Location
On the east wall of the Navy Aisle (see Cathedral Plan).
PHOTO: Bart O'Brien
Panel 1
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LIGHT CRUISERS HMS CASSANDRA + 5 DECEMBER 1918 | ||
|
EGGLESTON C.H. |
Stoker 1st Class |
K/31712 |
HMS CURACOA + 13 MAY 1919 | ||
PLUNKITT G.H. | Ordinary Seaman | SS/9510 |
HMS DRAGON + 17 OCTOBER 1919 AT RIGA | ||
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ALMOND P.J.MID |
Able Seaman |
J/22758 |
AIRCRAFT CARRIER HMS VINDICTIVE RAIDS OVER KAGASTADT HARBOUR JULY-OCTOBER 1919 |
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| Lieutenant S. DAWSON, DFC, RAF Lieutenant N.S. TAYLOR, RAF Lieutenant F.J. UNWIN, RAF Pilot Officer F. CARDWELL, RAF ENGLAND C.H. Leading Aircraftman 249558 |
||
Panel 2
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DESTROYERS HMS VITTORIA + 31 AUGUST 1919 | ||
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BAMBRIDGE H.K. DSM |
Able Seaman |
J/3947 |
HMS VERULAM + 3 SEPTEMBER 1919 | ||
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Midshipman A.W.ASHLEY, RN Sub-Lieutenant E.C.COOKSON, RN Midshipman A.W.EDGECOMBE, RN Engineer Lieutenant J.HOUSE, RN Lieutenant C.C.D.LEES, RN Sub Lieutenant O.P.POWELL, RN | ||
|
BOULTON J. |
Able Seaman |
J/45039 |
Panel 3
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MINESWEEPERS HMS MYRTLE + 15 JULY 1919 | ||
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AMEY B.E.H. |
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HMS GENTIAN + 15 JULY 1919 | ||
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BOYD W. |
Stoker Petty Officer |
297448 |
HM COASTAL MOTORBOATS KRONSTADT HARBOUR + 18 AUGUST 1919 CMB 62BD | ||
Sub-Lieutenant H.P. MACLEAN, RN | ||
|
HOLMES S.D. VR 11/3 |
Leading Seaman |
J/16841 |
CMB 67A | ||
Acting Lieutenant Commander F.T.BRADE DSC RNVR | ||
CMB79A | ||
Sub-Lieutenant T.R.G.USBORNE MID, RN | ||
|
SMITH W.G. MID, VR 11/3 |
Able Seaman |
J/18754 |
CMB 88BD | ||
Lieutenant A.DAYRELL-REED, DSO, 'Croix De Guerre', RN | ||
Panel 4
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SUBMARINE L CLASS HM SUBMARINE L55 + 5 JUNE 1919 | ||
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Lieuternant C.M.S.CHAPMAN DSC RN (In Command) Lieutenant H.C. JENNINGS, RN Lieutenant J.S.G.REID, RN Lieutenant H.K.M.SOUTHWELL, RN Artificer Engineer A.H.WAKELY, RN | ||
|
ADAMS H.J. |
Stoker 1st Class |
K/24581 |
JA UHE OHUVAELASE MALESTUSEKS, KES LANGESID LAHINGUTES LAANEMEREL 1918 - 1919
Further Information
On the 16th December 2005 this memorial was unveiled by the Duke of York. It recognises the losses experienced by British forces in the Baltic Sea during 1918 and 1919. This little known incident in the aftermath of fighting in World War 1 related to a wish by the government to secure the sea lanes in the Baltic, and the independence of Estonia, in the face of the growing threat from the Russians.
The expedition itself was one of the first combined air and sea assaults in history and one of the first led by an aircraft carrier, HMS Vindictive, which was accompanied by 5 light cruisers, 9 destroyers and a number of smaller vessels including submarines.
The plaque is a replica of a memorial unveiled in the Church of the Holy Spirit, Talinn, Estonia in 2003.
The Story of Submarine L55
Whilst in action against two Bolshevic Destroyers, the submarine L55 struck a mine previously moored by the British. The Russians claimed that they had sunk the submarine but this is thought to be unlikely. They did not, however, forget about where the sub was, because in 1928 they succeeded in raising it. The British government immediately requested that the bodies of the men be returned to Britain, and because the Russians refused to allow any British warship into their waters the merchant ship Truro took the coffins of the men on board at Kronstadt before transferring them to HMS Champion at Reval in Estonia.
The 42 officers and men of HM Submarine "L.55" now lie together in a collective grave in the Haslar Royal Navy Cemetery where their names appear on a Screen Wall Memorial (see photo). As the bodies were not recovered from the wreck until 1928 they were assumed to have had no known grave at the time the Naval Memorials were erected at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Chatham. As a consequence their names appear on these memorials (21 at Portsmouth, 5 at Plymouth and 16 at Chatham) making them among the only ones to be so commemorated whilst having known graves.
The following crew members who are commemorated on the Baltic Memorial have connections with Portsmouth.
Harry Butler
Stoker 1st Class, age 26, Son of Edwin Butler of Portsmouth, husband of Gladys Ivy Butler of 76 Langley Road Buckland
Charles Frederick Dagg
Petty Officer, Telegraphist, age 26, son of George and Sarah Dagg, 72 Grafton Street, Mile End, Portsmouth. Husband of Leah Matilda Dagg (nee Wheeler, of South Bank, Middlesbrough.)
William Fleetwood Shaw
Engine Room Artificer, 2nd Class, age 29, Son of Mr & Mrs E Shaw, 46 Cleveland Road Southsea.
Thomas James Charles Taylor
Petty Officer, age 24, Son of Thomas and Sarah Taylor, 55 Digby Road, Homerton London, Husband of Kate Beatrice Ann Taylor, 16 Newcomen Road, Portsmouth.
Stamshaw
