|
HMS Drake
|
If you enjoy this siteplease consider making a donation.
Site Home
Events
Features
Submissions
Got a Question? Please add it to:
Information
Research your own Family History.
World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar greatHMS Drake
HMS Drake was a 14,100-ton Drake-class armoured cruiser of the Royal Navy, the lead ship of the class. She was built at Pembroke Dock and launched on March 5, 1901. At 23 knots she was one of the fastest cruisers in the world at that time; her armaments included two primary 9.2 inch centre line turrets, sixteen secondary 6 inch single barbettes, twelve auxiliary twelve pounders, three auxiliary three pounders and two eighteen inch submerged torpedo tubes. Her stations included the Mediterranean Grand Fleet from 1914-15 and the North American and West Indies theatre of operations from 1915-17. On the morning of October 2nd 1917, HMS Drake was several miles off the north-west tip of Rathlin Island, carrying out routine escort duties with convoy HH24 inbound from America. The area was frequented by German U boats who were engaged in both mine laying and convoy attacks in the Western and Northern Approaches as part of an overall German strategy to blockade convoy supplies reaching the United Kingdom. U79, a mine laying submarine on active duty around the north west of Ireland and the western Scottish Isles at the time, fired one of her compliment of four torpedoes at the Drake, killing 19 seamen though the cruiser remained afloat. The crippled Drake was escorted into Church Bay by HMS. Martin and other auxiliary ships and anchored. Found to be unrepairable, she was abandoned to capsize a few hundred yards from shore. There were no casualties as a result of the capsizing and the Admiralty announced her loss on the 4th of October 1917.
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.
List of those who served on HMS Drake during The Great War
- Lt. William Thomas Walmsley MID Read his Story.
Lt. William Thomas Walmsley MID
My father, Walmsley was born in November 1890 and I know very little about his service in WWI. He went to HMS Excellent to train as a gunnery officer and I believe he also worked on paravanes. He subsequently served on HMS Drake and HMS King Alfred. My brother had my father's medals but I could not find them when he died. I also believe that there were Oak Leaves on two of the ribbons but this is only a childhood memory.
My father was with the Bibby Line as Chief Officer after WWI but was without a ship from 1927 due to the 'slump'. Unfortunately I was born in 1931 which added to my parents misery and I believe he did not get a ship until later that year. He also had to take a lower rank. It was a case of 'take it or leave' My father and all his crew were killed during the second world war whilst running the Atlantic which was awash with U-boats. He was then Captain of the Shell Tanker MV Anadara. He was torpedoed in the morning of 24th February 1942 and later torpedoed and fired on until she started to sink. No prisoners were taken.
Recomended Reading.
Available at discounted prices.
Can you help us to add to our records?
The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them
Did your relative live through the Great War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial?
If so please let us know.
Do you know the location of a Great War "Roll of Honour?"We are very keen to track down these often forgotten documents and obtain photographs and transcriptions of the names recorded so that they will be available for all to remember.
Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.
Celebrate your own Family History
Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Great War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.
Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.
Links
