MAY 27, 2019

remembrance ni

27 May - Majestic and Princess Irene lost in 1915. Operation Dynamo at Dunkirk continues. Hunt for Bismarck in 1941

Battleship HMS Majestic was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-21 off Cape Helles, Dardanelles. 49 of her crew died. Four were from Northern Ireland. Nine from NI were lost in Princess Irene.

Page 1 MAY 27, 2019 HMS Majestic

HMS Majestic was a battleship and the lead ship of the Majestic class. She served as the flagship of the Channel Squadron from commissioning for eight years whence she went in and out of reserve until WW1. She was relegated to secondary duties when recommissioned and for the Dardanelles Campaign she was despatched as a mine clearer.

On 27 May Majestic was anchored inshore amongst transports and escorts when a periscope was sighted 400 yards away and a torpedo wake streaming through a gap in the nearby ships. Despite her anti-torpedo nets being out, the torpedo fired by U.21 passed straight through the heavy mesh and hit her amidships. It was followed by another one and within seven minutes Majestic, betraying the lack of internal torpedo protection common to her generation, capsized. Forty nine men were killed, mostly by the exploding torpedoes, and the upturned ship rested on the remains of her masts for months, her keel protruding above the water, until at the end of 1915 they collapsed and she sank beneath the waves.

Page 2 MAY 27, 2019 ROLL OF HONOUR HMS MAJESTIC

+MILLAR, Thomas RN. AB. Gunner. 165506. HMS Majestic. Died 27/05/1915. Broadway, Belfast. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 5. Broadway - PCI RH

+MURRAY, James AB. 172205. HMS Majestic. Died 27/05/1915. Age 40. Born Shankill, Belfast. Son of Richard Loughlin Murray and Eliza Murray, Mountpottinger Rd., Belfast. Plymouth Naval Memorial

+PREECE, Samuel Charles RN. Stoker I. SS/103563. HMS Majestic. Died 27/05/1915. Enrolled 15/08/1906 for 5 and 7 years. Served to 12/05/1911. Joined RFR 13/08/1911. War service from 13/07/1914 in Victorious, Doris and Majestic (02/08/1914 - 27/05/15). Born Holmer, Herefordshire, 02/02/1886. Upper Townsend St., Belfast. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 6. IMR. ADM 188/1109/103563

+SCOTT, William RN. AB. 216800. HMS Majestic. Died 27/05/1915. Age 31. Born Bangor 18/04/1884. Worked as an apprentice Clerk in Milford Weaving Company. Son of William and Agnes Scott, Albert St., Bangor. His wife and children lived in Kysemne Terrace, Croft St., Bangor. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 6. Bangor Grammar School archives. Harmony Masonic Lodge 286, Bangor. Family memorial, Bangor New Cemetery. Bangor RBL Memorial plaque. First Bangor PCI RH. ADM 188/380/216800

Page 3 MAY 27, 2019 HMS Princess Irene

HMS Princess Irene (built 1914 as a liner for the Canadian Pacific Railway, requisitioned as minelayer 1915) exploded while loading mines at Sheerness, killing 352 people on board and on shore. Debris landed up to 20 miles away.

On 27th May, 1915, HMS Princess Irene exploded and disintegrated when moored in the Medway estuary in Kent. This occurred a few months after a similar explosion in HMS Bulwark. Eight men from NorthernIreland died in Princess Irene. HMS Princess Irene was moored between Port Victoria and Sheerness in Saltpan Reach. She was being loaded with mines in preparation for a minelaying mission. As the mines were being primed on the ship's decks, there was a massive explosion. A column of flame 300 feet high was followed a few seconds later by another of similar height and a pall of smoke reaching to 1,200 feet hung over the spot where

Page 4 MAY 27, 2019 Chatham Naval Memorial Princess Irene had been. The explosion also destroyed two barges that were lying alongside Irene. mines were being primed on the ship's decks, there was a massive explosion. Although the explosion was much larger than that which had destroyed HMS Bulwark, the loss of life was somewhat smaller. Of the Princess Irene's complement of 225 officers and men, three were ashore that morning. Also on board was a party of 80 Petty Officers from Chatham plus 76 Sheerness Dockyard workers. A total of 352 people were killed,including 273 officers and men, and the 76 dockyard workers. There were eight men from Northern Ireland known to be amongst the fatalities. On the Isle of Grain a girl of nine was killed by flying débris, and a farmhand died of shock. A collier half a mile away had its crane blown off its mountings. A part of one of Princess Irene's boilers landed on the ship; a man working on the

