The list goes on until Jul 1922 when he was discharged.

I hope this is okay

Michael

[ARABIS]

Hi Michael,

Here is some info on the ships you have listed for the dates you have listed. I have not included Pembroke as Charles has already dealt with it.

SUTLEJ; 1899 Protected Cruiser [12,000 tons]. Channel Squadron.

BERWICK; 1902 Protected Cruiser [9,800 tons].

ROYAL OAK; 1892 Pre-Dreadnought Battleship [15,585 tons].

VICTORIOUS; 1895 Pre-Dreadnought Battleship [14,900 tons].

TENEDOS; ex-TRIUMPH, 1870 Pre-Dreadnought Battleship converted to Depot Ship 1906. Training ship for Boy Artificers at Chatham 1/1/1906-1910.

ALBERMARLE; 1901 Pre-Dreadnought Battleship [14,000 tons].

BLANCHE; 1909 Light-Cruiser [3,440 tons].

ST. GEORGE; 1892 Cruiser converted to Depot Ship for Destroyers 1909. Depot Ship for the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla at the Nore 1910-12.

TYNE; 1878 vessel. Depot Ship for the 8th Destroyer Flotilla at Chatham 1912-14.

UNDAUNTED; 1914 Light-Cruiser [3,520 tons]. Harwich Force 1914, Battle of Dogger Bank 24/1/15. In April 1915 damaged in a collision with the destroyer Landrail in fog off the German coast. One man killed & two injured.

In March 1916 she was seriously damaged forrard in a collision with the stern of the light-cruiser Cleopatra during an engagement with German destroyers in the North Sea, which resulted in Cleopatra cutting the German destroyer G194 in half. Undaunted was commanded by Capt. F. G. St. John.

APOLLO [LOOKOUT]; APOLLO was a Depot Ship for the 4th Destroyer Flotilla at Devonport 1/9/17-1919. LOOKOUT was a 1914 Destroyer.

BLENHEIM [TILBURY]; BLENHEIM was a 1890 Cruiser converted into a Destroyer Depot Ship & was in the Mediterranean from 1914-1919, 5th Destroyer Flotilla at Brindisi from October 1918, Ismed from December 1918. TILBURY was a 1918 Destroyer.

Your grandfather rose through the ratings from Stoker to Chief Stoker which is Chief Petty Officer equivalent.

I`m sure others will add to this but I hope this will do for now.

Cheers,

ARABIS.

[michael9943]

Hi ARABIS. Thank you very much for your information on the ships.

It brings to life all the scraps of information I already have. I am impressed

at the wealth of knowledge out there.

Best Regards

Michael

[Toms girl]

Hi Michael

My Grand father was on three of the ships that your GR.Father was on at roughly the same time,

Blenheim, Undaunted and the St George. I havent gor a lot of info on the two depot ships ie

St George and Blenheim but he was on the Undaunted on the first day of the war.

Regards

Margarette

[michael9943]

Hi Margarette, Nice to hear from you and that our Grandfathers may have been shipmates. Can you give me details of your Grandfather and do you have any photos taken when they were on the undaunted. My Grandfather was Stephen Morris a Stoker and would have been 34 when he joined Undaunted.

Regards

Michael

[Toms girl]

Hi Michael

My G.F was only 24 when he joined the Undaunted I think on the first day of the war.

He was a Ldg.Sig. then. I do have some photos somewhere I will try and find them. He was on the Blenheim in 1918 and St George up to Oct 1911. It seems very strange when you find other peoples' relations on the same ships. But then they were real people. He loved Pemboke and there is a plaque there saying he was in charge of the bar for some time.

(Thats my boy) Ragrds Margarette

[sadsac]

Michael / Margarette, here are two for UNDAUNTED for your time scale - shows where they were and what doing ;

ST JOHN Francis G MVO Captain RN 78C002

Undaunted Commodore (T) 04.06.17 Gazetted

Harwich Force 1914 - 1917 Commander of the Bath

Has been in command of the 10th Flotilla during the war, and has on several occasions carried out successful operations, when in command of portions of the Harwich Force. Unremitting in carrying out arduous duties, and has been of great assistance.

