HMS St Vincent 1913-18

[jillruss]

I've just downloaded a navy record for my great uncle which shows that he served as a Stoker on the St Vincent between 1913 and 1918.

Can anyone advise me where to look to find out where the St Vincent was in action during WW1?

Jill

[robthenob]

Hi
For info on the H.M.S. Vincent go to http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_st_vincent1.htm

Rob

[jillruss]

Thanks Rob.

Its a difficult site to navigate but I have at least learned that the St Vincent took part in the Battle of Jutland.

Are you well versed in navy records? The reason showing for my great uncle's discharge is virtually unreadable. I have tried to copy and paste it onto here without success. It seems to say 'Shore' and then another word beginning with 'D' which looks like 'Danube' but obviously isn't! Is it a standard reason - any ideas?

Jill

[GrahamSimons]

The ship's logs are at Kew in series ADM53. I haven't looked at St Vincent's log, but have looked at others: no information on individual crew but things like course, speed, coal or oil, water, position etc. The logs haven't been digitised so it would need a visit.

Also there is a report of the Jutland action in ADM 137/302/1 though again it would need a visit.

[mmm45]

Discharged Shore is a possibility...thats pretty standard for RN records
Or discharged on demob (demobilisation)
Ady

[jillruss]

Ah! Thanks, Ady - whoever entered it did it back to front, but - yes - it says 'Shore Demob'. Thanks for that. It looks as if he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve the day after he was demobbed. Would he have been demobbed if he was joining the RFR? His record shows him back on Victory II for a few months in 1920 after he'd been demobbed in 1919. An entry squashed into the Remarks column states that he was approved re-entry as a stoker II as a special case although over age.

Do you know if joining the RFR would mean he would have to stay in or near a naval base - like Portsmouth? (I've been trying to find a possible marriage for him. I've found one in Hull, where he was born, but I don't think its him - and there is a later one which took place in the Portsmouth Registration District).

Not much chance of me getting all the way down to London to Kew but thanks for the info, Graham. I'm certainly looking up what happened at the Battle of Jutland.

Jill