Bernard Loosemore 1892 - 1971
Bernard Loosemore was the son of Harry Loosemore and Julia H Loosemore nee Coward and was born in Lambeth on 14th April 1892. Lambeth Q2 vol 1d page 506.
Bernard was one of seven children born as follows:
Bertha Dais Loosemore - 02/05/1885
George Henry Loosemore - 23/04/1887
Dorothy Agnes Loosemore - 22/12/1888
Bernard Loosemore - 14/04/1892
Julia Gladys Loosemore - 1897
Ethel Louise Loosemore - 1900
Irene Vesta Loosemore - 1906
Bernard was one of seven children born as follows:
Bertha Dais Loosemore - 02/05/1885
George Henry Loosemore - 23/04/1887
Dorothy Agnes Loosemore - 22/12/1888
Bernard Loosemore - 14/04/1892
Julia Gladys Loosemore - 1897
Ethel Louise Loosemore - 1900
Irene Vesta Loosemore - 1906
It is known that Bernard and Dorothy married in Stockwell on 1st June 1916 recorded as Lambeth Q2 1916 vol 1d page 674 and the marriage certificate confirms that Bernard was living at 14 Thornton Street Lambeth and Dorothy at 18 Robsart Street . These two houses are only a few minutes walk apart.
When I first published this website I had no knowledge of what he was doing prior to this time or why he was not living with his parents at the time he signed up.
Checking the census records shows that he is not living at home with his parents when the census was taken in 1911. However recently I have been fortunate enough to be contacted by another researcher into the Loosemore family. Charles Baker has provided me with information about my grandfather during the period before he joined the Royal Navy.
Bernard Loosemore - 1909
Bernard enlisted into the 21st County of London Territorial Force for a period of four years on 24th May 1909. His Service Number was 1016. At the time of his attestation he was 17 years and 1 month old and was working as a Smith's Mate for a firm of builders and undertakers, Messrs Maxwell, 310 Brixton Road. S.W. In the 1908 Post Office Directory of London, Maxwell Bros Ltd are listed as Builders.
When I first published this website I had no knowledge of what he was doing prior to this time or why he was not living with his parents at the time he signed up.
Checking the census records shows that he is not living at home with his parents when the census was taken in 1911. However recently I have been fortunate enough to be contacted by another researcher into the Loosemore family. Charles Baker has provided me with information about my grandfather during the period before he joined the Royal Navy.
Bernard Loosemore - 1909
Bernard enlisted into the 21st County of London Territorial Force for a period of four years on 24th May 1909. His Service Number was 1016. At the time of his attestation he was 17 years and 1 month old and was working as a Smith's Mate for a firm of builders and undertakers, Messrs Maxwell, 310 Brixton Road. S.W. In the 1908 Post Office Directory of London, Maxwell Bros Ltd are listed as Builders.
His home address was 23 Brixton Road. This is the same address he gives when joining the Royal Navy in 1911. It is probable that he was a lodger in this household as it was closer to his place of work and would have provided his parents with more space in Thornton Street. 23 Brixton Road is not listed in the census of 1911 which is surprising unless it no longer existed at that date, but in 1901 it is occupied by the following families.
Interestingly the head of household Emily Tuck and her daughter Harriet come originally from Dorset, with Emily born in Weymouth and Harriet in Dewlish. My grandparents regularly holidayed in Weymouth during my childhood and it is possible that Emily instilled an interest in the area in my grandfather while he was living at No 23. Emily has taken in a boarder in 1901 which indicates that that is probably the status of Bernard when he lived there.
On his sign up records it shows that he was smaller than I remember him. His height is recorded as 5 foot 3 inches, Chest measurement 34 inches with range of expansion 2 inches, vision and Physical Development Normal. His next of kin is shown as Harry Loosemore (Father), 14 Thornton Street, Brixton S.W.
He served with the Territorial Force with the rank of Private from 24th May 1909 until he enlisted in the Royal Navy on 29th May 1910. He attended annual training from 1st August until 8th August. His discharge from the Force is recorded as in consequence of "Enlistment into Royal Navy".
