Overlooking the town of Chatham in Kent is the Chatham Naval Memorial. It commemorates more than 8,500 Royal Navy personnel of the First World War and over 10,000 of the Second World War who were lost or buried at sea.
More than 45,000 men and women lost their lives while serving with the Royal Navy during the First World War. After the Armistice, the naval authorities and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission were determined to find an appropriate way to commemorate naval personnel who had no grave.
KEY FEATURES
Chatham Naval Memorial is one of three naval memorials in the UK. The others are at Plymouth and Portsmouth
All three memorials were designed by Sir Robert Lorimer with sculpture by Henry Poole. Each design is the same with an obelisk of Portland stone surmounted by a copper sphere The memorial commemorates more than 8,500 Royal Navy personnel of the First World War and over 10,000 of the Second World War
The Second World War extension was designed by Sir Edward Maufe
It is made of Portland stone with bronze plaques
The memorial was unveiled on 26 April 1924 by the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VIII). The extension was unveiled by the Duke of Edinburgh on 15 October 1952.
Engineman
4 LAUREL LANE, BEAN STREET, HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK
Died on
12/09/1917
Aged
35
BORN HULL 19/03/1882. HIS WIFE, ELIZABETH SIZER, LIVED AT 4 LAUREL LANE, BEAN STREET, HULL (NAVAL RECORDS ADDRESS). CHIEF ENGINEMAN ON THE MINESWEEPER 'ASIA'. SHIP MINED OFF BRESSAY ISLANDS, SHETLANDS, ON 12/09/1917. AGED 35. LISTED IN ST BARNABAS BOOK. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HDM, WITH HIS PHOTO. * The British trawler Asia was s […]
BORN HULL 24/O8/1876. SON OF GEORGE ROBERT BELL (1853-1926) AND SARAH JANE JOB (1854-1896), OF 11 KENT TERRACE, KENT STREET, HULL. SON OF A BLACKSMITH. HE HAD ONE BROTHER AND FOUR SISTERS. A TRAWLERMAN. HE WAS LOST AT SEA, ON 03/03/1917, AGED 41. HIS WIDOW, MARGARET BELL LIVED AT 24 MAIN STREET, NEW HAVEN. EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND HMT Northu […]
Petty Officer
2 COLLINGWOOD TERRACE, CLARENDON STREET, HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK
Area
Died on
22/09/1914
Aged
35
BORN HULL 25/08/1878. SON OF WILLIAM BELLERBY (1853-1912) & LOUISA MOODY 1855-1895), OF THIS HULL ADDRESS. HE LIVED WITH HIS GRANDFATHER. WORKED AS A TAILOR'S ASSISTANT, BEFORE JOINING THE ROYAL NAVY. HE MARRIED FLORENCE MAY HOLT (1884-1951), AT HULL, ON 05/10/1910. THEY HAD TWO CHILDREN, THOMAS AND JESSIE, AND LIVED AT 22 REGENT S […]
BORN HULL 1869. SON OF JOHN & BETSEY (MATILDA) BENNYWORTH, OF 80 WALCOTT STREET, HULL. HIS FATHER WAS FROM DUBLIN. HIS MOTHER WAS BORN IN BOSTON, LINCOLNSHIRE. HE MARRIED MAHALA EARLES (1861-1936) IN 1902. THEY LIVED IN GORLESTONE, NORFOLK (1911 CENSUS) AND AT 188 STANLEY STREET, GRIMSBY. HE WAS A FITTERS LABOURER. SERVED AS AN EN […]
Merchant Mariner
9, PRINCE OF WALES TERRACE, STAINIFORTH PLACE, HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK
Died on
30/04/1917
Aged
20
BORN HULL 01/08/1896. SON OF EDWARD BILHAM & FLORENCE, OF HARROW STREET, HULL & 9, PRINCE OF WALES TERRACE, STAINIFORTH PLACE, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS). BROTHER OF ROSE POWDRILL, JESSIE & DANIEL. WELL KNOWN ON THE HULL FISH DOCKS. HE ENLISTED IN THE ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE, IN MARCH 1916. SERVED AS A TRIMMER ON THE HULL MINES […]
