Training Ship Mercury Roll of Honour – 1914-1919
(Updated 23rd November 2019 with 55 names)
On the Mercury War Memorial in Hamble Churchyard except for those names marked *
*0284 George William Stone – Went to sea as a Deck Boy in the Union Steamship Company vessel Trojan. He later settled in Johannesburg, South Africa and during WW1 served in France with the 3rd Battalion South African Infantry Regiment (the Transvaal Regiment). He was killed in action on the Somme on 1st August 1916 and his name is on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.
0296 Walter G.H. Pope – Royal Navy Master-at-Arms in the cruiser HMS Good Hope when she was sunk with all hands at the Battle of Coronel off the coast of Chile, 1st November 1914. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
0333 John Bradford – Private with the 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment. He was one of the ‘Old Contemptibles’ of the BEF who fought at Mons and was killed in action on 12th October 1914 during the First Battle of Ypres. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the British Memorial to the Missing at L Ferté-sous-Jouarre on the River Marne.
0335 Charles Archibald Willmer – Royal Marines Band Sergeant in the cruiser HMS Monmouth that was sunk with all hands at the Battle of Coronel off the coast of Chile 1st November 1914. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
*0374 Joseph Godfrey – Royal Navy Able Seaman in the destroyer HMS Flirt that formed part of the Dover Patrol. On the 2nd June 1916 Joseph was one of six crew members who lost their lives in a boat accident while the ship was moored off Pevensey. He is buried in the Kingston Cemetery in Portsmouth.
0512 James Victor Vear – Lance Corporal with the 9th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. He was taken prisoner during the Battle of Loos and died on 9th October 1915, presumably of wounds. After the war ended all British POWs who had died in German hands were reburied, mostly in the Cologne Southern Cemetery, where James’ remains now lie.
0554 Chesney Louis Pitt – Private with the 48th Battalion of the Australian Infantry Regiment. He was killed in the Somme region on 3rd October 1918 and is buried at the Picquigny British Cemetery near Amiens. His name is also on the Australian National War Memorial in Canberra.
0667 Thomas Charles Kibblewhite – Royal Naval Reserve Able Seaman in the cruiser HMS Euryalus. Was one of 63 of the ship’s crew killed while landing the 1st Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers from open boats at ‘W’ Beach, Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915. At the storming of this well defended open beach the Lancashire’s famously won their ‘six VCs before breakfast’. His name is on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
0691 Walter Griffin – Private with the 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. He joined the Regiment in France in April 1915 and died of wounds on 20th June 1915 after the desperate fighting at Bellewaarde and is buried at the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension at Oise near Arras.
0692 Harold Matthews – Bandsman with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Killed in action in France 12th July 1915 during the Battle of the Somme. Buried in the Military Extension to the Churchyard of the village of Erquinghem-Lys near Armentiere.
0700 Joseph Patrick Doherty – Platoon Sergeant with the 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment who had also served in the South African campaign. Declined a field commission and was killed in France while leading his men in an attack on enemy positions at Vimy Ridge 29th April 1916. Buried in the Ecoivres Military Cemetery near Arras.
0729 William James Sheppard –Royal Navy Able Seaman in the destroyer HMS Shark sunk at the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
0732 Edward Tring – Royal Marines Bandsman in the St. Vincent Class battleship HMS Vanguard when she sank at Scapa Flow following an explosion from an unknown cause 9th July 1917. 843 men went down with the ship making it the Royal Navy’s biggest single loss of life. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
0762 Upton Selway – Royal Navy Petty Officer in the battleship HMS Neptune when he died on 30th November 1918. Buried in the Dalmeny and Queensferry Cemetery in Scotland.
0771 Arthur Riley – Mercantile Marine Reserve Steward in the armed merchant cruiser HMS Alcantara torpedoed and sunk in the Skaggarakduring an action with the German raider Greif on 29th February 1916. 73 of the crew were lost including Arthur Riley. His name is on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
*0786 Hamilton Lacey Street – Private with the 20th Battalion Royal Fusilliers killed in action in the Arras area on 4th March 1917. His name is on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.
0815 Arthur Theodore Perry – Private with the Medical Corp of the New Zealand Army who embarked with the New Zealand Infantry Brigade for Egypt in October 1914. With the Brigade he later went to Gallipoli with the ANZAC’s where he died of wounds on 22nd May 1915. He is buried at the Beach Cemetery in Anzac Cove, Gallipoli.
