CHAPTER SEVEN.

Quite how my Grandad, John Mills, felt on the 21 January 1896, when he left home to join the Marine Society's training ship on the Thames, is unknown. Did he go on his own, or did he go with his Mum or older brother? If he went on his own, and perhaps leaving home for the first time, did he feel any pangs of uncertainty about the 'new life' that he was embarking upon?

I know, from my own experience of having to travel from Croydon to Devizes when I started my National Service, it was a pretty traumatic experience. The first 48 hours after leaving home and 'settling in' at the training camp was an experience that has, indelibly etched itself into my memory. Although, I'd been away from home many times on my own, mainly in hospitals, nothing had ever prepared me for my initial introduction to army life! Was it, I wonder, the same for my Grandad?

He spent some five months on board the Warspite, being taught basic seamanship, before actually joining the Royal Navy as a boy sailor. According to the Marine Society, apparently, if the boys had parents living within reasonable travelling distance from the ship, then they were allowed to have 'leave' to go home and spend time with their families ---- possibly, for most weekends. If that was the case, he had more 'lenient' treatment than me! It was two months after I first joined the army that I was allowed home on a 36 hour pass. My next leave came some two months after that, when I was magnanimously allowed three weeks at weeks at home, which included 14 days embarkation leave as a prelude to being sent to Malta for nineteen months.

Apparently the Marine Society received regular requests from the Admiralty for a certain number of boys to be sent to the Royal Navy's training ships which were moored at various ports around the country. In my Grandad's case, he was posted to HMS St. Vincent, at Portsmouth.

According to the Marine Society, it was usual for a number of lads from the Warspite to be advised of their posting at the same time ---- and consequently they travelled to their destination as one group. Travel warrants would have been issued to cover their fares from Woolwich to Portsmouth, and it would seem that Grandad would have made his way there in the company of other lads. They would have all caught a steam train from Woolwich to London's Waterloo Station where they would have changed onto another train to continue their journey onto Portsmouth, and the start of their Royal Naval careers.

On arriving at Portsmouth, Grandad, together his shipmates would have been swiftly 'processed' by the Royal Navy and settled aboard the St Vincent, which was to become their home for the next eighteen months.

Again, I don't know how Grandad felt on his arrival on board HMS St Vincent, anymore than I did about his acceptance onto the Warspite at Woolwich, some five months earlier. Presumably, because he had passed through the hands of the Marine Society, he would have arrived at Portsmouth in some sort of uniform, unlike the recruits shown in the above picture.

During my 'researches' I discovered an article written by a man called J. G. Tedham RN, which he had called My life as a Sailor Boy. Seemingly, that gentleman joined the St Vincent as a boy sailor in the late 1800's. The exact date of his arrival on the ship isn't known, but in his article he mentions that horse-drawn trams were still running in Portsmouth at the time. Checking back, it seems that horse-drawn trams ran in Portsmouth from 1870 until the routes were electrified sometime between 1903 and 1906.

Mr Tedham, owing to getting 'lost' on his journey to Portsmouth, had unfortunately arrived at Portsmouth late at night. I have extracted the following paragraphs from his article, which give some indication as to the sort of reception that greeted him on his arrival, and his memories of his first days on board:-

... after waiting on the sea shore for some time I saw a light on the cold waters and heard the splash of the oars from the boat coming to fetch us. It was manned by boys from the training ship. On taking a seat beside them, they advised me not to join. After some time rowing we found ourselves along-side HMS St Vincent. Climbing the ladder, I found myself on board a ship for the very first time in my life.

The time was 11pm., and I was met by the Master at Arms or Chief of Police, who spoke unkindly to me. He said that they had been looking for me all day, and would see the Captain in the morning to see if I could have a birching. I found it hard to speak as it was ---- ( apparently Mr. Tedham suffered with a speech impediment) ---- and my speech seemed to leave me altogether. I wondered if I should ever speak again. A boy was told to sling a hammock for me. He then told me to get hold of the two hooks, and spring in. I got hold of the twohooks but instead of springing in, I sprang clean out, coming down on a load of rifles in a rack. After that, he helped me in, and then, asking God to look after me, I cried myself off to sleep.

