392 replies to this topic

[horatio2]

SNEYD was Chatham/17455.

[Cnock]

Hi,

indeed 17455 on his burial stone!
in letter CWGC unfortunately indicated as CH/14455

regards,

Cnock

[domwalsh]

John, re your question below, did I ever get back to you? Sorry to be so inefficient! Dom

oxandbucks, on 23 April 2011 - 11:18 AM, said:

Dom

Do you have anything on:

HURST, GERALD WALTER, Gunner RMA/15033, 4th R.M. Bn. Royal Marine Artillery, (H.M.S. Vindictive)

recently discovered to have been left off our parish roll. Buried at Dover.

John

[oxandbucks]

Dom

You didn't but equally inefficiently I'd forgotten I'd asked!

John

[domwalsh]

Ha ha! I have loads on him. Hurst was killed in the foretop of the Vindictive manning a gun alongside Sgt Finch RMA who won the VC for his gallantry that day. Will be in touch. Dom

[oxandbucks]

Dom

Fantastic.  You should have got my e-mail address in response to the PM you sent me.  Give me a shout if it didn't come through.

John

[domwalsh]

Yup, have sent you an email my friend.

[domwalsh]

Remembering that gallant band led by Roger Keyes who attacked Zeebrugge on St George's Day 1918. They may not have slain the German dragon but they gave its tail a damned good twist.

[domwalsh]

Good to see Dover keeping their memory alive:

Daring raiders of the Dover Patrol are remembered
26 April 2012
East Kent Mercury

THE bravery of the men of the Dover Patrol was honoured on Monday at annual ceremonies in the town.

The Mayor, Cllr Ronnie Philpott, led the town's commemoration at St James' Cemetery, where many of those who served in the Dover Patrol are buried, and then at Dover Town Hall where she rang the Zeebrugge Bell.

Following the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Germany swept through Belgium routing the country's army and capturing the Belgian coast.

There they commandeered the ship canal at Bruges as a base for submarines (U-boats), as it provided outlets to the North Sea at Zeebrugge and Ostend.

The German intention was to force Britain to surrender by the destruction of shipping on which we depended for food and other supplies. It was in order to protect supply lines that the Dover Patrol was formed.

Although the German blockade was reduced in April 1917, about 875,000 tons of British and Allied shipping was destroyed and the subsequent food shortages led to the introduction of rationing.

The Admiralty proposed a daring raid on the Zeebrugge and Ostend outlets of the Bruges U-boat base and Vice-Admiral Roger Keyes was appointed to formulate a plan.

He proposed to sink blockships in the canals leading to Bruges in order to prevent the German submarines getting out.

The raid took place on April 23 1918.

Vice-Admiral Keyes commanded the mission from his flagship Warwick. Vindictive was the main cruiser and the flotilla included the destroyer Faulkner, commandeered Mersey ferries, two submarines, 34 motor launches, 16 motorboats and 10 assorted vessels.

Three concrete-filled blockships, Thetis, Intrepid and Iphigenia, were towed across the Channel.

The mission was successful although of the 1,700 men who went, 200 were killed and 400 wounded. Of those killed, 156 were brought back to Dover and 66 were buried in St James' Cemetery.

In recognition of the Zeebrugge Raid, King Albert I of Belgium presented Dover with the bell that had hung at the end of the Zeebrugge Mole and it now hangs outside the town hall, where it is rung at noon on April 23 each year.

On Monday, it was preceded by the traditional service and wreath-laying ceremony at St James' Cemetery. A band from Belgium came to Dover for the commemorations.

[MikeW2936]

Dom,

I have been researching the broader family history of Captain John Maurice Palmer.  On discovering this thread I’ve ended up being totally absorbed by the story of the Zeebrugge raid itself.

I’d appreciate any information you have on him as I notice he’s mentioned on this forum.  Have already put together an overview of his early life and career from UK Census Records, Navy Lists, London Gazette, medal rolls.  But more detail is always welcome.

From various web sites and his citation, which says he was 2IC Charlie Company, it appears he would have assumed command of the company before the first troops even got onto the mole.  If I have it right, the CO and his 2IC were killed by the same shell so as the next senior officer his own company commander, a Major Bernard Weller, took over the battalion??

Happy to share his family background if of interest for your book.  The interesting thing for me is that four out of six Palmer brothers served professionally and/or in war out of which three received awards for gallantry of various levels.

Regards,

Mike Wheatley

[nickkeeler]

Good morning Dom, only just found this thread following a snippet from a family member that her Grandfather was involved in the Zeebruge raids in April 1918. His name was Thomas Henry Knowles and he was in the Royal Marines. The family story goes along the lines that towards the end of the engagement he was thrown into a boat amongst the bodies of his colleagues who had been wounded / killed as he appeared to be dead. He came round surrounded by the carnage. I dont have a lot more information than that but would welcome any details that you have of him.
Truly an amazing story and such bravery in the face of huge adversity, difficult to imagine in this day and age!

many thanks

Nick Keeler - Bristol

[MichaelBully]

Strange to say that I have only just noticed this thread but have been avidly following other Zeebrugge related  discussions such as this one

http://1914-1918.inv...topic=174174

I know it's a long way off but it was wondering about GWF pals outing to Dover for the Zeebrugge commemoration 23rd April 2013, especially for those of us who have not been before.

Regards
Michael Bully

[domwalsh]

Mike & Nick - have sent PMs. V best, Dom

[domwalsh]

Here's a pic of Captain Palmer, who won a bar to the DSC for his actions at Zeebrugge after refusing to leave his men on the Mole and being made POW

 PALMER Capt JM 4th Batt officers crop.jpg   42.63K   0 downloads

[Philip Wilson]

Here is Capt. J.M.PALMER'S entry on page 149 of  Fringes of the Fleet and the Distinguished Service Cross by R.C.Witte, published in 1997:

 Palmer DSC and bar..jpg   50.76K   3 downloads


Philip

[domwalsh]

Thanks Philip, I will make sure Mike sees this. Dom

[domwalsh]

Interestingly, one of Capt Palmer's men later (quite a few years later) claimed that he had tried to alert Palmer that the recall had been sounded and that they should get back to the Vindictive. He alleges that Palmer was drunk and sent him away with a flea in his ear. This Private (who made it back to the ship in time) blamed Palmer for the resultant departure of the Vindictive without a dozen or so Plymouth men and their subsequent incarceration as POWs.
Can this be true? I'm sure quite a few of those who took part in the raid partook of some Dutch courage ahead what was accepted as a suicide mission, though I'd be surprised if Palmer would have been rewarded with a DSC if he'd been drunk and behaved irresponsibly. I guess we'll never know the truth of the matter.

[domwalsh]

Lovely feature in the Times sports section today based on Stephen Cooper's new book on the Rosslyn Park RFC players who perished in the Great War, with a particular focus on Lt-Cdr Arthur Harrison who was awarded a posthumous VC for his part in the St George's Day raid on Zeebrugge in 1918. Terrific piece. Haven't seen the book yet (other than a proof of the chapter on Harrison) but looks like a cracking Christmas present to ask the kids for!

http://www.thetimes....icle3593470.ece