gord97138 Posted 14 April , 2004 Share Posted 14 April , 2004 Looking for some info on a relative: John Edward Ritchie #K/22464-DOD: 09/06/1915. Checked the CWGC and he was listed as: Stoker 1st Class-Royal Navy-H.M.S. Dublin. Was wondering if anyone knew the action that took place on the "Dublin" at this time to cause his death. Any other info(family) or Service would be appreciated! thanks gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 14 April , 2004 Share Posted 14 April , 2004 Gordon, HMS Dublin, Chatham class 2nd Class Cruiser was in the Med 1914-1915. I have no idea what action she was involved with on 9th June 1915 but, from the date, it may have been Gallipoli related. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gord97138 Posted 15 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Malcom: Thanks for the info on the ship class-I'm going to try a google search and see what I can come up with! I did find a photo of the HMS Dublin(c1912)! gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Gordon HMS Dublin was at Gallipoli and involved in the landing at 'Y' Beach 25-26th April 1915 [see ref page 133 in R. Rhodes-James' "Gallipoli"] Regret I have not seen any info re 'Dublin' on the 9th June 1915 regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Further to my above post: I note that the CWGC has this man down as buried in the Bari War Cemetery and they give the following – “The cemetery also contains 85 First World War burials, brought in from Brindisi Communal Cemetery in 1981. Most of these burials are of officers and men of the Adriatic drifter fleet which had close associations with Brindisi during the First World War.” This seems to suggest that at sometime between the landings at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 and Ritchie’s death on 9 June 1915, the ‘Dublin’ was withdrawn from the Dardanelles theatre? Regards Michael D.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 If Brindisi then the Dublin may have been assisting the blockage of the Gulf of Otranto to prevent U Boats getting into the Med. There has been a previous post on the drifter losses in the Adriatic on the forum. Worth a search. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Alton Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 On 9 June 1915 Dublin (Capt John D Kelly), while operating in the Adriatic, was torpedoed and damaged by the Austro-Hungarian submarine U4 (LSL Rudolf Singule). The torpedo struck on her port side in No.1 stokehold. 13 of her crew were killed. Dublin was part of a RN force of 4 pre-dreadnought battleships and 4 cruisers sent to the Adriatic in late May 1915. These ships were detached from the RN forces off the Dardanelles and sent to operate under the Italians as a result of the Anglo-French-Italian Naval Agreement of 10 May 1915. On 8 June 1915, Dublin carried out a sweep of the Albanian coast with French and Italian destroyers, the following day while returning to Brindisi, she was attacked by Singule, who skilfully avoided her escorting destroyers and fired 2 torpedoes at the cruiser from 500 yards. Dublin spotted the submarine’s periscope at the last moment and turned towards it, avoiding one torpedo, but the second struck the cruiser. Although considerably damaged Dublin was able to make Brindisi without further incident. The above info is taken from ‘Mediterranean Submarines’ by Michael Wilson and Paul Kemp, Crecy Books 1997, ‘The Naval War in the Mediterranean 1914 – 1918’ by Paul Halpern, Allen and Unwin 1987 and ‘The Royal Navy in the Mediterranean 1915-18’ edited by Paul Halpern, Navy Records Society 1987. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 15 April , 2004 Share Posted 15 April , 2004 There we go then!!! It's nice when PALS get the information together. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gord97138 Posted 15 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2004 Dave,Malcom & Mike: Thanks so much for the info-it really helped a lot! The family had a partial story-looks like you've really filled in the blanks! I'll be emailing this info to them over in England today(I'm in the USA)- They'll appreciate it very much! Now I just have to track the parents address! I'll have them try and find his Service Records! gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gord97138 Posted 15 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 15 April , 2004 I just found this also on a search: HMS Dublin HMS Dublin served with the 1st battle squadron once commissioned and transferred to the 1st light cruiser squadron in the Mediterranean in July 1913. By September 1913 she was with the 2nd light cruiser squadron. In February 1915 she was sent to the Dardanelles and later Brindisi. She was damaged by an Austrian u-boat in June the same year but was repaired and returned to serve with the 2nd squadron of the Grand Fleet from 1916-18. During this time she saw action at Jutland being hit a number of times in the night action. She was then commissioned for the 6th squadron at the Africa Station from January 1920 until 1924, though she served for a short time in April with the 3rd squadron in the Med. She was then sent into reserve before being sold in 1926, she ran aground while going to the breakers but was refloated in July 1927. gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel999 Posted 24 April , 2004 Share Posted 24 April , 2004 I have a pair of trios and plaques to brothers by the name of Hocking. One was KIA in 1914 at Coronel