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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Michelle72 on Sunday 09 December 07 02:43 GMT (UK)
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I have a photo of a relative with a man in the navy. I cannot find any information on this particular ship (HMS Lark) or know of anyone who joined the armed forces. Just wonder if anyone can shed some light on this picture. Such as when the picture was taken, where it was taken etc. The indentation says J Cook, Ayr, N.B. (Scotland).
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Pommygirl/AliceBramwellandSailorPhototakenbyJ.jpg)
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Hi Michelle !
Can't help you with the picture I'm afraid ... but here's a bit on HMS Lark !! :)
Laforey Class Torpedo Boat Destroyers
These were the last Destroyers completed before the outbreak of WW1, and the first class to be named in the new Alphabetical system. Also six of the class were built with two funnels with the remainder having Three. They were also the first class to be given double torpedo Tubes. and another first was two destroyers of the class HMS Leonidas and HMS Laforey had geared turbines. The " L" Flotilla saw a lot of active service during the war. with HMS Lance having fired the first naval shot of the war when it sank (along with HMS Landrail) the German minelayer Konigen Luise they took part in most of the naval actions but only a few were at Jutland - and during the war they formed the famous "Harwich force"
HMS Lark
26th May 1913
Served with the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla on completion and transferred to escort duties after 1917. Sold for breaking in January 1923.
http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/laforey_class.htm#HMS%20Lark
Annie :)
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I cannot see your mans right arm to see which branch he was in, but he is wearing two good conduct stripes which were awarded for what we called four years undetected crimes.
He would have been an Able Seaman or equivalent in whichever branch he was in.
Salty
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A bit more about the Lark
HMS Lark (U 11)
Sloop of the Modified Black Swan class
HMS Lark as completed
Navy: The Royal Navy
Type: Sloop
Class: Modified Black Swan
Pennant: U 11
Built by: Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Greenock, Scotland)
Ordered:
Laid down: 5 May, 1942
Launched: 28 Aug, 1943
Commissioned: 10 Dec, 1943
Lost: 17 Feb, 1945
Loss position: ,
History: At 10.15 hours on 17 February 1945 the German submarine U-968 fired one LUT torpedo at a destroyer of the Groznyj-class and observed a hit after 6 minutes 20 seconds. In fact HMS Lark (Cdr. Hedworth Lambton, (retired), RN) was hit in the stern north-east of Murmansk in position 69º30'N, 34º33'E, towed into the Kola Inlet and beached near Rosta. The ship was declared a total loss by the Royal Navy and the wreck was handed over to the Soviets.
Earlier that day, U-425 had been sunk by depth charges from HMS Lark and the British corvette HMS Alnwick Castle.
Hit by U-boat
A total loss on 17 Feb, 1945 by U-968 (Westphalen).
Noteable events involving Lark include:
17 Feb, 1945
The German submarine U-425 was sunk in the Barents Sea near Murmansk, Russia, in position 69º39'N, 35º50'E, by depth charges from the British sloop HMS Lark and the British corvette HMS Alnwick Castle. (see map)
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Hi Michelle
What a lovely photo! Why don't you post it on the Restoration board and see how wonderful it would look after the experts there had given it a splash of colour!
Judy ;)
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hi all
are we talking first or second world war here
from the ladies dress i would say 1st world war
as it's a formal photograph you would think there's some
kind of relationship between the two of them
mother/son ?
aunt/nephew?
ev
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I would say that the photo is WW1 era.
Salty
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I agree, he has that WW1 look about him and the lady has an Edwardian look about her too.
There was a HMS Lark in WW1 . Here's a link and a pic too.
[url][http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/laforey_class.htm#HMS%20Lark/url]
I hope it helps.
Simon (and Kitty)
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Thank you very much for your replies. I have posted the picture in the restorations board to see what it would be like in colour.
Michelle