I was awoken next morning by the shrill blowing of whistles to the tune of , 'turn out, lash up and stow hammocks', which I didn't know how to do. A boy, seeing my plight, cameand helped me, pointing to a bare wooden table told me I should get my breakfast there. I went over to the table, and not knowing anyone I felt like a lost sheep on a mountainside. After a while the boys placed basins on the table and filled them with cocoa, and then cut lumps of bread and fat pork. This was the menu for breakfast, and not liking fat pork I had to be content with dry bread. Having this meal the boys all told me not to join, and pretend to be colour blind when I went before the doctor for my medical examination.

The next morning I had my medical, and pretended to be colour blind and I was told to have another medical on the following morning, and still 'failed' the colours. The doctors talked between themselves and said that they thought I was shamming, and if I didn't say the colours correctly they would see that I had a birching. That took all my 'blindness' away and I named the colours correctly.

For dinner we had two spuds and a piece of meat, at 4pm we had tea. They filled our basins with some stuff called plue, tea with no milk or sugar, then cut out lumps of bread. I sat waiting, when a boy asked me if I did not want it. I said I had nothing to eat with it. He said that was all I should get unless I went to the canteen and bought a penny-worth of jam. I had no money, but I had a stamp to write home with, so they took the stamp in payment for the jam. The man dipped a wooden spoon into a jar and smeared some jam onto a piece of newspaper. When I got back the boy wanted a taste so I was not much better off.

The following morning I had to go to the hospital, my speech being so bad. The chief of staff asked me if I would like to go home again. I said yes, thinking I was going home. We returned to the ship and I was put under the charge of a soldier. This seemed strange to me as the soldier was the marine barber who cut my hair off so close to my head that I could hardly recognize myself in the glass.

We went up some iron steps into a bathroom with a cement floor and rusty iron baths situated around, with a wind blowing enough to sail a windmill. Having had my hair cut short, the only conclusion I could come to, was that I was going to prison. I was told to undress and jump into the bath, but no sooner was I in, I was out. The water was icy cold but I still had to have a bath all the same. After that I found myself at the tailor's shop, and I was soon in the uniform of a sailor boy.

Next morning I was up when it was still dark, scrubbing decks and over the mast head before breakfast, with no shoes or stockings on. Having had breakfast, but still hungry, we started our instructions to become a second class boy. Our wages were sixpence (2½p) per week, but if you were any plates or basins short, then you got nothing, which was often the case. I found that there was quite a lot to learn to being a sailor ---- bag and hammock, compass, knots and splices, bends and hitches compass and helm brig model, lead and line, and learning all the names and uses of rope in a sailing ship.

Having passed all the instructions you were rated a First Class Boy and your wages went up to one shilling (5p) per week. Providing your plates and basins came up to muster. If not, you drop back to nothing until they are paid for. Then having learnt all this aboard a stationary ship, we could then go to sea in a sailing ship, the HMS Martin.

To learn all that was necessary a boy sailor in the Royal Navy would have been given a copy on the Boy's Manual of Seamanship and Gunnery, written in 1871, and imparted the following advice to its boys:-

.... I would impress upon a boy's mind who has selected the Navy for his future career in life, that he has chosen one of the most honourable professions, that of defender of his country, one in whose hands very often its honour and standing with other nations is entrusted. He should ever keep in his mind that the Navy has always been considered the right arm of England; most highly esteemed by his countrymen, and of which every Englishman is naturally proud.

This being an acknowledged fact, two things are required of every boy, and these should never be lost sight of by him ' viz., honesty of character, and every determination to become master of his profession. The latter has every opportunity of accomplishing. He is received into the Navy at an early age, and at great expense to the country; he is trained to fill with credit to himself the highest position it is possible for him to attain; always provided his conduct will justify it, for all the training in the world will avail to nothing if good conduct is not added to good qualifications.

It is to this, therefore, that I would specially call the attention of every boy joining a training ship; it will not take him long o distinguish between the good boys and the bad boys; then let him avoid the latter in every way possible. Boys of good character are allowed to land from the ship twice a week for a walk, or to see their friends if they reside in the neighbourhood; my advice therefore is, prize this privilege without infringing upon it, as any deviation from the rules often leads a boy into loose habits, and the first step down the ladder of destruction is commenced.

A mean or cowardly boy, will sometimes rather run the risk of incurring the displeasure of his superiors; by wilfully breaking the regulations laid down for his guidance, than stand the scorn and derision of the bad boys, who in every way will induce him to do wrong, and laugh at him for being afraid if he refuses. But a brave and honest boy, who fears nothing but the displeasure of his commanding Officer for direct disobedience of orders, his great aim to conquer all the difficulties and go forth into the service maintaining good character, continuing in the path that he has marked out for himself, which is to lead to the top of his profession. These are the boys who eventually are promoted to one of the most valuable classes of Officers in the Navy ' viz., Warrant Officers.

I would therefore ask each boy on first joining a Training Ship to consider these remarks, which are offered for his future good, and to remember that rules must be strictly obeyed, and that leave is a privilege granted him for recreation, to use and not to abuse, when on shore avoid all intoxicating drinks and the use of tobacco in every shape. Never enter a public house. Make this on joining the Navy, the fixed principle of your life - allow no inducement to cause you to turn aside from the path you have marked out. When on board pay strict attention to your instructions; be cleanly in your habits; careful of your kit; always ready to obey orders, remembering that implicit obedience is one of the chief ingredients required in making a good sailor. A boy that does this, will finish life as he has commenced it ? a credit to himself and the Service.

If you commence life in a Training Ship with dirty habits, inattention to your drills, and disregard to good order when you are onshore, you will leave it with an indifferent character; if you start badly, you may be sure that you will end your course badly; perhaps be dismissed from the service with disgrace, or discharged from your first ship on paying off as an objectionable character, being ever shunned by your old shipmates as a man unworthy of being known, thus becoming a burden to yourself; and perhaps die at an early age, unregretted and uncared for.

Although the sentiments behind the above-mentioned preface are worthy ones, I'm not certain that during their off-duty moments ashore, much regard was given to sobriety by either the boy sailors, or their adult counterparts. From the sailors that I saw come ashore in Malta, half a century after my Grandfather would have done, their first thought was to get to a bar, drink as much as they could, fight as much as they could, and generally have a good time! Not much thought was given to being ambassadors of their country, nor for impressing the local population! Having said that, mostly they were a likeable crowd, albeit somewhat boisterous.

Whether my Grandad was my idea of a 'typical' sailor, I am not sure! His service record doesn't impart any information regarding his conduct ashore, but generally speaking, there are only favourable comments concerning his conduct on board ship.

Sadly, I never had the opportunity to meet my Grandad, but from his service record, I can see that he was a somewhat smallish man, only 5'4' tall, with brown eyes, dark hair and a fresh complexion. His service record also shows under the heading 'Distinguishing marks', that his right leg bore a scar, although what caused the scar, is unknown. He wore a couple of tattoos on his arms ---- 'clasped hands and dots' on his right wrist, and a 'heart with an arrow' on his left one. Looking at the photograph which I inherited from my Dad, of Grandad dressed in his naval uniform he was quite a good-looking lad.

At some stage, between 1891 and 1904, he must have met my Grandmother, and it irks me now, because I don't know when or where! Although I do suspect that they must have met in Croydon.

My Gran, after her appearance in the 1901 census doesn't seem to 'surface' again until she married my Grandad in January 1904. At that time, she gave her address as being 57, Maddin Road, Sydenham. Could she have been living there and working elsewhere ---- or was she working in domestic service at that address?

Having seen the picture of Maddin Road, as shown above, I'm not so sure that Gran would have been working in domestic service there. Also, in a book entitled Sydenham and Forest Hill Past, by John Coulter, he commented as follows, and reinforces my thoughts that it was unlikely that Gran worked in domestic service there:-

'In 1881, hundreds of little houses were built in Dillwyn Road, Miall Road, Porthcawe Road and Maddin Road, over the grounds of Home Park Lodge and The Lawn, which had been two of Sydenham's largest mansions. The houses were occupied mainly by gas workers, employed by the Gas Company at Bell Green, and various other labourers, and rapidly degenerated into one of Lewisham's worst slums.

I am more inclined to think that Gran was merely living in Maddin Road and working elsewhere. If she was in domestic service at that time, the chances are that she was working in one of the larger houses in Upper or Lower Sydenham where the owners could afford the luxury of having domestic servants. In fact my own Mum worked in some of the big houses in the Lower Sydenham area.

My Grandad's address at the time they got married on the 14 January 1904, was given as being the new Royal Naval Barracks at Chatham. Those particular barracks, would have been the new shore-based barracks, which was named after HMS Pembroke, one of three old wooden hulks moored in Chatham Dockyard, which had been his accommodation during his previous postings at Chatham.

For me, the next known whereabouts of my Gran, was in 1905, when she gave birth to my Dad at 22, Forster Road, Croydon.

The strange thing ---- to me, at least ---- is that Forster Road, where Gran was living, and Wilford Road where my Great Grandma Emily Mills was living with her family in 1901, were next to, and ran parallel to one another.

Was Great Grandma Emily Mills still living with her family at No. 6 Wilford Road in 1905, at the time when my Gran gave birth to my Dad? ----- I wonder!

In all probability, with the impending birth, and her husband away at sea, it is quite likely that Gran could have moved back to Croydon to be close to her own family for when the birth took place. After all, Forster Road was barely a 15 minute walk from Leighton Street where her family was living. If her husband's family, were still living at Wilford Road, and if she actually knew them, that too may have been a 'bonus' for her at that time. It's possible that she might have felt a little more comfortable in the knowledge that she had both families close to hand when her baby was about to be born.

As I said earlier, I wish I knew when, where and how my Gran and Grandad first met. I should have asked her whilst she was still alive, but sadly the thought never entered my head in those days!

All I know is, that she must have loved him very much, because she inferred that much to me back in 1959, when I told her that Barbara and I were getting engaged. Gran was in her late 70's then, quite ill, and very frail. As I was about to leave her, I bent down to kiss her cheerio, and she whispered in my ear ---- 'Take good care of her lad, and remember, that there is no love like your first love!'

I have absolutely no reason to think that her marriage to her second husband, Arthur Joy, was anything less than happy ---- but obviously ---- even fifty years after her first husband had died, she still had strong feelings for him.

I mentioned earlier that when his Mum (my Gran) died, my Dad found two photos amongst her possessions; one was a picture of his Dad in his sailor's uniform, taken in Valetta, Malta; the other, was a picture of his Mum. At the time Grandad's picture was taken, it can be seen from his sailor's cap that he was serving with HMS Camperdown. Then, looking at his service record, it shows that he was serving with that particular ship, from the 11 February 1898 until the 5 May 1899 ---- i.e., for slightly over a year. He would have been about 17 / 18 years of age.

His Mum's, i.e., my Gran's photo, was taken in Croydon but is slightly harder to date. However, she looks to have been a very attractive young lady ---- and was possibly taken when she too, was about 18/19 years old. Call me an old-fashioned 'romantic' ---- but could they have known each other then, and exchanged their photos of each other, for the times that Grandad's ships took him away to sea? I'd like to think that was the case!

From my Grandad's service record with the Royal Navy ---- (back on page 24) ---- it can be seen see that between the 27 June 1896 and the 31 March 1897 that he served as a B2cl sailor ---- i.e., a boy sailor 2nd class, with the St Vincent at Portsmouth.

His service with that ship at Portsmouth continued from the 1 April 1897 , until 1 November 1897 ---- but by then he had been moved up to become a boy sailor 1st class, (B1cl).

On the 2 November 1897, he travelled to a new posting at Chatham, with HMS Pembroke which in actual fact was one of the old wooden hulks which was used to accommodate sailors waiting for postings to sea-going vessels.

He remained at Chatham until the 26 January 1898 when he was posted to HMS Victorious, which was destined to take him out to the Mediterranean.

On the 10 February 1898 the ship was in Malta, and Grandad was posted onto another vessel, the Camperdown, from the 11 May 1898 until 5 May 1899, which was presumably on service in the Mediterranean.

From the 6 May 1899, until the 21 October 1899, Grandad was aboard HMS Cruiser, which I believe was stationed at Malta , and used to train ordinary seamen so that they could become able-bodied seamen (i.e., an AB).