0842 Godfrey Horace Beavis – Private with the 72nd Battalion of the Canadian Infantry (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada) that travelled to France in August 1916. Godfrey was killed in action in the Canal-du-Nord area on 29th September 1918. His name is on the Vimy Memorial.
0866 Henry William Wellings DCM, Cross of St George (Russia) – Acting Captain with the 17th Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps, he was badly wounded in the Acheux area of the Western Front on 19th October 1918 and died the following day. Henry is buried in the Gezaincourt Communal Cemetery Extension and his name is on the First World War Memorial in St Pauls Church, Cove near Wolverhampton.
0893 William Cecil Hubie-Axe – Royal Navy Able Seaman in the cruiser HMS Hawke, one of the oldest vessels in the fleet, when it was torpedoed 60 miles off Aberdeen by U-9 on the 15th October 1914. Over 500 men, including William, went down with the ship. His name is on the Chatham Naval Memorial
0898 Samuel Francis Ennever – Private with the 2nd Battalion Norfolk Regiment. At the end of April 1916 he was captured by the Turks after the siege and eventual fall of Kut. Of the 261 survivors from the Norfolks taken prisoner at Kut only 78 came home. Samuel was not one of them. He was interned at Angora and died of dysentery on 22nd February 1918 at the Maltepe Hospital. He was originally buried in the Ferikoy Protestant Cemetery in Istanbul but was later reburied with other POWs at the Haidar Pasha CWGC Cemetery in Kadikoy. He is also commemorated at the East London Cemetery, Plaistow, London.
0922 William Frederick Head – Private with the 2nd Battalion Norfolk Regiment during the Mesopotamia Campaign and was another former Mercury boy to be captured by the Turks at the fall of Kut on the 29th April 1916. War office records indicate he died whilst a POW on 14th October 1916. His name is on the Basra Memorial.
0987 Charles Frank Doick – Royal Navy Able Seaman in the cruiser HMS Black Prince sunk at the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the war memorial in Holy Trinity Churchyard, Cuckfield, Sussex and the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
0988 Reginald George Baggs – Royal Navy Leading Seaman in the destroyer HMS Ardent sunk at the Battle of Jutland 1st June 1916. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
0992 Arthur Maurice Driver – Royal Navy Able Seaman in the cruiser HMS Good Hope when she was sunk with all hands at the Battle of Coronel off the coast of Chile, 1st November 1914. His name is on the War Memorial at All Souls Church at Hutton in Essex and the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
1007 Dudley Moore – After leaving Mercury in 1909 he went to Canada and during WW1 he was killed in France while serving with the Canadian forces. Probably the D. Moore a Private with the 4th Battalion Central Ontario Regiment killed on 19th September 1916 during an assault by the Canadian Corps that commenced on the 15th September as part of the Somme offensive. He is buried in the Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension north-east of Amiens.
1014 Archibald George Steere – Royal Navy Able Seaman Torpedoman in the ‘K’ Class destroyer HMS Lynx when she struck a mine in the Moray Firth on 9th August 1915. He was one of 70 crew members who lost their lives. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval War Memorial
1015 George Norman Wall – Royal Navy Able Seaman in the cruiser HMS Black Prince sunk at the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
1023 John Edwin May – Drummer with 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 6th Division. Killed in action France 2nd November 1914. Buried in Pont du Hem Military Cemetery, La Gorge, Nord, France.
1029 Harold Leonard – Royal Navy Able Seaman in the Invincible Class battle cruiser HMS Indomitable whenhe drowned on 17th July 1915. Buried in Dalmeny and Queensferry Cemetery, Scotland.
1031 George Macfarlane – Royal Navy Able Seamanin the cruiser HMS Black Prince when she wassunk at the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
1068 Dudley James Cox – Gunner with the Berks Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery. Killed in action during the Allies advance in to Palestine, probably at the Battle of Mughar Ridge, on 14th November 1917. His name is on the Jerusalem Memorial.
1071 William Charles Dale – Royal Navy Able Seaman in the battle cruiser HMS Invincible flagship of the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron when she was sunk at the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
1088 Philip Edward Leverington – Royal Navy Signalman in the destroyer HMS Torch when hedied of illness 31st October 1918. He is buried in Dunfermline Cemetery.
