JOSEPH EWART LYMN Able Seaman 218307
H.M.S. "Good Hope." Royal Navy
Died 01/11/1914 Age:28
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

Born the son of Charles and Ann Lymn at Oldbury on 18th August 1886, Joseph Ewart Lymn grew up to become the husband of Eva Lymn, living in Upper Zoar Street, Wolverhampton. As a member of the Royal Fleet Reserve he was on an annual two-week training exercise immediately prior to the outbreak of war and was instantly recalled to active service. As Able Seaman 218307 in the Royal Navy, Joseph was killed in action at the age of 28 years on 1st November 1914 when his ship HMS Good Hope was sunk at the Battle of Coronel (named from a small town on the coast of Chile off which the battle was fought) by the German battleship Scharnhorst at around 2000 hours on 1 November 1914. Although only 12 years old, the armoured cruiser Good Hope was slow and out-gunned compared to the modern German ships of the day and 90% of it’s crew were reservists. The Good Hope was hit many times and was ablaze from stem to stern before finally sinking. HMS Monmouth was sunk in the same engagement, a total of over 1,500 men losing their lives in the two ships. In contrast the casualties aboard the Scharnhorst were reported as two men wounded.
Joseph’s body was lost at sea and he is officially commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire. He is also commemorated on the family grave marker in St. Phillip’s churchyard, Pennfields, Wolverhampton. Buried in that plot along with other family members is his son Joseph Jellicoe Lymn who died on 17th September 1914 aged only 17 days and whom his father would never have seen. The loss of her baby and her husband in such a short space of time proved too much for Eva who suffered a nervous breakdown, leaving her other son Kenneth to be raised by his grandparents. Joseph’s 3 brothers Frank, Edward and Gordon also served.

Joseph Lymn,

Along with William Tuck, Alfred Tuck and the other 1,651 men aboard the Monmouth and Good Hope that died this day in 1914.

You are Not Forgotten.

Roy, thank you for posting the additional information about Joseph so that we learn more about the person you are asking us to remember.

Best regards,

Ian.

What a sad story, it highlights the sometimes unseen suffering and consequences at home!

Remembering

Thank you for the freedom that I enjoy.

RIP

Scottie.

In rememberance of Joseph and his family.

Gone but not forgotten

Kind regards

Steve

Freedom is Not Free, We Will Remember.

Remembering all those lost that day and those left behind at home.

Thank you
Stephen