On his sign up records it shows that he was smaller than I remember him. His height is recorded as 5 foot 3 inches, Chest measurement 34 inches with range of expansion 2 inches, vision and Physical Development Normal. His next of kin is shown as Harry Loosemore (Father), 14 Thornton Street, Brixton S.W.
He served with the Territorial Force with the rank of Private from 24th May 1909 until he enlisted in the Royal Navy on 29th May 1910. He attended annual training from 1st August until 8th August. His discharge from the Force is recorded as in consequence of "Enlistment into Royal Navy".
Bernard Loosemore and the Royal Navy
In 1910 when Bernard volunteered for the Navy his home address is what appears to be 23 Brixton Road Lambeth. He joined up on 30th May 1910, initially for a term of 12 years, some 17 days after his 18th birthday. His service card allows us to trace his career and the ships on which he served before, during and after World War I. On the night the census was taken in 1911 Bernard was serving on board HMS Juno.
Military Service
HMS Pembroke II - HMS Pembroke II was a shore establishment at Eastchurch in Kent. It is here that Bernard underwent his initial training and it is here that he returned several times during his service between periods at sea in various vessels. In total, of his almost 12 years active service, he spent nearly three years at the shore establishment with most of the rest of his service being at sea in various warships.
Pembroke II - Stoker II class - 30/05/1910 - 30/09/1910
HMS Berwick - HMS Berwick was a Monmouth class armoured cruiser, launched 20th September 1902, scrapped 1st July 1920
Berwick - 01/10/1910 - 09/02/1911
HMS Juno - HMS Juno was an Eclipse Class Second Class Protected Cruiser, launched in 1895 and was 5th in line of the 7 ships that have borne that name. It served during WWI and was scrapped in 1920
Juno - 10/02/1911 - 20/09/1911
Juno - Stoker I class - 21/09/1911 - 06/10/1911
Pembroke II - 07/10/1911 - 13/10/1911
HMS Actaeon - HMS Actaeon was originally commissioned as HMS Ariadne in 1859 and had her name changed to Actaeon in 1905 when she became a Depot Ship at Sheerness until she was sold in 1922.
Actaeon - 14/10/1911 - 06/03/1912
Pembroke II - 07/03/1912 - 16/05/1912
HMS Blenheim - HMS Blenheim was a Blake class armoured cruiser that served in the Royal Navy from 1890-1926. She was launched on 5 July, 1890. Her main armament was two 9-inch (22 ton) smooth bore guns protected behind armoured casements on the upper deck. She also carried ten 6-inch (152 mm) guns and eighteen 3-pounders. She was built by Thames Ironworks & Shipbuilding Company at Blackwall. The ship was named after the Battle of Blenheim. She served as a cruiser with the Channel Squadron until May 1908 when she joined the Mediterranean Fleet as a destroyer depot ship.
Blenheim - 17/05/1912 - 30/09/1913
Bernard was on board the Destroyer depot ship Actaeon prior to his posting to HMS Juno which in 1912 would have been with the Mediterranean fleet.
Bernard seems to have remained in the Mediterranean at least until mid 1914 as his next posting was to Egmont II which was a shore based establishment in Malta. This was followed by a return to HMS Blenheim.
The British took over Fort St Angelo in Valetta Malta in the 19th century, and from 1912 until 1979 it served as the headquarters of the Mediterranean fleet as HMS Egmont from 1912 until 1933. The only references I can find for a Wolverine are for two ships one of which was scrapped in 1905 and the second commissioned in 1919. I can only assume that Blenheim was temporarily renamed Wolverine during 1914.
Egmont II - 01/10/1913 - 31/03/1914
Blenheim (Wolverine) - 01/04/1914 - 21/06/1914
HMS Sutlej - HMS Sutlej, was a Cressy class Destroyer. The class were the first British Armoured Cruisers for over a decade. The re-introduction of side armour was made possible by the use of the new Krupp armour which provided much superior protection than previous types allowing enough side armour to be used to be worth while
Sutlej - 22/06/1914 - 12/07/1914
Pembroke - 13/07/1914 - 28/07/1914
HMS Russell - HMS Russell a Royal Naval battleship of the Duncan Class was built at Hull. She was in the Home Fleet from April 1906 but was then transferred to the Atlantic Fleet in February 1907. Russell then served with the Atlantic Fleet in 1909 returning home in August of 1912, shortly afterwards in 1913 she joined the 2nd Fleet at Nore. She became flagship with the Grand Fleet in 1914 with the 6th Battle Squadron and then moved to the 3rd Battle squadron to take part in northern patrols. HMS Russell joined the Channel Fleet in November 1914 when at Portland and after bombarding the coast of Belgium was sent to the Dardanelles. She stayed at Mudros as support alongside HMS Hibernia in November 1915 but eventually took part in the evacuation on 7th January 1916.