FOX Cecil H N/E Captain RN 78C001

Undaunted Commodore Tyrwhitt N/E N/E

Destroyer Action off Dutch Coast 17.10.14 LV

Caught and sank German T.B.D's "S.115", "S.117", "S.118" and S.119".

Regards Sadsac

[michael9943]

Thanks Margarette, Look forward to seeing what photos you have. My mother will be pleased if you have as she hasn't anything of her father's.

Michael

[Toms girl]

Hi Sadsac/Michael

My Undaunted was in the Harwich Fleet, thanks for your info Sadsac. As far as the Photos

go it will be after Christmas as I will have to crawl abut in the loft, but I wont forget.

Regards Margarette

[Steve M Perkins]

Hi Michael & all,

My great uncle also served on the Pembrooke 2, as well as the Victorious, Dido, Attentive 2 & finally on the Gaillardia which he sadly died on when it sank after hitting a mine or torpedo.

His name was Henry John Miller (300159), he was also a stoker 1st class (I'm not sure what the 1st class actually means).

Regards Steve

[Guest]

Hi

 

I am researching my Grandfather William Shotton Wilson.  He Served on the Pembroke 2 in 1929 - 1933 and Greenwich (Shark) & Cumberland.  I am just looking for Pictures of the ships and his fellows if anyone has any available please? His Son William Shotton Wilson JNR  also served in the Royal Navy, he was born in 1934.  Many thanks

[horatio2]

Loads of images online.  The RN Barracks, Chatham (HMS PEMBROKE) here - 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=rn+barracks+chatham&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjVnqDg59jcAhWMKMAKHVZmDDkQ_AUICygC&biw=1229&bih=587

'S' Class destroyer here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S-class_destroyer_(1917)

HMS CUMBERLAND here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cumberland_(57)

He did not serve in the depot ship HMS GREENWICH. He was only borne on her books for pay while serving in SHARK.

[Guest]

Hello, I am currently researching my grandfather's WW1 service and would appreciate trying to clear up a few things.

Robert Orton enlisted in Jan. 1916 and was posted to HMS Pembroke II.  I believe that this was a RN Barracks.  The hand writing on the one page of his service record is a challenge to read, but it is clear that Bob was based at HMS Pembroke, then HMS Actaeon (another shore base) and then back to Pembroke. 

There are no mentions of any ship-board deployment.  We do have a brass badge with his name on it alongside an inscription of "Torpedo Boat 113".  I also have a photo of him and 11 others in dress uniform in the deck of what is clearly a capital ship.

Bob was a Fitter and Turner by trade; could he have permanently posted on shore bases to ply his trade on-site?

Can anyone provide me with any thoughts?  

 

 

Edited 12 February , 2020 by Guest

[Steviebullsatatter]

No expert but wasn't the pembroke a royal navy training ship moored in the estuary. 

And wasn't pembroke 11 hit by a shell killing many ?

Someone on here will know...and I'll just apologise lol

My wife's gt grandfather served on a couple of those ships as a stoker too

[horatio2]

3 hours ago, John Tait said:

Robert Orton enlisted in Jan. 1916 and was posted to HMS Pembroke II.  I believe that this was a RN Barracks.

The RN Barracks, Chatham, was HMS PEMBROKE. The PEMBROKE pay and admin office was divided into sections (I, II, III, etc), each of which handled a different set of naval personnel. Some ships which did not carry their own pay accounts were 'tenders' to a larger pay office. [Thus: PEMBROKE I (NONSUCH)] Each shore establishment was given a nominal commissioned ship (sometimes only a boat) as regulations required that men could only be drafted to an HM ship in commission. This requirement endured until the 1960s. PEMBROKE had at least eight different nominal ships over the years, including the original PEMBROKE (1812).

 

2 hours ago, Steviebullsatatter said:

And wasn't pembroke 11 hit by a shell killing many ?

The PEMBROKE barracks were bombed. It is not correct to say that the PEMBROKE II pay office was hit, although many casualties were borne on the books of PEMBROKE II.