After his stint on Cruiser , Grandad joined yet another vessel, HMS Astraea on the 22 October 1899, where he moved up a notch, to become an able-seaman on the 1 June 1900. He then stayed with the Astraea for a further year, until the 12 June 1902. Quite where he sailed with that vessel isn't known, although at the time of the 1901 census here in England, it was noted in the ship's log, that his vessel was at Shanghai, China. I personally haven't checked the census records for that ship to see if Grandad's name appears anywhere. However, since his period of service with that vessel covered the period from June 1900 to June 1902, it seems highly likely that he was on board the ship in Shanghai, at the time of the 1901 census. During the 1890's the ship was employed on the Mediterranean Station, which is presumably where Grandad must have boarded her, before eventually making its way to Shanghai and the Far East.

The ship must have returned to UK on about the 11/12th June 1902, because Grandad then spent a period of time with HMS Pembroke at Chatham ---- which, at that time, was still the old wooden hulk used for accommodating seamen who were awaiting postings to other vessels. He was stationed there until the 2nd September 1902, when he was posted to HMS Wildfire at Sheerness for a couple of months.

On the 27 November 1902, Grandad found himself posted back to Chatham again with HMS Pembroke, initially being accommodated on board the old wooden hulk, before transferring over to the newly built shore-based barracks on Thursday, 30th April 1903.

I wonder how he felt about being one of the last men to be housed in the old wooden hulk, and one of the first to be accommodated in the new brick-built shore establishment!

Having been used to the cramped conditions afforded by the wooden hulks, together with their many other inconveniences, most of the sailors would have felt 'all at sea' in their new surroundings. However, 'Jolly Jack Tars' have always been a pretty adaptable bunch, and once they had got themselves 'shaken down', they soon came to appreciate the changes offered by the newly commissioned 'stone frigate'.

Apparently it wasn't all plain sailing after the move, as there was a bit of a 'hiccup' over the supply of furniture, insofar as there was a shortfall of mess tables, stools and mess shelves. The dockyard came to the rescue and quickly supplied a mixture of fittings and furniture.

Each barrack room contained 12 separate messes with 14 men to each. They didn't have cafeteria-type messing in those days, and canteen messing was still in operation, which meant that the men ate, slept and took recreation on the messdecks, as though they were at sea. Although the barracks were a considerable improvement over life on the old wooden hulks, conditions for the men were still quite hard. Tables and forms had to be scrubbed white every day ---- which is something that hadn't changed in the army, fifty years later, as I soon found out when I was conscripted for my National Service!

Food for the sailors was served up from a central galley, which was collected by the duty mess cook and taken back to his mess to be dished out to the men. At the end of the meal the duty mess cook had to wash out and clean all the utensils and return them to the galley. At the time my Grandad was stationed there, back in the early 1900's, his breakfast would would consist of a bowl of tea with bread and jam ---- or on occasions, an egg. Dinner consisted of a portion of meat, but it was down to the 'whims' of the mess leading hand and duty mess cook as to what that actually produced with it ---- whether it be a 'roast' or a 'pie'. The food was ample although the quality of the cooking was dependant on the skills of the two men involved in its preparation, but on the whole they fared much better than their civilian counterparts. Each man was allocated his own enamel bowl, which could be used up to three times during a single meal. First it would be used for soup, then for rice pudding and finally filled with tea. It wasn't until after my Grandad's untimely exit from the Navy in 1907 that plates and cutlery were introduced for seamen.

Lighting was a problem in the barracks, and half a dozen portable dynamos were obtained and placed in strategic positions on the 'roads' ---- i.e, passageways through the barracks. By today's standards the electric lighting was woefully inadequate, as it was only fitted with 32 candlepower lamps ---- but was a considerable improvement on candles and oil lamps.

My Dad always reckoned that his father, John Mills and the man who later became his step-father, namely Arthur Joy, met up on a training ship; and that they sailed together right up until my Grandad's last voyage. However, having successfully managed to get hold of both of their Royal Naval service records, I can see that wasn't quite the case. The earliest that they could have met, and actually served with one another was when they both arrived in Chatham in June 1902.

My Step-Grandad 'Pop' Joy arrived back in Chatham on the 6 June 1902, on HMS Royal Oak, and was posted to HMS Pembroke the following day.