1104 Frederick Barrett Nash – Mercantile Marine 4thOfficer in the Clan Macpherson torpedoed and sunk 4th March 1918 by U-27 north of Cape Serrat on the coast of Tunisia while on passage from Malta to Colon. His name is on the Merchant Navy Memorial on Tower Hill, London.
1107 Julian Brookes-Ball – Sergeant with the 26th Australian Infantry Battalion. He was killed in action on the 29th July 1916 during the Battle of Poziéres, part of the Somme offensive. He is buried in the Poziéres British Cemetery.
1108 Harry George Pilcher – Royal Navy Able Seaman in the cruiser HMS Black Prince when she was sunkat the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the Newport, Isle of Wight War Memorial and the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
1167 Victor Henry Gadd – Royal Navy Boy 1st Class in the Canopus Class pre-Dreadnought battleship HMS Goliath when she was sunk by a German commanded and crewed Turkish torpedo-boat destroyer off Cape Helles, Dardanelles during the Gallipoli campaign 15th May 1915. His name is on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
1225 Victor Powell – Royal Navy Able Seaman in the cruiser HMS Defence, flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron when she was sunk at the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
1230 Thomas Stephen “Kruger” Clark – Royal Navy Boy 1st Class in the pre-Dreadnought battleship HMS Formidable. He was one of 512 crew members lost with the ship when it was sunk by a U-24 off Start Point on the Devon coast 1st January 1915. His name is on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
1232 Francis Distance – Royal Navy Ordinary Seaman in the cruiser HMS Defence, flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron when she was sunk at the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the First World War Memorial Panel in St Mary Bishophill Church, York and the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
1238 Leonard James Cornelius – Royal Navy Ordinary Seaman in the cruiser HMS Defence flagship of the 1st Cruiser Squadron when she was sunk at the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
1273 Harold Cane – Royal Navy Ordinary Seaman in the battleship HMS Iron Duke when he died 14th November 1917. Buried in Minehead Cemetery.
1311 Herbert John Gutteridge – Royal Navy Boy Seaman 1st Class in the minesweeper HMS Dryad when he died of an illness 28th August 1917. Buried in Hertford Cemetery.
1317 William Thomas Reed – Royal Navy. Ordinary Seaman at HMS Vivid, the Devonport Naval Barracks. Died of pneumonia 18th October 1918. Buried in All Saints Churchyard, Steep, Hampshire.
1321 James Ernest Curtis – Royal Navy. Boy Telegraphist in the St. Vincent Class battleship HMS Vanguard that sank at Scapa Flow following an explosion from an unknown cause 9th July 1917. 843 men went down with the ship making it the Royal Navy’s biggest single loss of life. His name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
1328 John Gordon Dunn – Royal Navy. Boy 2nd Class. Died three months after leaving Mercury at the Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth 16th February 1916 while under training at HMS Impregnable. Buried in Chipping Camden Churchyard.
1344 Robert Robinson Smythe – Royal Navy Boy Seaman 1st Class in battle cruiser HMS Queen Mary when she was sunk at the Battle of Jutland 31st May 1916. His name is on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
1395 Longley Evans Martin Woofindin – Mercantile Marine Apprentice in R. S. Dalgleish & Co., vessel Farnworth. He died at the Royal Hamadryad Seamans Hospital in Cardiff in August 1918 from injuries suffered when he fell down a ships hold in the port. He is buried in Great Gonerby Churchyard, Lincolnshire.
1457 Edward Curtis – Royal Navy Boy Seaman 1st Class in the armed merchant cruiser HMS Arlanza when he died 23rd July 1918 following an explosion on the vessel. He was buried at sea and his name is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
1490 John Henry Rankine – Mercantile Marine Deck Boy in the hospital ship Glenart Castle sunk by U-boat UC56 20 miles off Hartland Point, Devon on 26th February 1918. A memorial to the 162 crew and military personnel who were lost was dedicated at Hartland Point in February 2002. John was one of three brothers who were at Mercury together in 1915. His name is on the Merchant Navy Memorial, Tower Hill, London.
1504 Sidney Charles Odd – Mercantile Marine Apprentice in the British flag ss Kut Sang torpedoed 40 miles ESE of Cape Palos, Spain on 29th April 1918. His name is on the Merchant Navy Memorial, Tower Hill, London and the Sutton Grammar School Memorial.
1511 David Jenkins – Royal Navy Boy Seaman.His name is on the Mercury 1914-18 War Memorial but not in naval records. According to Mercury records he died of consumption on 14th February 1919.