Bernard spent nearly two years on board HMS Russell from 1914 until 1916.
Russell - 29/07/1914 - 11/02/1915
Russell - Acting Leading Stoker - 12/02/1915 - 06/10/1915
Russell - Leading Stoker - 07/10/1915 - 15/05/1916
HMS Russell was mined on 27th April 1916 just off the coast of Malta with the loss of over 100 lives.
Pembroke - 16/05/1916 - 17/08/1916
This last point is interesting as I have no recollection of any mention being made of Bernard being aboard any vessels which were mined. However given the dates in his service record it would appear probable that he was on board Russell at the time she was attacked. As with most who served during the First World War very little of their actions was spoken about subsequently.
One account of the action is taken from the website of the Malta Marine Foundation following the first dive on the wreck in 2003. It says:
“...The ship arrived in Malta on the night of the 26 of April 1916.Admiral Sydney Freemantle commanded RUSSELL at the time of the loss and her captain was Capt. W. Bowden Smith. She carried 4x12”& 12x6” guns whilst she mounted a secondary armament of 12 pounders.
As grand harbour was closed due to the boom defence, she had to wait until morning before entering. While manoeuvring outside the harbour, she struck a mine and became one of the first victims of the German mine laying submarines, one of which, the U-73 had voyaged from Kiel to Malta under the command of Cdr. Gustav Siess.
On the 23.04.1916 the U-73had laid 22/36 mines at about 50m. apart in front of Grand Harbour before proceeding to Cattaro.
Before sinking, the RUSSELL floated for 20 minutes before capsizing, her huge hull showing above the water before being engulfed by waves. 126 sailors died and 625 were saved including the Admiral and the Captain.
The Court marshal report states that the RUSSELL sank 4.2 miles from St. Elmo breakwater lighthouse, and a report of the tragedy can be found on the Daily Malta Chronicles of 1/5/16..."
HMS RUSSELL lies at a depth of 113/115 metres and was dived upon for the first time in July 2003 by a British technical diving team “Starfish Enterprise”. She was found completely upside down, with the stern section missing. It is believed that most of the large guns may be lying on the sea bed as these were only placed on the deck.
A second account was earlier reported in The Times on 21st August 2001 when it was announced that a diving team was to try and locate HMS Russell.
“ ...The Russell was a WWI Duncan class battleship, launched in 1903, weighing 14,000 tonnes, 427 feet long, 75 feet wide and 26 feet high. It had a full complement of 800 men, and was armed with four 12 inch guns, and 12 six inch guns. In fact, it is thought that the ship is still full of ammunition.
It was the fastest steamship at the time and capable of reaching speeds of up to 19 knots. The Russell was active in service in WWI in the Dardanelles, as part of the British/French fleet supporting the campaign there.
In 1916, it was stationed in Imbros, under the command of Captain Bowden-Smith, and reputedly in very good condition. The Admiralty decided to send the Russell to Malta to have some minor defects righted at the dockyard, and also to give the men on board some free time.
On April 27, 1916, at about 5.30 a.m., some seven miles from the entrance to Grand Harbour, two heavy thuds were heard, followed by flames, sending smoke rising through the quarter deck. In order to try and reach the shore, the captain immediately gave orders to proceed at full speed with both engines.
But it was too late and, with the flames gradually engulfing sections of it, the vessel slowly started sinking. A number of men escaped in lifeboats, many of whom were picked up by mine-sweepers coming from Malta. But others were asphyxiated by the smoke and flames, and the rest went down with the ship. Around 300 men were treated in the Valletta Naval Hospital. Many had burns and several had been gassed, and subsequently died of gas poisoning.