Grandad Mills, returned to Chatham on the 12 June 1902 with HMS Astraea, and found himself posted to HMS Pembroke on the 13th June.

From then on, it appears that both men served together on the same ships up until November 1906, when they both were posted to different ships. Again, according to what my Dad had been told, the only reason they were posted to different ships in November 1906, was because one of them missed the ship that they had both been allotted to. He didn't know which one of them actually missed the ship and in so doing, had to be posted to another vessel. It may be possible to check this out by checking the Ship's Logs for HMS Irresistible ---- which was the ship Grandad Mills sailed out of Chatham on ---- and HMS Pegasus, which 'Pop' Joy was on. Both ships sailed out of Chatham on the 27 November 1906; so, if one or other of them did actually miss their ship, it could only have been by a few hours at the most. Hopefully, the ship's logs may be able to tell me! I will check that out in due course!

It would appear from Grandad Mills's service record, that when he sailed out of Chatham on the Victorious on the 25th January 1898, he didn't set foot in England again until the 12th June 1902 ---- just over 4¼ years later. As yet, I haven't examined the ships' logs to see where might have sailed, but on the face of it the following possibly happened. He was only on board the Victorious for 16 days after leaving Chatham, before changing onto the Camperdown. From various other records/reports, I know that the Camperdown was part of the Mediterranean Fleet throughout the 1890's; and also, that Grandad had his photo taken in Malta whilst serving with that particular ship. When I used to work in shipping in civvy street, and also when I did my National Service I was aware that the sailing time from England to Malta was something in the order of 10/15 days duration. Therefore, since Grandad was aboard the Victorious for 16 days before transferring to the Camperdown, which was serving in the Mediterranean, it seems pretty safe to assume that he changed ships in Malta.

Grandad served with the Camperdown, for nearly 15 months out in the Mediterranean, before transferring to HMS Cruiser to be trained up to become an able-seaman. This ship was also on Mediterranean service, and Grandad remained with her for just under six months. From there, he was posted to another vessel, namely HMS Astraea, for best part of 2½ years. I am not certain, but I believe that ship was also serving in the Mediterranean at that time, although it is known from the 1901 census that at the end of April 1901 the vessel was moored in Shanghai, China.

From 13 June 1902 until 20 June 1904 --- Grandad Mills was back in England, insofar as he had postings at HMS Pembroke in Chatham and with the Commander-in-chief's flagship, HMS Wildfire at Sheerness.

It was during those couple of years that he married my Gran, and once again I come back to my question, 'When and where did Gran and Grandad first meet'

They couldn't have met during the 4¼ year period from January 1898 until June 1902, because he was at serving at sea during that time. The only other periods that they could have met was before he left Chatham in January 1898, and the 17½ months after he returned to Chatham, right up until they got married in January 1904. Although the latter period is a possibility, I'm still inclined to think that they had met before 1898, ---- possibly whilst they were still children or young teenagers. The reason that I feel that it was not during the 17½ months after he returned to Chatham in June 1902, is because I cannot imagine in those days that the Royal Navy was very free with giving its ratings much in the way of leave. He may have got a few 'weekend passes' but I doubt that there were many of those ---- and since the sailors didn't get free travel warrants in those days, he would have had to pay his own fares which would have been a 'sizeable' amount out of a sailor's pay.

Anyway, their marriage took place on the 13 January 1904 at the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Philip Neri, in Lower Sydenham. Unfortunately the church suffered considerable bomb damage during World War II and had to be demolished. It was subsequently rebuilt in the 1960's, a few hundred yards from its original position, and to a different design. After a bit of research I managed to locate a picture of the church that they were married in, albeit that it was taken about 1910, some six years after their marriage.

My Dad, was born on the 3 March 1905, at 22, Forster Road in Croydon, just over a year after his parents married. The details from his birth certificate, are as shown below:-

To me, my Dad always seemed relatively fit and healthy. However, as a baby, I understand that he was quite a sickly child and, for the first few months of his life, he had to be carried about on a cushion. Quite why this was necessary, I don't know. It was one of those snippets of information that my Mum passed onto me at sometime or other, which I could have only half listened to! I'm sure that she must have explained why he had to be carried about on a cushion, but the reason has not logged itself in my memory.

