LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Stoker 2nd Class Harold Anthony Lemon
H.M.S. Tornado Royal Navy
Town Memorial P5.R1.C1
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
Stoker
Harold Lemon
HMS Tornado
Dec 23 1917
What is about to be related is one of the tragedies of the war at sea in
1914-18.
In the early hours of 23 December 1917, H.M. Destroyers TORRENT, TORNADO
and SURPRISE ran into a German minefield off the Maas Light and sank.
There were only 60 survivors. The previous evening, a fourth destroyer
VALKYRIE had also struck a mine in the same area, but had managed to get
home. The explosions were in each case attributed at the time to
submarine attack, except by TORRENT.
The events of this terrible morning have been reconstructed from the
evidence given at the initial Court of Enquiry (1) and the subsequent
Court Martial of Commander Thompson of HMS SURPRISE. (2)
In the First World War, Holland was neutral and trade between the mouths
of the Thames and the Maas for Rotterdam was carried out by the convoys
known as 'Eastbound' and 'Westbound'. The Eastbound convoys would
be escorted to the edge of Dutch territorial waters and the
Eastbound would then be picked up and escorted to the Thames.
The destroyers which were sunk or damaged were engaged upon this duty.
They had been "convoying Eastern bound traffic" (1) and in dense fog
were looking for the Westbound traffic.
This is what happened. As previously stated, HMS VALKYRIE, a destroyer
not belonging to the division involved in subsequent events, struck a
mine at 10.15 p.m. (1) the previous evening, and struggled home.
The second division consisting of HMS SURPRISE (Commander Thompson)
NIMROD, TORNADO, TORRENT and RADIANT was still searching for its convoy.
At 01.30 a.m. (23 December) Commander Thompson in SURPRISE joined NIMROD
at the appointed rendezvous 3 miles North of the Maas Light buoy.
RADIANT, TORRENT and NIMROD departed for another rendezvous near the
'Whistle Buoy'. Thompson in SURPRISE had in the meantime been ordered to
remain at the initial rendezvous.
At 0200 TORNADO, Harold Lemon's ship, joined the division, which now
steered on a course North & South of the Maas Light buoy.
At 0255, the division was steering 57° North heading for the Maas Light
buoy, when an explosion took place and it was seen that TORRENT had been
struck.
TORRENT reported that she had been mined. Commander Thompson in
SURPRISE immediately went to her assistance, but TORRENT now heeled over
and it was impossible to go alongside her port quarter.
However SURPRISE switched on her searchlight (remember the dense fog),
sent her whaler away and launched Carley floats.
In the meantime TORNADO had come upon the starboard side astern of
TORRENT, when the crippled vessel sustained another explosion. SURPRISE
was then struck, it was thought by torpedo, under the bridge, port side.
Commander Thompson was thrown into the water, but he was lucky enough to
be picked up by RADIANT, which survived the disaster, and his lookouts
thought that they have seen a torpedo track.
But what had happened to TORNADO in the dense fog?
The commander of RADIANT said "I did not actually see TORNADO sink but
there were five explosions altogether". TORNADO was called up by RADIANT
but there was no reply.
However Leading Signalman George Haven of RADIANT did see the end of
TORNADO. He thought that TORNADO broke "like a V shape". He was certain.
He was right.
However at the Court Martial (3) Sub Lieutenant Horace T Day R.N., the
senior survivor of TORNADO was able to give an account of what had in
fact taken place on board during the disaster.
Initially he had been on TORNADO's bridge when he heard an explosion
astern. He then went aft "to lend a hand getting out the Carley Floats".
His ship had just gone ahead when she was hit "port side by the
engine room". In this context it is necessary to recall that Harold
Lemon was an Engine Room Rating.
(The Court of Enquiry thought that TORNADO had been struck when stopped,
reflecting the view of RADIANT's commander that there had been submarine
activity.)
Mr. Day confirmed Leading Signalman Haven's statement that TORNADO had
broken then in two. He was on the stern section which sank quickly; his
view was that each end sank in 5-10 minutes.
Sixty survivors were rescued from the three ships and the British Consul
in Rotterdam was informed of the possibility of other survivors.
The Court Martial came to the not surprising verdict that "The court
having found no blame is attributable to Commander Thompson and the
other survivors of HMS SURPRISE therefore acquit them of the same".
However the Court Martial decided that the mines were the cause of the
tragedy and thought that they may have been laid by "a UC-boat", that
is, a small German coastal submarine.
Notes on sources
File ADM 137/3707 Loss of HMS SURPRISE, HMS TORRENT and HMS TORNADO and
damage sustained by HMS VALKYRIE - Public Record Office, Richmond, Kew.
File ADM 137/3738 Court of Enquiry - Public Record Office,
Richmond, Kew.
File ADM 116/1617 Court Martial of Commander Thompson and survivors of
HMS SURPRISE - Public Record Office, Richmond, Kew.
Further research
Stoker
2nd Class
LEMON, HAROLD ANTHONY
Service Number K/45145
Died 23/12/1917
H.M.S. "Tornado."
Royal Navy
Commemorated at PLYMOUTH
NAVAL MEMORIAL
Location: Devon, United Kingdom
Cemetery/memorial reference: 22.
His Royal Navy record states he had dark hair and a dark complexion, brown eyes and was 5ft 9 and a half inches tall.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Plymouth
Naval Memorial.
His life
Harold Lemon was born on 8 July 1885 in Farncombe, Godalming, Surrey. He was a Printer when he joined the Navy.His father was John Lemon, born about 1847 from Stoke, Guildford, Surrey, a Stoker by occupation. He was a son William Lemon (1802-1867)and Frances Champion (1810-1868). He died on 25 February 1893.
His mother was Ada Taylor, born in about 1848 in Tower Hamlets, London. Her antecedents are not known. Her death in 1913 was registered in Gravesend, Kent.
They were married on 26 January 1869 at St Mary's, Guildford.
Harold's siblings were: Harry Banford, Arthur, Bessie, Ada, Percy Charles, Phoebe Beatrice , Lottie, John William, Ronald Lemon.
Harold lived at:
1891 Census: Godalming, Surrey
1901 Census: Stoke Within, Surrey
1911 Census: not yet traced
His marriage to Ethel Baines was registered in Hackney, London, in January 1916. She was from Orsett, Essex, born on 3 February 1892, a daughter of William Baines b 1861 and Sarah (antecedents unknown) b 1867.
They had a daughter, Vera Ethel, born 12 May 1916 and baptised on 28 May 1916 at St Philip's Clerkenwell when they were living at 12 Vernon St and he was working as a Metal Turner.
The Royal Navy listed his next of kin as his wife Ethel at Flint House, Middle Row, Leatherhead, Surrey. So far that is the only connection established with Leatherhead.
After WW1
Both his parents had died before WW1.His widow Ethel remarried in September 1921 to Ernest Peters (1889-1970), registered in Epsom District.
In the 1939 England & Wales Register Ethel's second family were at 39 Erpingham Rd, Wandsworth, London:
Ernest Peters, a Groundsman
Ethel Peters b 2 Feb 1892
Peggy E(dwina) Peters b 21 Jan 1924
Vera E[thel] Lemon b 12 May 1916
There was also a son, Gerald (1931-1996).
Ethel's death at the age of 100 was registered in September 1992 at Kingston, Surrey.
Harold Lemon is also remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish Church
Church Lads Brigade Memorial Tryptich, All Saints Leatherhead
Surrey in the Great War
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family
last updated 2 Nov 20