Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Chatham Naval Memorial | 16 Kent | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.129 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 46C GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of Joseph Edward and Francis Elizabeth Meal, of Railway Terrace. Caister-on-Sea, Norfolk.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: HMS Southampton |
"Mike: Southampton was one of the third batch of ""Town"" class light cruisers, her sister ships were Dublin and Chatham. The first three ""Town"" ships of the Royal Australian Navy (HMAS Melbourne, HMAS Sydney, and HMAS Brisbane) were virtually identical. Southampton differed from her sisters, having different machinery. Chatham had two screws. The sister ships, with Parsons turbines, had four screws. She was initially assigned to the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron, serving in the Mediterranean, but was detached in 1914 to operate in the Red Sea. In November of that year, she was involved in operations against the German commerce raider SMS Konigsberg. In May 1915 Southampton was in the Dardanelles, supporting the allied landings at Gallipoli. She returned to home waters in 1916 and was assigned to the 3rd Light Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet when she participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight. Southampton was present at the Battle of Jutland as flagship of the Second Light Cruiser Squadron, flying the flag of Commodore William Goodenough. She torpedoed the cruiser SMS Frauenlob, which subsequently sank. On 26 May 1916 she was damaged by a mine. She was repaired and survived the war. " |
| Action : Jutland |
The Battle of Jutland was the largest naval battle of World War I, and the only full-scale clash of battleships in that war. It is considered to be the largest conventional naval battle in history. It was fought on 31 May - 1 June 1916, in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. The combatants were the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet, commanded by Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer, and the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe. The German fleet's intention was to lure out, trap and destroy a portion of the Grand Fleet, as the German numbers were insufficient to engage the entire British fleet at one time. This formed part of a larger strategy to break the British blockade of the North Sea and to allow German mercantile shipping to operate. Meanwhile, the Royal Navy pursued a strategy to engage and destroy the High Seas Fleet, or keep the German force bottled up and away from Britain's own shipping lanes. Considered a tactical victory for the Germans but a resounding strategic victory for the British.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | King's Navy No. 2901 E.C. | East Kent |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
17th April 1914 | 18th May 1914 | 21st September 1914 |
Listed a 29 year old Yeoman Signaller aboard H.M.S. "Lowstoft" at the time of his initiation in 1914. The contribution records records "Died May 16, 1916" which is slightly at odds with the official record and the battle of Jutland.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley