The Wartime Memories Project - The Great War

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HMS Begonia HMS Begonia, built by Barclay Curle, was a Flower Class Sloop of the Azalea class launched on 26th August 1915. Azalea class sloops were single-screw Fleet Sweeping Vessels with triple hulls at the bows to give extra protection against loss when working. She was converted to a Q-ship in 1916 and renamed Q 10, SS Dolcis Jessop. Q-ships, or Q-boats, Decoy Vessels, Special Service Ships or Mystery Ships, were heavily armed merchant ships which lured submarines into surface attacks in order to sink them. The Flower class sloops were designed on merchant ship lines thus making them easily adaptable for conversion to Q-ships. These all had single funnels, and as the merchant ship silhouette was left to the builders, variations were many. The Flower-Q's were employed mainly on convoy and anti-submarine work. Nine were lost during the war. The ship was lost 6th October 1917 in the Atlantic after colliding with, or being torpedoed by, U151. Looking for help with Family History Research?      Please read our Family History FAQ's Thanks to everyone who attended our event We are now on Facebook. Like this page to receive our updates, add a comment or ask a question. If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page. Dec 2011     Please note we currently have a large backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great List of those who served on HMS Begonia during The Great War Stoker lst class. John Edward Fisher (d.6th Oct 1917) Probationer Surgeon. Wesley Cope Holdsworth (d.17th Oct 1917) Read his Story. Surgeon Probationer Wesley Cope Holdsworth (d.6th Oct 1917) Read his Story. Probationer Surgeon. Wesley Cope Holdsworth HMS Begonia (d.17th Oct 1917) Wesley Holdsworth was, my Great Great Uncle, all I know was that he was a very academically talented boy, who won many awards whilst at school for being a top student. He joined the Navy as a probationer surgeon, but was tragically killed when HMS Begonia, a Q Class sloop, was lost in the Atlantic (possibly in the Bristol Channel?) when it was sunk with all hands having either been torpedoed or colliding with a German U Boat. Tragically, his brother Arther Holdsworth was killed less than a year later whilst serving as a Captain with the Lancashire Fusiliers, succumbing to wounds whilst a POW, which he received on the Western Front. He had already been awarded the Military Cross. They were both survived by their eldest brother, Benjamin Holdsworth, who served in Mesopotania. Surgeon Probationer Wesley Cope Holdsworth HMS Begonia (d.6th Oct 1917) Wes was a gifted academic at school, winning many prizes for his efforts. On leaving, he changed his plans to read Arts at Glasgow because of the war, and entered medicine instead. He had taken his "Second Professional" when he joined up and was killed very soon afterwards, having been posted to the "Q" Ship, HMS Begonia as a Surgeon Probationer. He had two other brothers; Joseph who served with the Lancashire Fusiliers who sadly died of his wounds in June 1918 having won an MC, and Benjamin, who survived the conflict. The three brothers are all my Great Great Uncles.

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