Cecil Claude Barton Able Seaman, (Ch) J 6880

Cecil was born in St John's, Margate, Kent on 19th January 1894 the third of four children.

He and his family, parents George and Clara and 3 siblings were recorded in 1901 as living at 6 Belgrave Villa's, Margate, where George worked as a bricklayer.

He joined the Navy after leaving his job as a House Boy, beginning training at HMS GANGES as a Boy 2nd Class on 5th January 1910.

He was recorded as having fair hair, grey eyes and standing 5'6" tall.

Cecil’s remaining postings follow:-

HMS IMPREGNABLE - 02/04/1910 - 13/09/1910, rising to Boy 1st Class on 25th August 1910.

HMS BERWICK - 14/09/1910 - 20/01/1911

HMS BULWARK - 21/01/1911 - 10/03/1911

HMS IMPLACABLE - 25/04/1911 - 21/10/1913, recorded aboard during the night of the 1911 census, the ship anchored at Glengarrif, Ireland.  He rose to Ordinary Seaman on his 18th birthday and then to Able Seaman on 20th October 1913.

HMS PEMBROKE - 22/10/1913 - 30/03/1914

HMS VANGUARD - 31/03/1914 - 09/07/1917, serving during the Battle of Jutland.

Following his death Cecil’s pension was awarded to his mother, his father received his Star, Victory and British war medals.  He is remembered locally on the Margate War Memorial, as well as the Chatham Naval Memorial.

#251-50/843

Sources:

England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

1901 & 1911 England Census

Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services, 1848-1939 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services; Class: ADM 188; Piece: 660

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; Admiralty: Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War.; Class: ADM 242; Piece: 007; (1914 - 1919)

CWGC Register

Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Class: ADM 171; Piece: 95

Royal Navy and Royal Marine War Graves Roll, 1914-1919 TNA Series: ADM 242/7; Scan Number: 0230

WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 Western Front Association; London, England; Naval Pension Ledgers; Reference: 542931

Photo source the Thanet Times 20 July 1917, British Newspaper Archives