It later transpired that the mines had been laid by the German submarine U-73. The harbour was swept for mines daily in the mornings, but the mines which sank the Russell must have been laid at night. Historians argue that the mines could have been intended for the French battle fleet, and not for HMS Russell ...”
Another account says:
“...On 27th April 1916 at about 5.30 am HMS Russell was seven miles from the entrance to the Maltese Harbour of Valletta. Sir Sydney Robert was on the Bridge when he felt two heavy thuds in the aft part of the ship, followed by flames and smoke rising through the quarterdeck. Sir Sydney immediately gave orders for full speed ahead with both engines to try to reach the shore. He and Lieutenant Commander John Cunningham had a look at the chart to see if they could find a suitable beach for landing However, there was no response to Sir Sydney's order. This was because the explosion had damaged both engine rooms and they had been abandoned due to the smoke and flames. The ship was immovable, the after part burning, and gradually sinking and heeling over. There was considerable concern that the aft magazine would explode and as flooding continued HMS Russell gradually began to capsize to starboard. The order was given to abandon ship.
A number of men got away in the lifeboats with the remainder jumping into the sea. Minesweepers carrying out their morning clearance of the channel and the torpedo-gunboat HMS Harrier picked up many of the survivors. The total loss of life was 120 officers and men, (35 officers) all of whose names are recorded in the chapel at the Royal Naval Barracks, Chatham. A number of men were asphyxiated by the smoke and flames, and others went down with the ship (not all could swim). The conclusion was that two mines had struck the Russell under the after 12 inch magazine, with the result that the cordite charges in the magazine were set on fire. It is believed that the mines were laid by U-73, which coincidently also laid the mines that sank the HMHS Britannic....”
And yet another report includes reference to Nelsons telescope which was lost with the ship. It also mentions the engine rooms in which Bernard would have been working at the time of the mining.
“...In 1916 HMS Russell was stationed in Imbros, and was under the command of Captain Bowden-Smith, and reputedly in very good condition. Admiral Sir Sydney Robert was also on board. The Admiralty decided to send The Russell to Malta. This was in order to fix some minor defects in the Dockyard in Valetta, and also to give the men some time ashore in a pleasant harbour. About 100 miles from Malta The Russell met the French Battle Fleet, which was a surprise, as they had expected them to be in Valetta Harbour. Around 5.30am, they were 7 miles from the entrance to Valetta Harbour. Sir Sydney Robert was on the Bridge at the time. There were 2 heavy thuds in the after part of the ship, followed by flames and smoke rising through the quarterdeck. Sir Sydney immediately gave orders for full speed ahead with both engines, in order to try to reach the shore. He and Lieutenant Commander John Cunningham had a look at the chart, to see if they could find a suitable beach for landing. However, there was no response to his order - this was because both engine rooms had been damaged by the explosion, and the men had abandoned the rooms due to the smoke and flames.
Sir Sydney Robert lost Nelson's "spy-glass" (telescope) which went down with the Russell. Nelson had been the friend of his great-grandfather, and Sir Sydney had taken it to sea, to avoid being destroyed by a bomb on land during the war. It was kept in a cork-lined case in the dining cabin. It now rests in 120 metres of water, in the Mediterranean, below a position where Nelson must have had it in constant use during his long blockade of Malta....”
HMS Swiftsure
Swiftsure - 18/08/1916 - 26/04/1917
Pembroke - 27/04/1917 - 17/06/1917
During the two years 1916/1917 HMS Swiftsure was deployed as follows:
February 1916 attached to 9th Cruiser Squadron in the Atlantic.
11 April 1917 paid off at Chatham to release crews.
HMS Leander
Leander (Albacore) - 18/06/1917 - 02/10/1917
Pembroke - 03/10/1917 - 21/06/1918
HMS Suffolk - HMS Suffolk, of the Monmouth class started the war as Flag Ship of the 4th Cruiser Squadron under Rear-Admiral Craddock in the West Indies. There she encountered the German Light Cruiser SMS Karlsruhe but the German vessel was too quick and escaped. Suffolk survived the war but Craddock came to an unfortunate end at the Battle of Coronel.