Able Seaman
3 SABINA AVENUE, BALFOUR STREET, HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK
Area
Died on
09/07/1917
Aged
20
BORN HULL, 09/07/1897. SON OF CHARLES FREDERICK BIRKS (1871-1950) & ELLEN ISABELLA OCKLETON (1872-1940) AT 3 SABINA AVENUE, BALFOUR STREET, HULL (WAR PENSION & CWGC. NAVAL ADDRESS). HE HAD THREE BROTHERS AND FOUR SISTERS. ENLISTED IN THE ROYAL NAVY, ON 27/03/1913. ACCIDENTALLY KILLED, 09/07/1917, AGED 20. COMMEMORATED AT THE […]
3 WILLIAMS TERRACE, WALCOTT STREET, HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK
Area
Died on
18/01/1918
Aged
37
BORN HULL 19/01/1881. SON OF GEORGE & MARY ANN BLANCHARD, OF 8 CLIFTON TERRACE, WALCOTT STREET. HIS WIFE ADA & 5 CHILDREN, LIVED AT THIS CWGC ADDRESS. A TRAWLER, TRIMMER. LOST AT SEA, ON 18/01/1918, AGED 37. HIS ONLY OTHER BROTHER, WILLIAM BALNSHARD (1871-1915) WAS LOST ON THE TRAWLER, 'SABINA', ON 21/05/1915, AGED 43. THEY LEFT […]
BORN HULL 05/10/1896. SON OF JOSEPH EDWARD BLOWERS (1874-1936) & CATHERINE THERESA FRY (1877-1949), OF 102 FLINTON STREET, HULL (1911 CENSUS) AND 86, SUBWAY STREET, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). LOST AT SEA ON 22/05/1917, AGED 20. The Hull steam trawler EPWORTH (H386) was requisitioned for war service as minesweeper in November of 1914. On 2 […]
BORN HULL 26/02/1894. HE HAD ENLISTED IN THE LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT IN 1912, AGED 18. WORKED AS A DOCK LABOURER. SERVED IN THE ROYAL NAVY RESERVE. LOST ON THE FISHING VESSEL 'TERN', WHICH RAN AGROUND, OFF WHITEN HEAD, ON 23/02/1915. SIX LIVES WERE LOST. HIS NAME IS LISTED IN THE ST BARNABAS BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE ND THE CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIA […]
Leading Stoker
2, INVERNESS BUILDINGS, HILL STREET, HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK
Area
Died on
31/05/1916
Aged
42
BORN HULL 01/09/1874. SON OF GEORGE BOOTH (1854-1926) & EMMA CROOK (1857-1913)), OF CHAPEL LANE, HULL. HIS WIFE, ELIZABETH ELLEN (NICHOLSON) & THREE CHILDREN, LIVED AT 2, INVERNESS BUILDINGS, HILL STREET, HULL. THEY HAD THREE CHILDREN (WAR PENSION ADDRESS). HE HAD SERVED FOR OVER 22 YEARS IN THE ROYAL NAVY AND WAS PART OF THE […]
1st Engineer
BORN HULL 11/05/1870. SON OF JOHN SHAW & EMMA (FREEMAN), WARNE STREET SUTTON, HULL. WIFE ELLEN GOWER ABOVE. HDM 24/10/1916. NAVY ADDRESS. SERVED AS CHIEF ENGINEERS ON THE DRIFTER "PELAGIA", LOST AT SEA, ON 28/11/1916. COMMEMORATED ON CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL, KENT. HMD Pelagia, built by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd., North Shields in 1900 and […]
BORN BRIDLINGTON 01/01/1899. SON OF THOMAS FREDERICK BOWSER (1846-1920) & ELIZABETH LILLIAN BOWSER (1874-1957), OF 42 BEECROFT STREET, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). SERVED AS A ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE, TRIMMER, ON THE TRAWLER, "THOMAS STRATTEN". KILLED IN ACTION, ON 20/10/1917, AGED 18. COMMEMORATED ON THE CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL, KENT. PTE. WALT […]
