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Officers and Men Killed in Action or Died of Wounds, H.M.S. Chester, Battle of Jutland  31st May -1st June 1916.

 

 Extract from the Official History; " Naval Operations" by Sir Julian S. Corbett. 1923

 .........Admiral Hood, in response to the order to support Admiral Beatty, had reached about twenty-five miles ahead of the battle fleet with the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron. One of his attached light cruisers, the Canterbury, was about five miles further forward; the other, the Chester, was the same distance to the westward on his starboard beam, while his four destroyers, Shark, Acasta, Ophelia and Christopher, formed his antisubmarine screen ahead. The Chester was thus nearest to the enemy, and at 5.27 her commander, Captain R. N. Lawson, hearing the sound of guns to the south-westward, turned in that direction to investigate. Soon he could see far-away flashes breaking the mist where the 5th Battle Squadron was still fighting, and in another minute or two the form of a three-funnelled cruiser with some destroyers took shape crossing ahead of him. Realising at once that she was an enemy, he turned to starboard to bring his guns to bear, but as this movement brought one of the destroyers in admirable position for attack on his port bow he swung north and was opening fire on his phantom enemy when he saw she was not alone. Two other ghost-like forms were astern of her, and in a minute or two the Chester was smothered in bursting shell. Within five minutes she had three of her guns disabled : the majority of the guns' crews were lying dead or wounded, and with only her after gun in action she turned away north-eastward at utmost speed, dodging the salvoes like a snipe.
   It was Admiral Boedicker's light cruiser squadron (2nd Scouting Group) she had run into, as on Admiral Hipper's disengaged side it was continuing to the northward some four miles on his starboard beam, and the ships chasing the Chester were the Frankfurt (flag), Wiesbaden, Pillau and Elbing. The Chester seemed doomed, but rescue was at hand. Directly Admiral Hood heard the firing abaft his starboard beam he swung round north-west (5.37). As the German cruisers were closing to the eastward the courses quickly converged. In a few minutes our battle cruisers could see emerging from the mist the Chester zigzagging in the storm of shell splashes that were drenching her. A minute later her eager pursuers came suddenly into view. Immediately they saw their danger they swung round to starboard on the opposite course to Admiral Hood, but it was too late. As they passed, his guns crashed into them, while the Chester escaped across the Invincible's bows, firing her last shots as she ran northward into safety......
..
 
 


Lieutenant,
George Henry Walker Williamson.

Chaplain,
The Rev. Cyril Ambrose Walton.

 

Arter, Edward George, Ld. Sea. Ashton, Robert John , Boy 1. Blake, Percy Frank, Off.Std. 3.
Chowns, Albert Ernest, Boy 1. Cooper, William Hide, Sh.Cpl.1. Cornwell, John Travers Boy 1.
(02/06/16)
Fassnidge, Pte., Edward, R.M.L.I. Fosker, Harry, Sailmaker's Mate. Furby,  John William Ord. Sea.
Gibbs, John Porter, Pte. R.M.L.I. Grimley, James Martin, Pte. R.M.L.I. Howling, Arthur Leonard, Off. Std. 2.
Kirkpatrick, J. N., Ord. Sea. Lawless, Percy, A.B. Lister, George, Yeoman of Signals.
Luxton, John Henry, A.B. McKenzie, Frederick George , Sig. Oldershaw, James Vincent, Yeoman of Signals.
Patterson, William John, Pte. R.M.L.I. Preston, Thomas Pte, R.M.L.I. Raven,  Reginald Alfred, Boy 1.
Smith, William, Pte. R.M.L.I. Spillett, George,  P.O. 1. Thorp, Raymond William, Bugler, R.M.L.I.
Tucker, Albert Henry, Pte. R.M.L.I. Waghorn, Ord. Sea. James David. Wells, John, Ord. Sea.
Wise, Sidney, Ord. Sea. Yelloly, John Henry, Ord. Sea. end
     

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