Battle of Jutland Remembered

HMS Invincible

Battle of Jutland a shell from either the Lützow or Derfflinge penetrated the front of ‘Q’ turret, blew off the roof and detonated the mid-ships magazines, which blew the ship in half. The explosion possibly ignited ‘A’ and ‘X’ magazines the ship sank in 90 seconds. Of her complement1026 officers and men were killed and only 6 men survived rescued by HMS Badger.
BEARBLOCK, Walter James Fleet Surgeon RN Haslar
JONES, Cyril Oscar Howe Temp/Surgeon RN Haslar
SHORLAND, George Temp/Surgeon RN  photo on War Forces Record
GAINSBURY, Walter A, Sick Berth Attdt, M 6310 (PO)
HADLEY, Robert Charles Sick Berth Std RN 351234 (PO)  
HILL, Herbert George 2nd Sick Berth Std RN 351649 (PO)   
VINE, Clive, 2nd Sick Berth Std, M 1710 (PO)

Note: One would expect sick berth senior rates to be carried but casualty lists only mention Petty Officer, or Chief Petty Officer but no mention of in which branch they served.

HMS Barham

HMS Barham was struck by two 30.5-centimetre shells beginning at 16:58.  The first of these struck the ship’s upper deck before detonating upon striking the main deck above the medical store compartment, which was completely burnt out
BRIGGS, Henry C, Sick Berth Attdt, M 7466 (PO), died of injuries.

Wednesday 31st May 1916

HMS Queen Mary

Hit by shells both fore and aft by Derfflinger??’ and broke in half and lost with all but 80 of the crew.
LOBB, Francis Frederick Fleet Surgeon RN Haslar
HARPER, Maurice Harry de Jersey Temp/Surgeon RN Haslar
LEWIS, Charles Williams Temp/Surgeon RN Haslar South African
BARTLETT, George J, Sick Berth Attdt, M 6690 (PO)
DANSIE, Arthur Herbert Sick Berth Attd RN M.5854 (PO)  
FINCH, Charles Samuel Sick Berth Std RN 350508 (PO)  
JEKYLL, John Sick Berth Attdt RN M.3359 (PO)  
KEILY, Donald F, 2nd Sick Berth Steward, 365756 (PO)
ROBBINS, James Walter Sick Berth Std RN 351220 (PO)  
SLOUGH, Albert Joseph Sick Berth Attdt RNM4231 (PO)  

Note: One would expect sick berth senior rates to be carried but casualty lists only mention Petty Officer , or Chief Petty Officer but no mention of branch.

HMS Petard

During the Battle of Jutland HMS Petard was one of the ships first into action and stopped to pick up survivors of HMS Queen Mary. Surgeon Dingle was injured and died from his injuries
DINGLE, Hugh John Surgeon Probationer RNVR HMS Petard died. Haslar

HMS Lion

HMS Lion was hit more than twice by Lützow but survived the war.  Amongst those killed in the action were:
MOON, George Bassett Temp/Surgeon RN. Haslar
GILLHAM, Frederick Horace Sick Berth Attdt RN M.4581
VANSTONE, John Francis Ernest Sick Berth Attdt RN M, 3458(D)

HMS Defence

HMS Defence in Battle of Jutland was escorting the main body of the Grand Fleet, the ship was fired upon by one German battlecruiser and four dreadnoughts as she attempted to engage a disabled German light cruiser. She was struck by two salvoes from the German ships that detonated her rear magazine. The fire from that explosion spread to the ship’s secondary magazines, which exploded in turn. There was no survivors.and the ship exploded at 6:20 with the loss of all men on board; of which between 893 and 903 men were killed.
JOHNSON, George Moore Temp/Surgeon RN Haslar
CLEMENS, Frederick William Theodor Temp/Surgeon RN Haslar
CAPPS, Frederick Albert Fleet Surgeon RN Haslar
BARRY, John 2nd Sick Berth Steward RN 351495(D)  
KITCHENER, Joseph Reynolds Sick Berth Attdt RN 350288 (D)  
NORTH, George Henry Chief Sick Berth Std RN 175577

HMS Indefatigable 1016 Killed

Battle of Jutland, Indefatigable was hit around the rear turret by two or three shells from Von der Tann. She fell out of formation to starboard and started sinking towards the stern and listing to port. Her magazines exploded at 4:03 after more hits, one on the forecastle and another on the forward turret. Smoke and flames gushed from the forward part of the ship and large pieces were thrown 200 feet (61.0 m) into the air. There were only 2 survivors.
NORRIS, Hugh Leigh Fleet Surgeon RN Haslar
MORISON, Archibald Alexander Temp/Surgeon RN Haslar
PUNCH, Sidney E. Surgeon RN Haslar
MARTIN, Herbert Joseph 2ndSick Berth Std RN M.2431
SHAPTER William Harold Sick Berth Std RN 350660 (D)
TAYLOR, Cyril John Sick Berth Attdt RN M5043(D)

Note: One would expect sick berth senior rates to be carried but casualty lists only mention Petty Officer, or Chief Petty Officer but no mention of which branch.

HMS Broke

HMS Broke attacked in the Battle of Jutland and Surgeon Ferris was one of the 50 crew killed in the attack after the following action:.
The remaining ships of the 4th destroyer flotilla formed up behind Commander Walter Allen of Broke, who was the half-flotilla leader and now assumed command. At around 23.40 large ships were again sighted and Allen attempted to challenge. Before he could do so, the German battleship Westfalen sent her own recognition signal and then turned on searchlights. Broke attempted to fire torpedoes, but the range was very short, in the region of 150 yards (140 m), and the German ship opened fire first. The effect was devastating so that within a couple of minutes 50 crew were killed and another 30 injured, disabling the guns and preventing any effective activity on deck. The helmsman was killed at the wheel, and as he died his body turned the wheel causing the ship to turn to port and ram Sparrowhawk. Both ships had already turned to port from line ahead to line abreast to fire torpedoes.
Sub Lieutenant Percy Wood saw Broke coming towards them at 28 knots, heading directly for Sparrowhawk??’?s bridge. He shouted warnings to crew on the foc’sle to get clear, and then was knocked over by the impact. He awoke to find himself lying on the deck of Broke. Wood reported to Commander Allen, who told him to return to his own ship and make preparations there to take on board the crew of Broke. Two other men from Sparrowhawk were also thrown onto Broke by the collision. Returning to Sparrowhawk, Wood was told by his own captain, Lieutenant Commander Sydney Hopkins, that he had just sent exactly the same message across to Broke. Approximately 20 men from Sparrowhawk evacuated to Broke, while fifteen of Broke??’?s crew crossed to Sparrowhawk.
At this point a third destroyer, HMS Contest steamed into Sparrowhawk, removing 6 feet (1.8 m) from her stern. Contest was relatively unharmed and able to continue underway after the collision. Broke andSparrowhawk remained wedged together for about half an hour before they could be separated and Broke got underway, taking 30 of Sparrowhawk??’?s crew with her. Broke remained able to manoeuvre, although she had lost her bow.[5] At around 1.30 AM the ship again encountered German destroyers which fired about six rounds into Broke, which managed to return one shot before the ships separated. The ship proceeded slowly towards Britain but by 6.00 AM on 2 June found that she could no longer travel into the high seas with her damaged bow and had to turn back towards Heligoland. The seas abated and the ship was able to head for the Tyne, arriving some two and a half days after the engagement.

FERRIS, David Henry Temp/Surgeon Probationer RNVR killed. Haslar
HMS Nessus relevant information not found concerning Battle of Jutland, ship not sunk broken up post war.
HISLOP, John Temp/Surgeon Probationer RNVR Haslar Killed. Photo available.
HMS Ardent
HMS Ardent was Sunk by Westfalen at Battle of Jutland on 1 June 1916.
MACINTYRE, John Ebenezer Temp/Surgeon Probationer RNVR Haslar killed.
HMS Shark was sunk by a torpedo launched by the German torpedo boat S54 and which hit the ship abreast of the aft funnel.
WALKER, Robert Temp/Surgeon Probationer RNVR Haslar

HMS Black Prince

Black Prince briefly engaged the German battleship Rheinland at about 23:35 GMT, scoring two hits with 6-inch shells. Separated from the rest of the British fleet, Black Prince approached the German lines at approximately midnight. She turned away from the German battleships, but it was too late. The German battleship Thüringen fixed Black Prince in her searchlights and opened fire. Up to five other German ships, including battleships Nassau, Ostfriesland, and Friedrich der Grosse, joined in the bombardment, with return fire from Black Prince being ineffective. Most of the German ships were between 750 and 1500 yards of Black Prince   — effectively point blank range for contemporary naval gunnery. Black Prince was hit by at least twelve heavy shells and several smaller ones, sinking within 15 minutes.
There were no survivors from Black Prince??’?s crew, all 857 being killed.

GEOGHEGAN Herbert L Fleet Surgeon Haslar Educated at Neuwied Germany, Queen’s College Galway and Trinity College Dublin (BA, MD). Translator of the German Book ‘Bacteria’ by Dr Max Schottelius
MACCORMAC, John S D, Ty/Surgeon Haslar
WOOD-ROBINSON Thomas M Ty/ Surgeon Haslar
DOWN, Ernest, Sick Berth Steward, 350780 (PO)
STEVENS, Reginald A, Sick Berth Attdt, M 5841 (PO)
SULLIVAN, Frederick W, 2nd Sick Berth Attdt, 351514 (PO)

Note: One would expect sick berth senior rates to be carried but casualty lists only mention Petty Officer, or Chief Petty Officer but no mention of, which branch.

1 June 1916

HMS Tipperary

Sunk on 1 June 1916 by 5.9 inch (150 mm) fire from the secondary battery of the German dreadnought SMS Westfalen
DALTON, Reginald C. Sick Berth Att RN M.3392

Awards and Recommendations arising from actions at the Battle of Jutland

Officers Recommended to be noted for Early Promotion.

Fleet Surgeons

Robert Hill, C.V.O. Deputy Surgeon General. The principal Medical Officer of the Fleet Flagship. His excellent organisation and services before and after the action were of great assistance, and contributed much to the well-being of the wounded.
Arthur Reginald Bankart, C.V.O., M.B., K.H.P. Organised his department for action in a most efficient manner.
Alexander Maclean, M.B. Performed his exhausting duties with the greatest zeal and courage. The medical staff was seriously depleted by casualties. The wounded and dying had to be dressed under very difficult conditions on the mess deck, which was flooded with a foot of water from damaged fire mains.  Fleet Surgeon Maclean has suffered considerably since the action from his devotion to duty.
Ernest Alfred Penfold, M.B. Was in the fore medical distributing station when a heavy shell burst just outside, killing and wounding many. Fleet Surgeon Penfold was himself knocked down and bruised and shaken, but personally assisted in the removal of wounded and afterwards tended the wounded with unremitting skill and devotion for forty hours without rest. His example was invaluable in keeping up the morale of the wounded and of the medical party under very trying conditions.
Christopher Louis White Bunton, M.B. Did good work, being hard pressed with many sudden casualties of a serious nature.

Staff Surgeon.

Arthur Reginald Schofield, M.B. For skilful and untiring attention to the wounded.

Temporary Surgeon.

Richard Stocker Carey. For skilful and untiring attention to the wounded. Awarded OBE in 1919

Surgeon, R.N.V.R.

William James Aitken Quine, M.B. For his assiduous care of and attention to the wounded, of whom he was in sole charge for over 40 hours, the Staff Surgeon having been severely wounded.

To receive the Distinguished Service Cross.

Surg. Prob. Alexander Joe, R.N.V.R. Medical officer of H.M.S. “Nestor.” He behaved with the greatest coolness under fire, tending the wounded single-handed both in ”Nestor” and later on board a German destroyer. His conduct was highly praiseworthy throughout.

To be Companions of the Distinguished Service Order.

Fleet Surg. Ernest Alfred Penfold, M.B., R.N. Was in the fore medical distributing station when a heavy shell burst just outside, killing and wounding many. He was knocked down, bruised and shaken, but personally assisted in the removal of the wounded and tended them with unremitting skill and devotion for forty hours without rest. His example was invaluable in keeping up the morale of the wounded and of the medical party under very trying conditions, the shell having destroyed instruments, dressings, etc.

The following decorations were conferred by the Russian Government on Officers of the Grand Fleet for distinguished service rendered in the Battle of Jutland:

Order of St Stanislaus – Commander with swords

Flt. Surg. Robert Hill, C.V.O. (now Depy. Surg. Genl.).
Flt. Surg. Joseph A. Moon, D.S.O.
Flt. Surg. John C. Ferguson, M.B., B.A.
Flt. Surg. John H Pead, M.B., M.A.
Flt. Surg. Thomas Austen.
Flt. Surg. Alexander Maclean, D.S.O., M.B.
Flt. Surg. Henry W. Finlayson, D.S.O., M.B.
Flt. Surg. Richard S Osborne.
Flt. Surg. Ernest A. Penfold, D.S.O., M.B.
Flt. Surg. Lancelot Kilroy.
Flt. Surg. Kenneth H. Jones, M.B.
Flt. Surg. John Stoddart, M.B.
Surg.-Prob. Allan G. Bee, R.N.V.R.
Surg.-Prob. Gilbert Blurton, R.N.V.R.
Surg.-Prob. Walter A. Turner, R.N.V.R.
Surg.-Prob. Walter E. Heath, R.N.V.R.

Order of St Anne 3rd Class (with swords).

Staff Surg. Francis H. Gowans, M.B.
Staff Surg. Thomas E. Blunt.
Staff Surg. James McA. Holmes, D.S.O., M.B

The following Chief Petty Officers and men were commended for good services in action
Sick Berth Steward Charles Robert Allwright DSM, O.N. 351201. The D.S.M. was awarded to Charles Robert Allwright for bravery and resourcefulness on active service at sea and set an example of bravery and resource under fire, but without performing acts of such pre-eminent bravery as would render Charles Robert Allwright eligible to receive the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.

The following awards has been made in connection with the recommendations of the Commander-in-Chief for services rendered by Petty Officers and men of the Grand Fleet in the action in the North Sea on the 31st May- 1st June, 1916. Commended for good Service.
Chief Sick Berth Steward Arthur George Camm, O.N. 350316.
Second Sick Berth Steward Percy Claud Harvey, O.N. M.873.
Sick Berth Steward Titus Slater Howarth, O.N. 350832.
Second Sick Berth Steward Vincent Lloyd, O.N. 351515.
Second Sick Berth Steward George William Light, O.N. 351480.
Sick Berth Attendant Stanley Russell Mortimore, O.N. M.4039.
Chief Sick Berth Steward John Andrew Neal, O.N. 150394
Second Sick Berth Steward William Henry Peard, O.N. 350676.

Researched by:
Eric C Birbeck MVO
Haslar Heritage Group
Information obtained and researched through:
World Wide Web
Forces War Records
Acknowledgement to:
Naval History online
Battle of Jutland Ships sunk and damaged
RN Casualty Listing 1914-2008.