Issue 40 Page 1! Brave Report ! HMS Richmond under Banbridge command BANBRIDGE AND GILFORD’S NAVAL RECORD In May 2014 when HMS Richmond docked at Belfast Harbour, the Banbridge tradition of service in the Royal Navy was once more Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 2! expressed. Lieutenant Commander Mark Anderson, a Banbridge native, was in command of was the Type 23 frigate. Portsmouth based she had recently returned to the UK from deployment to the Atlantic Patrol Tasking where her passage included stops in Cape Verde, Ascension and South Georgia. ! Lt Cdr Mark Anderson - also commanded HMS Mersey, one of three River class offshore patrol vessels whose primary role is to protect fish stocks Banbridge town’s tradition of naval service is unavoidable in its public architecture. The Crozier monument highlights the cost of polar exploration which was predominantly led by the Royal Navy in the quest for alternative sea routes. The cost Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 3! born by individuals and families is well illustrated by the inscription on the monument. It reads - To perpetuate the remembrance of talent, enterprise, and worth as combined in the character and evidenced in the life of Captain Francis Rawdon Moira Crozier R.N. F.R.S. this monument has been erected by friends, who, as they valued him in life,regret him in death. He was second in command with Captain Sir John Franklin R.N. F.R.S., and captain of H.M. ship Terror, in the polar expedition which left England on the 22 May 1845. Although there remained no survivors of the expedition, enough has been ascertained to show that, to it, is justly due the honour of the discovery of the long sought for North West Passage, and that Captain Crozier, having survived his chief, perished with the remainder of the party after he had bravely led them to the coast of America. He was born at Banbridge, the - September 1796, but of the place or time of his death no man knoweth unto this day." Francis Rawdon Moira Crozier was born at Banbridge in September, 1796, being the fifth son of George Crozier, a solicitor and a man of Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 4! ! The War Memorial, Newry Street, Banbridge The monument, the work of the sculptor F. W. Pomeroy, bears the inscription, “In Memory of the Men of Banbridge and district who laid down their lives serving their King and Country in the Great War 1914 – 1918.” A total of 249 men are named on the memorial. property. The family were friends of the Marquis of Downshire and the Earl of Moira. It was from this Earl of Moira - "the best known public character in the three kingdoms" - that Crozier derived one of his christian names. Craigavon Historical Society have published an excellent account of this naval explorer’s endeavours. See Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 5! http://www.craigavonhistoricalsociety.org.uk/rev/ kerrcrozier.html First World War 21 men from the area served in the First World War. 11 of them died. Their service covered most of the events of the war. John Sides Davies MacCormac A Surgeon, he was lost serving in HMS Black Prince at Jutland ! John Sides Davies MacCormac, a Surgeon, was lost serving in HMS Black Prince at Jutland on 31/05/1916. HMS Black Price, an armoured cruiser, was sunk with 857 men lost. The ship had become separated from the rest of the British fleet and it was reported that: "As Black Prince Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 6! now suddenly found herself close abreast of the German centre. In a moment she was in a glare of searchlights, a tornado of shell at point blank- range rent her from stem to stern, and in two minutes she was a mass of flames. For a while she was seen as a floating furnace, and then, with an appalling explosion, sank with all hands". John is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 11 ! Three were the victims of internal explosions inter ships. Hugh Gilmour, a stoker, and Henry Aversely, a Royal Marine musician, died in HMS Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 7! Bulwark when she sank off Sheerness on 26/11/1914. Nathaniel Taylor was lost in HMS Natal in Cromarty Firth on 30/12/1915. The captain was hosting a film party aboard and had invited the wives and children of his officers, one civilian friend and his family, and nurses from the nearby hospital ship Drina to attend. A total of seven women, one civilian male, and three children were in attendance that afternoon.Shortly after 1525, and without warning, a series of violent explosions tore through the rear part of the ship. She capsized five minutes later. Some thought that she'd been torpedoed by a German U-boat or detonated a submarine-laid mine, but examination of the wreckage revealed that the explosions were internal.The Admiralty court-martial into the causes of her loss concluded that it was caused by an internal ammunition explosion, possibly due to faulty cordite.The Admiralty issued a revised list of the dead and missing that totalled 390 in January 1916. Thomas Spratt was killed on 15/07/1915 in the Dardanelles at Lancashire Landing, whilst serving with the Royal Naval Division. Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 8! The youngest to die was Christopher Berry, a sixteen year old Boy Artificer. MacCormac and Taylor were Instonians. Six of those who served were members of the Masonic Order. Second World War 1 woman and 20 men served in the Second World War. 8 died. Gordon Jardine survived the sinking of HMS Repulse. Edward Close died after the sinking of HMS Lapwing on an Arctic convoy on 20/03/1945. He was 26 years of age, having joined the RN when he was 13 years old. Edmund Smyth was awarded a DSC and mentioned in despatches. In April 1943, aged 25 years, he was serving in the Mediterranean when he was Mentioned in Dispatches for an action off the coast of Tunisia and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (London Gazette 11/01/1944), “For gallant and distinguished services in a daylight sweep against enemy shipping in the Mediterranean while serving in light Coastal Craft”. Edmund became a Director Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 9! of the Dungannon based company 'Moygashel’. He died at the 18th hole of the Royal County Down Golf Course, Newcastle on 12/11/1988. BANBRIDGE & GILFORD WORLD WAR I ROLL OF HONOUR +AVERLEY, Henry RM Band. RMB/108 (Po). Musician. HMS Bulwark. Died 26/11/1914. Explosion Sheerness. B London. Husband of Georgina Aversely from Bangor, later of Lakeview Lodge, Gilford Rd., Lurgan. +BERRY, Christopher Barnett RN. Boy Artificer. M/11326. HMS Indus. Died:17/03/1915. Aged 16. Born Banbridge. Son of Robert and Arabella Berry, Springfield Rd., Belfast. Ford Park Cemetery (formerly Plymouth Old Cemetery). CAMERON, Joseph M RNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Russian Award January 1918 Main Street, Gilford COBURN, J. G. RND. Sub-Lieutenant. Public Schools Battalion. Wounded. Fountainville, Banbridge. Scarva Street - PCI RH +GILMOUR, Hugh RN. Stoker. 1586U. HMS Bulwark. Died 26/11/1914. Age 36. Explosion Sheerness. B Banbridge 29/12/1868. Son of John Gilmour and Mary Tinsley. Husband to Isabella Gilmour, Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 10! Murano Street, Maryhill, Glasgow. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 6 +HILLIS, James Herbert RN. Leading Stoker. K4837. HMS Pathfinder. Died 05/09/1914. Killed in action with submarine off Firth of Forth. Born Banbridge. Husband to Catherine Hillis, Newcastle St., Belfast. Chatham Naval Memorial. Megain Memorial - PCI RH HUGHES, William T Banbridge Masonic Lodge RH +HUGHES, William Thomas RN. AB. SS3214. HMS Norseman. Died of illness 22/01/1919. Aged 27. On Friday 01/01/1915, he was in the battleship HMS Formidable when it was torpedoed by a submarine. Born Dungannon 08/09/1892. Eldest son of Mrs. Matilda. Hughes, Railway St., Banbridge, and the late Mr.William Hughes. Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery, Kent JOHNSTON, RNR. Son of William John and Bridget Johnston, Katesbridge, Banbridge KENNEDY, John RNR. Surgeon. Banbridge Masonic Lodge KENNEDY, John SD AB. Banbridge Masonic Lodge +MacCORMAC, John Sides Davies RN. Surgeon. HMS Black Prince. Jutland. Died 31/05/1916. Age 44. Son of William and Mary Edmunds MacCormac, The Old House, Banbridge, and husband to Genevieve Muriel Northern Ireland - Service in the Royal Navy - In Remembrance Issue 40 Page 11! MacCormac, (daughter of Major- General Sir Charles Metcalfe Macgregor). Daughter, Joan MacCormac was born in 1910. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 11. Banbridge WM. RBAI WM +McEVOY, Patrick Leading Stoker. 285115. HMS Hawke. Died 15/10/1914. Age 34. Born Dechomet. Son of Edward and Mary Ann McEvoy, Dechomet; husband of Rose Ann McEvoy, Dechomet, Ballyward, Banbridge. Chatham Naval Memorial +MILLS, Stewart RN. Gilford WM MORTON, John RNAS. Private. Lenaderg, Banbridge. Tullylish - PCI RH SIMMS, Thomas RNVR. Lt. Commander. Banbridge Masonic Lodge +SPRATT, Thomas RND. Stoker 1st Class. 298606. Nelson Battalion, RND. Died 15/07/1915. B Banbridge. Brother of Mrs. Patterson, Witham St., Belfast. Lancashire Landing Cemetery, Turkey +STEELE, Thomas RNR. Lieutenant. HMS Laurentic. Died 25/01/1917. Age 26. Born Gilford. Son of Alexander Steele; husband to Annie Steele, Hamilton Rd, Bangor.