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HMS Bulwark - 26 November 1914



Lord Bracknell

Lord Bracknell

On fire
Jul 5, 2003
39,499
104 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair
HMS Bulwark was a Royal Navy battleship, built in 1902. At the start of WW1, she was attached to the Channel Fleet, conducting patrols in the English Channel. Exactly 100 years ago today, at 7.50am on 26 November 1914, while anchored near Sheerness in the Medway estuary, she was destroyed by an internal explosion with the loss of 736 men, out of the crew of 750. Two of the 14 survivors later died in hospital. The cause of the explosion, which completely destroyed the ship, was the overheating of cordite charges that had been placed next to a boiler room bulkhead.

Among the dead was Stoker 1st Class Alfred Harrison, aged 21. He was my grandmother's brother.

A lot is written about war heroes, laying down their lives for their country. This tragedy wasn't like that. It was a shocking waste of 738 lives, caused by what today is called human error.

RIP Alfred Harrison and his comrades.
 








H

Hastings gull

Well-known member
Nov 23, 2013
4,635
Lord Bracknell said:
HMS Bulwark was a Royal Navy battleship, built in 1902. At the start of WW1, she was attached to the Channel Fleet, conducting patrols in the English Channel. Exactly 100 years ago today, at 7.50am on 26 November 1914, while anchored near Sheerness in the Medway estuary, she was destroyed by an internal explosion with the loss of 736 men, out of the crew of 750. Two of the 14 survivors later died in hospital. The cause of the explosion, which completely destroyed the ship, was the overheating of cordite charges that had been placed next to a boiler room bulkhead.

Among the dead was Stoker 1st Class Alfred Harrison, aged 21. He was my grandmother's brother.

A lot is written about war heroes, laying down their lives for their country. This tragedy wasn't like that. It was a shocking waste of 738 lives, caused by what today is called human error.

RIP Alfred Harrison and his comrades.
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Many thanks for sharing this -quite a poignant day for you and your family. Makes us all think. As you say, RIP to them all
 


E

explymouthnige

explymouthnige
Jul 5, 2009
114
Upper Beeding
Served on it 78-81 - still do Comms branch reunions from it - Agree that it was a terrible tragedy, we lost quite a few ships in the battle of Jutland because of mishandling like that, they used to stack the shells and cordite in the passageways near the gun to make their shooting faster, so one hit could take out the whole ship.
 








Everest

Everest

Me
Jul 5, 2003
20,741
Southwick
Tragic.

I was researching one of my relatives at the weekend.
Reginald George Everest (son of Edgar William if you know your BHA history).
Died in the raid at Zeebrugge on April 23, 1918 on HMS Vindictive.



 
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Norman Potting

Norman Potting

Well-known member
Nov 5, 2006
13,965
Sussex, Sussex not by the sea and actually nearer
Makes me feel grateful that, as far as I am aware, none of my ancestors perished in the Great War.

However both Great Grandad and Grandad served and had close shaves. Great Grandad was on HMS Hythe and survived when it was rammed and sunk in fog off Gallipoli - died well before my time but apparently used to reminisce that "....I jumped and I jumped and I jumped all the way from here (Speldhurst) to bloody Langton Green to get off that boat!”. Grandad lied about his age to join at 17 toward the end of the conflict and copped a "blighty one" in the shoulder, allegedly from one his own comrades and whilst he was winning a V.C, "....but nobody saw me do it!"

Makes you think that if someones aim had been better I may not be here to inflict my postings on you all!
 


S

smiler

Active member
Jan 12, 2006
656
Shoreham by Sea
Norman Potting said:
Makes me feel grateful that, as far as I am aware, none of my ancestors perished in the Great War.

However both Great Grandad and Grandad served and had close shaves. Great Grandad was on HMS Hythe and survived when it was rammed and sunk in fog off Gallipoli - died well before my time but apparently used to reminisce that "....I jumped and I jumped and I jumped all the way from here (Speldhurst) to bloody Langton Green to get off that boat!”. Grandad lied about his age to join at 17 toward the end of the conflict and copped a "blighty one" in the shoulder, allegedly from one his own comrades and whilst he was winning a V.C, "....but nobody saw me do it!"

My uncle was on the Hythe as well and survived but later died at Alexandria after being wounded at Gallipoli. I wonder if they knew each other? He was from Tunbridge Wells. Please email me if you have any information.
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Flumpyj

New member
Mar 3, 2009
79
We recently found out that my Great Uncle on my Mothers side of the family served and died on HMS Hood.
 




Thunder Bolt

Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Aug 18, 2009
65,387
Beside the seaside, beside the sea




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