Page 5 MAY 27, 2019 ship died from injuries sustained when he was struck by a piece of metal weighing 70 pounds Wreckage was flung up to 20 miles away, with people near Sittingbourne being injured by flying débris. Severed heads were found at Hartlip and on the Isle of Grain. A case of butter landed at Rainham, six miles away. A 10 ton section of the ship landed on the Isle of Grain. The Admirality’s oil storage tanks there were damaged. The sole survivor from Princes Irene was a stoker, who suffered severe burns. Three of her crew had a lucky escape as they were ashore at the time. The victims whose bodies were recovered were buried at Woodlands Road Cemetery, Gillingham. A memorial service for the victims was held at the Dockyard Church, Sheerness on 1 June 1915. It was led by Randal Davidson, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Inquests were held on two victims of the disaster.The coroner stated that he did not intend to hold an inquest for any other victim unless there were exceptional circumstances that warranted it. A Court of Inquiry was held into the loss of Princess Irene. Evidence was given that priming of the mines was being carried out hurriedly and by untrained personnel. A faulty primer was blamed for the explosion. The explosion on Princess Irene was much larger than that which had destroyed HMS Bulwark six months earlier although the loss of life was less.Regrettably other similar incidents were to follow and the greatest naval loss of life in one incident in World War 1 was akin to the fate of Bulward and Princess Irene. Page 6 MAY 27, 2019 Those lost on Bulwark and Irene are commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial ( See above, page 5). Naval War Memorial to HMS Bulwark and HMS Princess Irene

A memorial to those lost on Bulwark and Princess Irene was erected at the Dockyard Church, Sheerness in 1921. It was dedicated by Archdeacon Ingles, the Chaplain of the Fleet. It was unveiled by Hugh Evan-Thomas, Commander-in-Chief, The Nore. Victims of both ships are also commemorated on the Naval War Memorial at Southsea. Another memorial was placed in Woodlands Road Cemetery, Gillingham, as part of the Naval Burial Ground

ROLL OF HONOUR HMS PRINCESS IRENE

+CARELTON, John RN. Leading Stoker. K11026. HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Age 24. Enrolled 20/04/1911 for 12 years. War service in Forward, Roxburgh and Pembroke II (Princess Irene). Born Belfast 28/09/1892. Son of William and Mary Carleton, Belgrave St., Belfast. Chatham Naval Memorial. Londonderry, The Diamond WM. ADM 188/889/11026

+KANE, Christopher Able Seaman. 191225. HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Aged 34. Son of Patrick and Kate Kane. Born: St. James, Dublin 25/12/1880. Husband to Ethel Alice Kane, Garden Row, Cobridge, Hanley, Staffs. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 7. Ballycastle WM

Page 7 MAY 27, 2019 +LARMOUR, James Kenwick RN. Stoker. K/24617. HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Age 19. Enrolled 06/03/1915 for hostilities. In Pembroke II and Princess Irene. Born Belfast 05/10/1896. Lilliput Street, Belfast. Photo in Belfast Telegraph 18/06/1915. Chatham Naval Memorial, Panel 12. Newington - PCI RH. ADM 188/916/24617

+MAXWELL, James RN. Stoker II. K24593. HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Age 20. Enrolled 03/02/1915 for hostilities. Pembroke II and Princess Irene. Born Belfast 13/04/1895. Son of Joseph and Catherine Maxwell, Barbour St., Greencastle, Belfast. Photo in Belfast Telegraph 18/06/1915. Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 12. Whitehouse - PCI RH. ADM 188/916/24593

+McADOREY, John RN. AB. 225486. HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Age 32. Enrolled 12/04/1903 for 12 years. War service in Latona, and Princess Irene (09/03/1915 - 27/05/1915). Born Belfast 12/04/1885. Son of the late John McAdorey, Garmoyle St., Belfast. Photo Belfast Telegraph 18/06/1915. Portsmouth Naval Memorial. ADM 188/397/225486

+McENROE, Matthew RN. Seaman. HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Resided with brother-in-law, Union St., Londonderry. Photo in Belfast Telegraph 18/06/1915.