Suffolk - 22/06/1918 - 31/03/1919
Suffolk - Acting Stoker Petty Officer - 01/04/1919 - 26/04/1919
Pembroke - 27/02/1919 - 16/10/1919
HMS Hercules and HMS Courageous
Hercules (Courageous) - 17/10/1919 - 03/12/1919
Courageous - 04/12/1919 - 12/02/1920
Hercules (St Vincent) - 13/02/1920 - 31/03/1920
Hercules (St Vincent) - Stoker Petty Officer - 01/04/1920 - 16/11/1920
Pembroke - 17/11/1920 - 11/05/1921
HMS Crescent - The Crescent was a steel copper sheathed first class cruiser of the Naval Defence Act Programme and was completed for sea in 1892. She was built at Portsmouth Dockyard
Crescent 12/05/1921 28/07/1921
Pembroke 29/07/1921 30/07/1921
Bernard was transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve where he was enrolled as Stoker Petty Officer from 31st July 1921 for 5 years.
Attended HMS Pembroke for 7 days drill
31/07/1921 – 06/08/1921
09/04/1923 – 14/04/1923
10/08/1924 – 16/08/1924
Bernard re-enrolled in the RFR for a further 5 years to 30th July 1931
Attended HMS Pembroke for 7 days drill
10/08/1925 – 16/08/1925
09/08/1926 – 15/08/1926
25/07/1927 – 31/07/1927
23/07/1928 – 29/07/1928
15/07/1929 – 21/07/1929
28/07/1930 – 03/08/1930
Again he re-enrolled in RFR until 13th June 1932
Attended HMS Pembroke for 7 days drill
27/07/1931 – 02/08/1931
Discharged on 13th April 1932
The Naval Medal Rolls show that Bernard Loosemore was awarded the Star, War and Victory Medals for World War I and the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1928.
This last point is interesting as I have no recollection of any mention being made of Bernard being aboard any vessels which were mined. However given the dates in his service record it would appear probable that he was on board Russell at the time she was attacked. As with most who served during the First World War very little of their actions was spoken about subsequently.
One account of the action is taken from the website of the Malta Marine Foundation following the first dive on the wreck in 2003. It says:
“...The ship arrived in Malta on the night of the 26 of April 1916.Admiral Sydney Freemantle commanded RUSSELL at the time of the loss and her captain was Capt. W. Bowden Smith. She carried 4x12”& 12x6” guns whilst she mounted a secondary armament of 12 pounders.
As grand harbour was closed due to the boom defence, she had to wait until morning before entering. While manoeuvring outside the harbour, she struck a mine and became one of the first victims of the German mine laying submarines, one of which, the U-73 had voyaged from Kiel to Malta under the command of Cdr. Gustav Siess.
On the 23.04.1916 the U-73had laid 22/36 mines at about 50m. apart in front of Grand Harbour before proceeding to Cattaro.
Before sinking, the RUSSELL floated for 20 minutes before capsizing, her huge hull showing above the water before being engulfed by waves. 126 sailors died and 625 were saved including the Admiral and the Captain.
The Court marshal report states that the RUSSELL sank 4.2 miles from St. Elmo breakwater lighthouse, and a report of the tragedy can be found on the Daily Malta Chronicles of 1/5/16..."
HMS RUSSELL lies at a depth of 113/115 metres and was dived upon for the first time in July 2003 by a British technical diving team “Starfish Enterprise”. She was found completely upside down, with the stern section missing. It is believed that most of the large guns may be lying on the sea bed as these were only placed on the deck.
A second account was earlier reported in The Times on 21st August 2001 when it was announced that a diving team was to try and locate HMS Russell.
“ ...The Russell was a WWI Duncan class battleship, launched in 1903, weighing 14,000 tonnes, 427 feet long, 75 feet wide and 26 feet high. It had a full complement of 800 men, and was armed with four 12 inch guns, and 12 six inch guns. In fact, it is thought that the ship is still full of ammunition.
It was the fastest steamship at the time and capable of reaching speeds of up to 19 knots. The Russell was active in service in WWI in the Dardanelles, as part of the British/French fleet supporting the campaign there.
In 1916, it was stationed in Imbros, under the command of Captain Bowden-Smith, and reputedly in very good condition. The Admiralty decided to send the Russell to Malta to have some minor defects righted at the dockyard, and also to give the men on board some free time.
On April 27, 1916, at about 5.30 a.m., some seven miles from the entrance to Grand Harbour, two heavy thuds were heard, followed by flames, sending smoke rising through the quarter deck. In order to try and reach the shore, the captain immediately gave orders to proceed at full speed with both engines.
But it was too late and, with the flames gradually engulfing sections of it, the vessel slowly started sinking. A number of men escaped in lifeboats, many of whom were picked up by mine-sweepers coming from Malta. But others were asphyxiated by the smoke and flames, and the rest went down with the ship. Around 300 men were treated in the Valletta Naval Hospital. Many had burns and several had been gassed, and subsequently died of gas poisoning.
It later transpired that the mines had been laid by the German submarine U-73. The harbour was swept for mines daily in the mornings, but the mines which sank the Russell must have been laid at night. Historians argue that the mines could have been intended for the French battle fleet, and not for HMS Russell ...”
Another account says:
“...On 27th April 1916 at about 5.30 am HMS Russell was seven miles from the entrance to the Maltese Harbour of Valletta. Sir Sydney Robert was on the Bridge when he felt two heavy thuds in the aft part of the ship, followed by flames and smoke rising through the quarterdeck. Sir Sydney immediately gave orders for full speed ahead with both engines to try to reach the shore. He and Lieutenant Commander John Cunningham had a look at the chart to see if they could find a suitable beach for landing However, there was no response to Sir Sydney's order. This was because the explosion had damaged both engine rooms and they had been abandoned due to the smoke and flames. The ship was immovable, the after part burning, and gradually sinking and heeling over. There was considerable concern that the aft magazine would explode and as flooding continued HMS Russell gradually began to capsize to starboard. The order was given to abandon ship.
A number of men got away in the lifeboats with the remainder jumping into the sea. Minesweepers carrying out their morning clearance of the channel and the torpedo-gunboat HMS Harrier picked up many of the survivors. The total loss of life was 120 officers and men, (35 officers) all of whose names are recorded in the chapel at the Royal Naval Barracks, Chatham. A number of men were asphyxiated by the smoke and flames, and others went down with the ship (not all could swim). The conclusion was that two mines had struck the Russell under the after 12 inch magazine, with the result that the cordite charges in the magazine were set on fire. It is believed that the mines were laid by U-73, which coincidently also laid the mines that sank the HMHS Britannic....”
And yet another report includes reference to Nelsons telescope which was lost with the ship. It also mentions the engine rooms in which Bernard would have been working at the time of the mining.
“...In 1916 HMS Russell was stationed in Imbros, and was under the command of Captain Bowden-Smith, and reputedly in very good condition. Admiral Sir Sydney Robert was also on board. The Admiralty decided to send The Russell to Malta. This was in order to fix some minor defects in the Dockyard in Valetta, and also to give the men some time ashore in a pleasant harbour. About 100 miles from Malta The Russell met the French Battle Fleet, which was a surprise, as they had expected them to be in Valetta Harbour. Around 5.30am, they were 7 miles from the entrance to Valetta Harbour. Sir Sydney Robert was on the Bridge at the time. There were 2 heavy thuds in the after part of the ship, followed by flames and smoke rising through the quarterdeck. Sir Sydney immediately gave orders for full speed ahead with both engines, in order to try to reach the shore. He and Lieutenant Commander John Cunningham had a look at the chart, to see if they could find a suitable beach for landing. However, there was no response to his order - this was because both engine rooms had been damaged by the explosion, and the men had abandoned the rooms due to the smoke and flames.
Sir Sydney Robert lost Nelson's "spy-glass" (telescope) which went down with the Russell. Nelson had been the friend of his great-grandfather, and Sir Sydney had taken it to sea, to avoid being destroyed by a bomb on land during the war. It was kept in a cork-lined case in the dining cabin. It now rests in 120 metres of water, in the Mediterranean, below a position where Nelson must have had it in constant use during his long blockade of Malta....”