The only thing that I can recall being told about Dad's early health, was to do with his first job. It seems that when he first started work, he was employed in the print up in London's Fleet Street, but had to give it up because the fumes from the printer's inks played havoc with his chest and gave him breathing problems. So perhaps he suffered as a with his breathing when he was a baby. I have vague recollections of being told that he had suffered with bronchial pneumonia ---- but I'm not certain of that!

My Grandad wasn't at home when my Dad was born; he was away at sea serving with HMS Triumph, when the event took place, and had been with that ship from 21 June 1904.

It would seem that if my Dad was born in March 1905 it is quite likely that he was probably conceived in the June of 1904, probably during Grandad's last leave before setting sail on HMS Triumph. I don't know where his vessel took him, but it did not return to Chatham for almost two years ---- 7 May 1906, to be precise. My Dad was fourteen months old when father and son got to see each other for the first time!

Grandad was only stationed at the Chatham Naval Barracks for just over six months before being posted to HMS Irresistible, on the 27 November 1906 for another tour of duty at sea. I wonder how much time Grandad was able to spend with his wife and young son, during that six months stay in Chatham. Not as much as they all would have liked ---- especially when you consider that was the last time they would all see each other.

Ambassador to Constantinople at that time. The two vessels couldn't have been more different:-

His tour of duty with the Irresistible finished on the 23 August 1907, possibly somewhere in the Mediterranean. My guess is that it was possibly at Constantinople (nowadays known as Istanbul). The reason being that his next, and final posting, was to HM Special service vessel Imogene, which was a vessel being used by the British Ambassador to Constantinople

The other ship to which he transferred, was HMSS Imogene, and was tiny by comparison, and the last ship he served aboard.

The Imogene, was formerly called the Jacamar when she was built in 1882 by Barclay Curle & Co., of Whiteinch, Glasgow. Her displacement was a mere 460 tons; her length from stem to stern was 182 feet; breadth was 24ft 1ins.; and had a depth of 12ft. 9ins. with a draught of 10ft. 9ins. She had an engine capable of producing 3091HP, and gave a speed of 11 knots.

In 1883 she was purchased by the Admiralty and re-named Imogene as a Special Service vessel. The ship was used for many years by the British Ambassador in Constantinople, Turkey, which was the 'special Service' she was performing when my Grandad served with her.

Grandad boarded the ship for his spell of duty with her, on the 24 August 1907. One month later he was dead! As yet I haven't found out the full circumstances surrounding his death, other than scribbled notes written on his service record and the Ship's Log.

It would seem that on the 25 September 1907. Grandad was either travelling to or from the Imogene in the ship's gig, when a sudden squall blew up in the Bay of Pashaliman off of Kuyus Adasi Island. The gig overturned in the squall and two bluejackets were lost, presumed drowned. One of these was my Grandad John Mills. In the subsequent Court of Inquiry it was found that the loss of life was due to the crew (of the gig) not obeying the orders of the Coxswain to remain steady in an attempt to balance the boat.

I want to try and discover more about the accident and the Court of Inquiry, to see if my Grandad was one of the culprits who helped cause the accident, or whether he was just an innocent victim. My Dad always referred to the ship's gig as being the ship's Liberty Boat. If it was being used as a liberty boat at that time, perhaps Grandad was travelling in it as a passenger, as opposed to being a member of its crew ---- but I think that is somewhat doubtful!

I often wondered how long it took for the news of the accident to be relayed to my Gran. I had visions of it taking weeks before she heard the news, I had completely overlooked the fact that telegraph and radio communication from ship to shore, and overland was in operation at that time, albeit far more primitive than it is today. Therefore, she was probably notified of his death, fairly quickly ---- possibly within 24 hours!

What must Gran have felt when she received the news' It must have been absolutely devastating for her, knowing that not only had she lost her husband, she was going to have to bring up her son, i.e., my Dad, on her own. Times were much harder than today ---- there were virtually no 'government handouts' in the way of benefits for mother and child at that time.

I do vaguely remember my Mum saying something about Gran having received a pension after Grandad's accident --- but I haven't attempted to check that out as yet!

