Ronald William Milnes
1937 - Training Ship Arethusa
1938 - HMS Ganges, Shotley, Essex
On completion of training HMS Hawkins, HMS Royal Oak
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Ronald William was the second son and youngest child of Christopher and Grace Milnes (née Reddecliffe).
His father Christopher was born in Branston Island, Branston, Lincoln, in 1890 (reg. AMJ Mablethorpe), the youngest of five sons of William and Francis Milnes. His siblings were all born in Metheringham, Lincolnshire. His mother was born in Sheffield on 5 December 1890, the daughter of Sydney Augustus and Mary Ann Reddecliffe, and baptised on 31 December the same year in Sheffield SS Peter & Paul Cathedral.
Christopher and Grace were married in 1913 (JAS Lincoln) and had four children whose births were registered in Lincoln: Frances Mary b. 14 April 1914, Sidney Vernon b. 1 January 1916, Sylvia Joyce b. 4 November 1920 and Ronald William birth reg. 1923 (JFM).
In 1921 Christopher, a steam engine fitter and erector (Robey & Co. Engineers, Glebe Works) was living at No. 3 Cottage, Boultham, Lincoln, with his wife and their three children Francis (7), Sidney (5) and Sylvia (7m). Their son Ronald was born two years later.
The family was living on Hainton Road, Boultham, Lincoln, when Christopher died on 28 July 1928 at the age of 28. He was buried in Canwick Road Cemetery, Lincoln.
The England & Wales Register was taken on 29 September 1939. By then, Ronald had served over two years in the Royal Navy and his older siblings had also left home. Sidney, a motor mechanic, had married Nancy L Needham (b. 1917) in 1939 (reg. JAS Southwell) and they were living at The Grove, North Muskham. Their son Roger Vernon was born in February 1950. Frances was an assistant nurse at the City Hospital & Sanatorium, Long Leys Road, Lincoln. She married Douglas J Collins before the year end. Sylvia was a nurse assistant at St Matthews Nursing Home, St Matthews Parade, Northamptonshire.
Their mother was recorded on the Register as housekeeper to John W Fineral (b. 1873), a garage proprietor ('one man business') who was an Army Pensioner (97766 Staff Sergeant, initially serving in the Militia joining the Royal Artillery in 1893 but transferring to the Army Veterinary Corps in 1905-1911, probably re-enlisted 1916-1920. Died 1954). According to the Register they were living at the Bungalow Cafe, North Muskham, but the Register had three separate entries under the one address, each with a unique number, 187, which was occupied by a cafe proprietor, 188 and 189. John Fineral and Grace Milnes were recorded at No. 189. A report in a local newspaper of Ronald's death the following month gave his mother's address as 'The Garage, Muskham', which reflects the occupation of the householder, John Fineral.
Grace married John E Brown in 1951 (reg. AMJ Lincoln). She died in an Old People's Home in Heckington, Lincolnshire, on 27 July 1978.
Her son Sidney died in 1993; his son Roger had died in 1978 (reg. JAS Newark). Frances died in 1975 (reg. