My Grandfather, Herbert George, had an older brother.
Born at 8, East Street, Fisherton Anger, Wiltshire, Walter Edmund George, was born on 20th November 1895.
Two years older than his brother Herbert, from a young age, he’d dreamed of joining the Royal Navy.
At just over 5’4″ tall, with a 35″ chest, he wasn’t a giant by any means. A fresh-faced, brown-eyed boy who longed for a life at sea.
Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t in a position to join the Navy immediately after leaving school. So, decided to become a printer’s apprentice in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
At the age of 17 years and 2 months, in January 1913, Walter and his father, James, headed down from their home at 13 Hartington Rd, Salisbury, to the Royal Navy recruitment office in Portsmouth.
At last, his dream was finally becoming a reality.
He signed up and was posted to HMS Vivid I, the Seamanship, Signalling and Telegraphy School in Devonport in Plymouth. His time there began on 22nd January 1913.
After his initial training, on the 21st April 1913, he was posted aboard HMS Carnarvon. One of six Devonshire-class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. His rank as a ‘Boy’, meant he would help out with the menial tasks aboard the ship. Things like cleaning the ship and its hold, repairing ropes, etc.
He worked aboard HMS Carnarvon until his 18th birthday.
On that day, he returned to Portsmouth and enlisted as Ordinary Seaman J/22161.
Walter enlisted for 12 years.
By 12th November 1913, Ordinary Seaman Walter Edmund George, was aboard the HMS Achilles. A Warrior-class armoured cruiser. It was while onboard Achilles, that he was promoted to Able Seaman on 14th May 1915.
Between 16th May 1915 and 18th August 1915, Able Seaman George returned to shore for additional training at HMS Vernon. A “stone frigate” of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.
HMS Vernon was established as the Royal Navy’s torpedo training centre on 26th April 1876. The base was named after the ship HMS Vernon which served as part of its floating base.
Once his training was complete, he was posted to HMS Barham on 19th August 1915, as a torpedo operator. The Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship, that launched on 31st December of 1914 and was to be Walter’s final stand.
HMS Barham was the lead battleship of the 5th Battle Squadron, in the Battle of Jutland in the North Sea, about 60 miles (97 km) off the west coast of Denmark.
One ship in a total of 28 British Battleships, 9 Battle Cruisers, 8 Armoured Cruisers, 26 Light Cruisers, 78 Destroyers, 1 Minelayer and 1 Seaplane Carrier involved in the conflict.
151 Combat ships against the 99 German ships.
The first shots of the battle were fired at 14:28 on 31st May 1916. When HMS Galatea and HMS Phaeton of the British 1st Light Cruiser Squadron opened fire on the German torpedo boats.
At 16:08, HMS Barham opened fire on the German battleship, SMS Von der Tann.
During the following battle, HMS Barham fired 337, 15″ shells and 15, 6″ shells. And she was only hit six times by German Battlecruisers. Four of those times by SMS Derfflinger.
Less than 14 hours later, the battle was over, but a total of 6,094 British sailors were killed.
Although Barham only took six hits during the onslaught, 4 officers and 22 sailors lost their lives.
One of those was my Great-Uncle.
Walter was buried at sea, but a memorial to the memory of those that lost their lives that day, can be found at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
There is also a very touching memorial in the Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery on the Island of Hoy, which is part of the Orkney Islands.
It reads… ‘Sacred to the memory of the men of H.M.S. Barham, who lost their lives in the Battle of Jutland, 31st May 1916’
At the base of the headstone is written ‘Erected by their Shipmates’
Walter spent just over three years in what was supposed to be a long-term, rewarding career in the Royal Navy.
Although like so many others in the Great War, his time was cut short, he’ll never be forgotten.
If you have any further information, I’d love to hear about it 🙂