+McENROE, Matthew RN. Stoker II. K24912. HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Age 19. Enrolled 16/03/1915 for hostilities. In Page 8 MAY 27, 2019 Pembroke I and Princess Irene. Born Balbriggan, Dublin 21/10/1896. Resided with brother-in-law, Union St., Londonderry. Photo Belfast Telegraph 18/06/1915. ADM 188/916/24912

+McMURRAY, Alexander RN. 1st Class Stoker. SS116710 HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Age 22. Worked as a bricklayer before joining navy in January 1915. Born Bangor 24/10/1893. Son of William and Mary Ellen McMurray, Abbey St., Gray’s Hill, and later Dufferin Avenue, Bangor. Brother of Thomas, Royal Irish Rifles, who was wounded on three occasions. (Bangor Grammar School archives). Chatham Naval Memorial, Panel 12. Sheerness Memorial. Bangor WM. Bangor RBL Memorial plaque. First Bangor - PCI RH. ADM 188/1122/116710

+MAXWELL, James RN. Stoker 2nd Class. K24593. HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Age 20. Born Belfast. Son of Joseph and Catherine Maxwell, Barbour St., Greencastle, Belfast. Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 12. Whitehouse - PCI RH

Roll of Honour - May 27 Representing their comrades who died on this day 1915

HMS Majestic HMS Princess Irene See Rolls of Honour (above).

Page 9 MAY 27, 2019 1917

+BARR, Joseph Jubilee RND. Stoker 1st Cl. SS/108937. Hood Battalion, 2nd Naval Brigade. Died 27/05/1915. Enlisted in the RN 23rd July 1909 for 5 years plus 7 years Special Service. Served in HMS King Edward VII. Enrolled in the RFR 19th July 1914 ; Hood Battalion A/87 17/9/14-27/5/15 Sancroft St., Belfast. Obituary notice in Belfast Telegraph 19/6/1915. Photo in Belfast Telegraph 25/6/1917. Born Belfast June 17/06/1887. Husband to Josephine Barr, Sandcroft Street, Belfast (later of Walbeck Street, Belfast). In civil life he was employed as an assistant reeling master. 1914 Star issued to widow 05/04/19. Funeral conducted by Chaplain B Close. Special Memorial A7. Skew Bridge Cemetery. Dardanelles. IMR. ADM339

1940

+CONDY, John Devenish

Royal Artillery, Lieutenant. 87458. 3 Searchlight Regt. Died 27/05/1940. Aged 39. Son of John and Mary Condy, Belfast. Wormhoudt Communal Cemetery, Nord, France. QUB RH +McCULLOUGH, Norman

Royal Artillery. Gunner. 1471266. Died Between 27/05/1940 and 02/06/1940. Aged 19. 12 Bty., 3 Searchlight Regt. Son of Mrs. L. McCullough, of Lurgan. Dunkirk Town Cemetery

Page 10 MAY 27, 2019 +WILSON, JOHN

Royal Artillery. Gunner. 1459277. Died Between 27/05/1940 and 02/06/1940. Aged 20. 9 Bty., 3 Searchlight Regt. Son of John and Sarah E. Wilson, of Whiteabbey. Dunkirk Memorial Column 16 1942 +STANFIELD, William

Royal Horse Artillery. Gunner. 880709. Died 27/05/1942. Aged 22. 107 (The South Notts. Hussars) Regt. Son of Thomas Edward and Mary Jane Stanfield, of Portadown. Alamein Memorial, Egypt 1944

+STEWART, Thomas

Royal Artillery. Gunner. 7013277. Died 24/05/1944. Aged 23. 69 Lt. A.A. Regt. Son of James and Martha Stewart; husband of F. A. Stewart, of Armagh. Rangoon Memorial, Myanmar 1945 +HAMILTON, Herbert Royal Artillery. Gunner. 1488899. Died on 27/05/1945. Aged 26. 4 Lt. A.A. Regt. Son of James and Mary Hamilton; Husband of Georgina Hamilton of Banbridge. Donaghcloney Presbyterian Churchyard

Page 11 MAY 27, 2019 On this day - May 27

1915 HMS Majestic torpedoed off Gallipoli (See article above) HMS Princess Irene sinks after explosions (See article above) 1936 The first ever Aer Lingus flight took place. A five-seater D.H.

Dragon named 'Iolar' - or 'Eagle' in Irish - flew from Baldonnel Aerodrome to Bristol, England. The departure was witnessed by Seán Lemass, Minister for Industry and Commerce.

1940 British position in Flander’s worsens as King Leopold of Belgium surrenders the remnants of his Army. British sugar ration reduced from 12oz to 8oz.

Page 12 MAY 27, 2019

in 1940, the signal goes out to begin a mass evacuation of British troops from Dunkirk. Over the next eight days, OperationDynamo will save 338,000 men.