I notice from the copy of my Dad's birth certificate, which I have in my possession, that it was not dated in or around March 1905, the time that he was born. Instead, it bears the date of issue as being the 28 October 1907, which was just one month after the date of Grandad's tragic accident. Perhaps there was some sort of pension payable in respect of her son, and it was necessary to let the Navy have a copy of my Dad's birth certificate to make a claim for any entitlement that may have been due. If that was so, then maybe Gran gave up the original to the Navy, and obtained another copy for herself ---- hence the reason the copy in my possession is dated in October 1907!

I mentioned earlier that, after my Gran's death in 1964, my Dad had found amongst his mother's papers, two small pieces of paper relating to his father's death ---- neither of which actually mentioned Grandad by name. One, was a very small and 'yellowed' cutting from a newspaper of the day, telling of a funeral at sea, as reported by Reuters, Constantinople, and is shown on the next page, in an enlarged format, so that it can be read more easily.

The above report was possibly printed on Thursday, 26 September 1907, the day after the accident occurred, and indicates that the bodies of the two men had not been found.

I wonder if the two bodies were ever recovered, and if so, what happened to their remains! Presumably somebody would have had to been notified if the had been washed up on a distant shore, if only for administration and identification purposes. If they came to light at a later date, would they have been given a 'second' burial at sea, or would they have been buried (or cremated) ashore? If so, 'Where'? And, would my Gran have been told that her husband's body had been found?

The Sea of Marmara is a small inland sea, approximately 175 miles long x 50 miles wide, which divides Turkey into two parts. One part, to the west of the Bosphorous sits in Europe, whilst the other part ---- across the Bosphorous has its home in Asia. Although it is an inland sea, it has outlets at either end. The western end allows access to and from the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea via the Straits of Dardenelle. Whilst at the eastern end, similar access is gained to and from the Black Sea, via the Bosphorous at Istanbul, which in my Grandad's day was called Constantinople.

In today's travel guides, they tell us that the Sea of Marmara has no strong currents and the tidal range is minimal. It is an idyllic area for cruising, and abounds with islands, mountain scenery, farming and grazing lands. Normally, in the spring and early summer, the north-east winds are quite light and gentle. However, their strength increases as autumn approaches and can become very strong in September and October, with sudden thunder and lightning storms, which signal the end of the sailing season in that area. Obviously, since my Grandad's tragic accident occurred towards the end of September 1907, it must have been one of those sudden autumnal squalls which contributed towards his death.

Perhaps if the squall had not occurred, or if the crew had obeyed the coxswain's instructions, the accident may not have happened, and he might have been alive when I was born. But if my Grandad hadn't have met such an untimely end, Gran wouldn't have remarried, my Dad wouldn't have had a half-sister, consequently my cousin Anne would never have been born, and I would never have known her. In all honesty my childhood would have been all the poorer for that, since I have nothing but happy memories of the times we spent together as children.

The picture below is a larger view of the Sea of Marmara, and shows more clearly the area where the accident actually occurred, and enables me to a certain extent, to pinpoint the area where my Grandad was drowned.

Koyus Adasi Island, indicated by the red spot on the map, sits in the bay of the darker coloured island of Pashaliman, where the tragedy happened. The larger island, just above the red spot on the map, is called Marmara ---- (a Greek word meaning 'marble') --- and has been a noted source for its marble throughout history.

As yet, I don't know if the bodies of my Grandad the other sailor were ever recovered. My Dad never mentioned it to me, and neither did my Gran. I know that the newspaper report indicated that HMSS Imogene had returned to Therapia ---- which was a British Naval base at that time ---- having unsuccessfully searched for the bodies of the two bluejackets. However, it seems inconceivable, that the two bodies were never recovered, in an area that is said to have no strong currents, a minimal tidal range, closely packed with islands and shipping of all sizes plying to and fro.

The last item amongst Gran's personal possessions, concerning Grandad's death, was a short letter of condolence written to her by R. Dabner, the Senior Stoker of HMS Irresistible, which is depicted on the following page.

From here, I now move to another phase in my Gran's life, where she went on to marry Arthur Joy, a man who had been a shipmate of her first husband, and who subsequently became my step-grandfather, known to me and my cousin Anne as 'Pop' Joy.