HMS Swiftsure
Swiftsure - 18/08/1916 - 26/04/1917
Pembroke - 27/04/1917 - 17/06/1917
During the two years 1916/1917 HMS Swiftsure was deployed as follows:
February 1916 attached to 9th Cruiser Squadron in the Atlantic.
11 April 1917 paid off at Chatham to release crews.
HMS Leander
Leander (Albacore) - 18/06/1917 - 02/10/1917
Pembroke - 03/10/1917 - 21/06/1918
HMS Suffolk - HMS Suffolk, of the Monmouth class started the war as Flag Ship of the 4th Cruiser Squadron under Rear-Admiral Craddock in the West Indies. There she encountered the German Light Cruiser SMS Karlsruhe but the German vessel was too quick and escaped. Suffolk survived the war but Craddock came to an unfortunate end at the Battle of Coronel.
Suffolk - 22/06/1918 - 31/03/1919
Suffolk - Acting Stoker Petty Officer - 01/04/1919 - 26/04/1919
Pembroke - 27/02/1919 - 16/10/1919
HMS Hercules and HMS Courageous
Hercules (Courageous) - 17/10/1919 - 03/12/1919
Courageous - 04/12/1919 - 12/02/1920
Hercules (St Vincent) - 13/02/1920 - 31/03/1920
Hercules (St Vincent) - Stoker Petty Officer - 01/04/1920 - 16/11/1920
Pembroke - 17/11/1920 - 11/05/1921
HMS Crescent - The Crescent was a steel copper sheathed first class cruiser of the Naval Defence Act Programme and was completed for sea in 1892. She was built at Portsmouth Dockyard
Crescent 12/05/1921 28/07/1921
Pembroke 29/07/1921 30/07/1921
Bernard was transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve where he was enrolled as Stoker Petty Officer from 31st July 1921 for 5 years.
Attended HMS Pembroke for 7 days drill
31/07/1921 – 06/08/1921
09/04/1923 – 14/04/1923
10/08/1924 – 16/08/1924
Bernard re-enrolled in the RFR for a further 5 years to 30th July 1931
Attended HMS Pembroke for 7 days drill
10/08/1925 – 16/08/1925
09/08/1926 – 15/08/1926
25/07/1927 – 31/07/1927
23/07/1928 – 29/07/1928
15/07/1929 – 21/07/1929
28/07/1930 – 03/08/1930
Again he re-enrolled in RFR until 13th June 1932
Attended HMS Pembroke for 7 days drill
27/07/1931 – 02/08/1931
Discharged on 13th April 1932
The Naval Medal Rolls show that Bernard Loosemore was awarded the Star, War and Victory Medals for World War I and the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1928.
Civilian Life after the war
I
don’t know whether it was the first job he took after coming off active service but eventually Bernard worked as a Janitor/Boilerman at Hayes Court in Camberwell and finally ended his working life at Hillingdon Hospital in Middlesex where he retired from his job as a boilerman, I think in 1957. The property he and Dorothy occupied in Bourn Avenue was a small pebble-dashed bungalow. Unfortunately I do not have any photographs which show the bungalow as it was in those days. I remember from the few visits I made there the smell of creosote from the high gate and fences my grandfather had erected down the side of the house and the small food safe attached to the fence which served as a refrigerator to keep the milk and butter as cool as possible..
Bernard Loosemore died 9th December 1971 at 30 Bourn Avenue Hillingdon
I
don’t know whether it was the first job he took after coming off active service but eventually Bernard worked as a Janitor/Boilerman at Hayes Court in Camberwell and finally ended his working life at Hillingdon Hospital in Middlesex where he retired from his job as a boilerman, I think in 1957. The property he and Dorothy occupied in Bourn Avenue was a small pebble-dashed bungalow. Unfortunately I do not have any photographs which show the bungalow as it was in those days. I remember from the few visits I made there the smell of creosote from the high gate and fences my grandfather had erected down the side of the house and the small food safe attached to the fence which served as a refrigerator to keep the milk and butter as cool as possible..
Bernard Loosemore died 9th December 1971 at 30 Bourn Avenue Hillingdon