and the other..a stoker, was killed in the torpedo attack on DUBLIN. The torpedo hit "A" stokehold...which is where all the casualties occured. The ships log of DUBLIN in the PRO gives quite a few details of the incident. Seem to recall that the men were initially interred in one cemetry but moved to another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gord97138 Posted 24 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 24 April , 2004 Nigel: Thanks for that info on the Dublin and the Stoker(Hocking)! In a email from my relitives in England they claim that Ritchie was also a Stoker when it was torpedoed! Do you happen to have any of the info from the Pro on the Dublin? gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel999 Posted 24 April , 2004 Share Posted 24 April , 2004 I did have a transcript from the ships log...of DUBLIN....but not sure if its in my files....(My stuuf is in store ..moving home) Its not on my PC anymore....from memory I do believe that there is a file concerning the casualties in the ADM series at the PRO ...a search of PROCAT should throw it up. From memory I think all those killed were stokers..and I do recall that one of the mens bodies was not found untill a day or 2 days after the attack ..while repairs being done i assume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gord97138 Posted 25 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2004 Nigel: A great help you've been- I do appreciate it! I went to the Procat and found the reference numbers for the Hms Dublin. Adm 1/8458/129 & Adm 1/8424/170. Since I live here in the States and won't be back over in England until June-I'm going to send this info to the relatives and hope they look it up.-I always need the rest of the story! thanks gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nigel999 Posted 3 June , 2004 Share Posted 3 June , 2004 Gordon...I have found my notes at last.. This transcript is as I received it...Its from ADM53/40235 .....I was right from memory about the man being found later...but it was a lot longer than the day or two...Your man Ritchie as well...Can only guess he was blown by the explosion into an inaccessible place , or perhaps covered in coal?...Anyhow...here's the details...quite something eh? Tuesday 8.6.15 "18.35 Slipped (Brindisi) in company with 4 Italian and 3 French ...(?)." Wednesday 9.6.15 2.30am "Italian destroyers parted company" 7.OOam "Italian destroyers rejoined" "8.15am [Temp: 70 deg F, Heading N27E] 338 revs as as req't to keep rough station 3’ on star beam of RN "Nino Biscio" and ... for zig-zagging." 9.32am "Sighted periscope, 500 yards on port bow. Opened fire. Hard-a-Starb'd. Full speed ahead." 9.34am "Ship struck by one torpedo port side in A-Boiler Room. Full speed astern." 9.50am "... worked to 17 Kts zig-zagging to avoid submarine." 11.10am "Opened fire on periscope on Stb bow." 12.26pm "Hands shoring up bulkheads. All guns manned." 2.OOpm "Co and speed as req't into Brindisi." 3.20pm "Secured to 2&3 Buoys." 4.OOpm "Inner Harbour. Italian salvage vessel "Titana" secured alongside." 5.OOpm "Mustered by open list. Let fire die down>" The following were listed in the log as casualties on the day ... the may be errors due to mis-interpreting the handwriting: D.D. Fred J Santells ERAc 269048 Chief Sto Easterley 299828 Stokr PO Walter Reed 294181 Chas W Arnold K5682 Lg Sto Harry Trotter K11706 Sto Jas Harris 309403 Sto E Ritchie 22414 Sto Willie Howarth K16442 Sto Hocking K14400 Sto Thos W Medley K5229 Fire [?] Emanuele Seisur Malta RNR E94 Fire [?] Michele Simpson Malta RNR F606 Sto Brown Ch 8543B Wednesday 16.6.15 The Dublin is shown at No 2&3 Buoys at Brindisi 6.20am "Landed Funeral Party for the funeral of 12 men killed in action on the 9th inst” 10am "Embarked Funeral Party" Tuesday 22.6.15 Noon "Recovered from A stokehold the body of the late JE Ritchie, Sto ON K22464" [*Although the number is not the same in the original list for some reason he was buried later than the others] Wednesday 23.6.15 5pm "Landed funeral party for the funeral of the late JE Ritchie, Sto" Boilers were then lit on Monday 24.6.15 and she slipped at 5am on the 25th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gord97138 Posted 3 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 3 June , 2004 Nigel: I can't thank you enough for finding the added info on Ritchie! I'm heading back to England on the 14th June for two weeks vacation with my my girllfriend and my two daughters. You have made a family over there very happy with this information which I'll pass on to them. We have been searching long and hard for this and any other info we can get. Hoping to make it to the Pro for some service records of my grandmothers first husband who was KIA on 11/7/1917, but, that's another story. I thank you again for this-you've went above and beyond the call! gordon USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gord97138 Posted 17 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 17 June , 2004 Nigel: I just flew in to England Monday night-Am staying in Colchester for two weeks! Hoping to make it to the Pro. The family was very overjoyed to get the info you got for me-They wanted me to thank you! They were wondering if you had a copy of the ships log on this incident that I could get from you? A cousin is heading over to the memorial in a month or so-I'll have them get photo's for you. gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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