Chief Engine Room Artificer
John Benjamin Baldwin RANDALL
Navy
Died: 28th January 1918 - Age: 38

Commemorated:

1. Memorial:Portsmouth Naval Memorial29 Hampshire
2. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.133
3. Memorial:The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour34A GQS
    

Awards & Titles:

 

Family :

Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Benjamin Randall, of Britt Place, Egham, Surrey; husband of Hannah Elizabeth Randall, of 197, Laburnum Grove, North End, Portsmouth.

Education & Career :

Egham Parish School

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: HM Submarine E14 

Mike: HMS E14 was a British E class submarine built by Vickers, Barrow-in-Furness. She was laid down on 14 December 1912 and was commissioned on 18 November 1914. Her hull cost ?105,700. HMS E14 took part in an operation to penetrate the Sea of Marmara. She successfully dived beneath the minefields and broke into the Sea of Marmara on 27 April 1915. She quickly sank the Turkish gunboat Nurel Bahr, sinking 200 tons on 1 May. She then went on to damage the minelayer Peik I Shevket sinking 1014 tons in a torpedo attack. Upon her return, her captain, Lieutenant Commander Courtney Boyle received the Victoria Cross. Later in her career, her new captain, Lieutenant Commander G S White received posthumously a Victoria Cross for his actions in the Dardanelles. HMS E14 attacked a merchant ship on 28 January 1918. But one of her torpedoes prematurely exploded which damaged the submarine. She was forced to surface because of flooding but then came under coastal battery fire off Kum Kale. Then while attempting to beach safely, Lieutenant Commander G S White was killed by shellfire. HMS E14 sank but fortunately, nine of her crew survived but were taken prisoner.

Action : HMS Submarine E14, Sinking of 

In January 1918 HM Submarine E14 was ordered to go in pursuit of the Turkish battleship 'Goeben' which was reported to have run aground in the Dardanelles straits. The submarine negotiated passage of the straits successfully avoiding submarine nets and Turkish patrols. However, when they arrived at their destination they discovered the Goeben had gone. On the return journey they attacked a merchant ship, a target of opportunity. During the attack an explosion detonated, either the submarine hit a mine or the torpedo had exploded prematurely. The submarine was forced to surface and was then bombarded by shore batteries. Lieutenant Drew was on the bridge when the conning tower was hit. His body went overboard and was not recovered. For his part in the action Charles was mentioned in dispatches, the submarine commander, Lieutenant Commander White (CWGC)was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part.

Detail :

HM Submarine E14 was built by Vickers in Barrow-in-Furness and was commissioned on 18 November 1914. In January 1918 she was tasked to destroy the badly damaged battlecruiser Goeben in the Dardanelles. The Goeben wasn't where she was reported and in withdrawing from the Dardanelles the submarines captain attempted to destroy a merchant vessel with torpedoes. One of the torpedoes exploded prematurely damaging the submarine and she was forced to surface. Turkish coastal batteries attacked the submarine and she was eventually sunk by shellfire. Nine of her crew survived and were taken prisoner.

See also: RN Subs - Website of the Barrow Submariners Association.

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : Montague Guest No. 1900 E.C.London
Joined : St Clair No. 2074 E.C. Hampshire & IOW

Initiated
Passed
Raised
13th December 1905
14th February 1906
26th May 1906
 

Resigned from Montague Guest Lodge 30th September, 1907 having become a member of it at his initiation late 1905. He went on to join St. Clair Lodge at Landport 16th December, 1907. He is recorded as an Engine Room Artificer in both.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

Additional Source:

Last Updated: 2020-11-28 13:42:59