Able Seaman
Born Hull 03/11/1898. Mother: Annie 5, Hemmingway Court Meadow Lane Leeds. Naval Records. The eighth HMS VANGUARD of the British Royal Navy was a St Vincent class battleship, an enhancement of the ´dreadnought´ design built by Vickers at Barrow-in-Furness. She was launched in April 1909, commissioned into the Royal Navy at Devonport i […]
Engineman
6, GLADYS TERRACE, WALCOTT STREET, HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK
Area
Died on
23/02/1915
Aged
37
BORN HULL 28/12/1877. SON OF WILLIAM BRADFORD. HE MARRIED ON 28/06/1898. WIFE ALICE EDITH DIBNAH & SONS, GEORGE THOMAS (BORN 16/02/1904) & CHARLES HENRY (BORN 05/04/1912), LIVED AT 78, DAY STREET & 6, GLADYS TERRACE, WALCOTT STREET, HULL. HE WAS SECOND ENGINEER, ON THE TRAWLER 'TERN'. LOST WHILE MINE SWEEPING OF THE WEST COAS […]
BORN HULL 18/06/1896. BROTHER OF GERTRUDE BRADY AT THIS ADDRESS. SON OF LATE JAMES & ADA BRADY - 2 BELGRAVE TERRACE, HESSLE ROAD. LOST AT SEA WHEN HIS SHIP STRUCK A MINE. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HDM 06/05/1918. On May 4th, 1917, the British minesweeper LORD SALISBURY (FY1212), built in 1911 by Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders […]
2 THE AVENUE, HAMPSHIRE STREET, HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK
Area
Died on
04/10/1918
Aged
34
BORN HULL 1884. WIFE ALICE (RANSOM) BRAITHWAITE & THREE CHILDREN LIVED AT 4 WILLOW GROVE, SOMERSET STREET, HULL. (1918 VOTERS ADDRESS). A FISHERMAN. HIS SHIP WAS MINED. HIS DEATH & PHOTOGRAPH ARE REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON 10TH OCTOBER 1918.* COLEUS was a hired Admiralty drifter (No 2745), built in 1916 of 102 grt and Lo […]
Able Seaman
1 SUMMERS PLACE, WAVERLEY STREET, HULL, EAST YORKSHIRE, UK
Area
Died on
30/12/1915
Aged
38
BORN HULL OCT 1877. SON OF JOHN & FAITH BROMLEY ABOVE 1891 ADDRESS. WIFE LOUISE LIVED AT 71 UNITY STREET, SHEERNESS. BROMLEY, JOHN RICHARD (38), Ship's Corporal 1st Class (no. 177710), HMS Natal, Royal Navy, †30/12/1915, Son of John and Faith Bromley, of Hull; husband of Louise Bromley, of 71, Unity St., Sheerness. Awarded China Med […]
BORN HULL 16/06/1892. SON OF HENRY CHAPLIN & GERTRUDE BROWN AT 26 , TYNE STREET, HULL. A FORMER ABLE SEAMAN, FOR THE WILSON SHIPPING LINE. HE SERVED WITH THE ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE. LOST AT SEA, ON 26/06/1917, AGED 26. HIS NAME IS RECORDED ON ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH MEMORIAL, NEWINGTON, HULL. HIS FATHER AND TWO ALSO BROTHER SERVE […]
Trimmer/Cook
49 Salisbury Street, Hull
Died on
01/01/1919
Aged
23
Born Grimsby, Lincs, 16/11/1895. Son of Stephen and Martha Kendall, of 49 Salisbury Street, Hull (War Pension address). Described as 5 foot, 6 inches tall, hazel eyes, brown hair, ruddy complexion Enlisted on 23/09/1914. Served in the Royal Naval Reserve, on the Yacht "Iolaire". Lost when the ship, was wrecked off Stornaway, on 01/01/1 […]
BORN HULL 01/10/1892. WIFE EDITH ABOVE. LOST AT SEA. NAVAL RECORDS. The Hull steam trawler EPWORTH (H386) was requisitioned for war service as minesweeper in November of 1914. (Ad.No.379). On 22/05/1917 the HMT EPWORTH (FY379) foundered following a collision in the North Sea with the loss of the skipper and ten crew. PEOPLE ON BOARD HMT […]