99 men mainly from 2/Norfolks had ran out of ammo and options. Surrendering to SS Totenkopf, searched they group against a wall where they were murdered by machine gun fire. 97 British troops were murdered and 2 survived to say what happened after the war.

1941 President Roosevelt declares unlimited national emergency; calls upon all Americans to resist Hitlerism.

Page 13 MAY 27, 2019 Proposal to introduce conscription in Northern Ireland finally scrapped. The convoy HX129, becomes the first to have continuous escort protection across the Atlantic. Germans paratroopers take Canea and with it the main British supply point of Suda Bay. This convinces Major General Freyberg VC, that the situation has gone against the British and that he must withdraw from Crete to save what he can. Having been reinforced by the 15th Panzer Division, Rommel retakes the Halfaya Pass on Egyptian border. The 10th Indian Division begins to advance north from Basra towards Baghdad.

On this day in 1941, at daybreak 400 miles west of Brest,, the battleship HMS King George V followed by the aging HMS Rodney along with the heavy cruisers HMS Norfolk and HMS Dorsetshire confronted the German battleship Bismarck. After all her guns are silenced, she is sunk by torpedo’s from the cruiser Dorsetshire. There are only 110 survivors out of a crew of 2,300.

Page 14 MAY 27, 2019 1942 Luftwaffe bombers sink 5 ships of Convoy PQ-16 off the northern coast of Norway. The siege of Sevastopol rages on, becoming the only incident of a formal siege of a modern fortress being pushed through to final reduction. Sevastopol is the premier port on the Black Sea, and its defenses include three zones of trenches, pillboxes, and batteries. The strongest defenses lie in the middle zone, which includes the heights and the south bank of the Belbek River. Among these hills are “Fort Stalin” on the East and the massive western anchor of “Fort Maxim Gorki I,” with its turret of twin 305 mm (12-inch) guns sweeping the length of the Belbek valley. 105,000 men defend this port. Against this the Germans and Romanians range 203,000 men and some of the most powerful siege artillery ever disposed by any army in World War II. Field Marshal Erich von Manstein aims 305 mm, 350 mm, and 420 mm howitzers at the Russians, along with two of the new, stubby “Karl” and “Thor” 600 mm mortars. Also on hand is the 800 mm (31.5-inch) “Big Dora” from Krupp, which has to be transported to position by 60 railway wagons. “Big Dora” is commanded by a major general and a colonel, protected by two flak regiments and periodically fed with a 10,500 lb. shell. Czech patriots shoot Reinhard Heydrich in the suburbs of Prague. His condition is described as critical. The Afrika Korps, having pushed around the British defenses, move northeast. They are engaged by elements of the British 1st and 7th Armored Divisions. Many tank losses were taken by both sides, although as the battle went on the British armor became increasingly scattered. The

Page 15 MAY 27, 2019 Italian Ariete Armored Division continued to meet stiff resistance from the Free French at Bir Hacheim, while the Italian Trieste Motorized Division further north, found itself grinding through minefields under heavy fire as a result of a navigation error. Japanese Combined Fleet lifts anchor and sets sail for Midway. On the same day, Admiral Nimitz, having been for warned of the impending Japanese attack against Midway by US intelligence who were intercepting Japanese naval signals, issues orders for Task Force 16 (Admiral Spruance) with the carriers Enterprise and Hornet, plus 6 cruisers, 11 destroyers, 2 tankers and 19 submarines, to sail for Midway the next day. 1943 Jean Moulin presides over the first-ever unified meeting of the French Resistance at 48 Rue de Four in Paris, where Charles de Gaulle is unanimously recognized as the movement’s leader. A month later, Moulin is betrayed and arrested by the Gestapo, dying on his way to a concentration camp in Germany. The first British ‘liaison’ team is dropped into Yugoslavia to join up with Tito’s partisans. 1944 Start of the monsoon season bogs down operations in Burma. 12,000 U.S. troops land on Biak in the Schouten Island Group, 350 miles West of Hollandia. MacArthur says, ‘this marks the strategic end of the New Guinea campaign’.

Page 16 MAY 27, 2019 1945 Chinese troops are now 25 miles North of Foochow and take Loyaun. The U.S. Sixth Army takes Santa Fe on Luzon. 1982 The stage was set for the first and longest land battle of The Falklands War.

3 Commando Brigade had successfully landed at San Carlos, established a beach head and were now set to begin their advance towards Stanley.

Acknowledgments Admiralty record Bangor Grammar School archives CWGC Eddie Donnelly - Presbyterian Church RH Masonic Order RH IWM

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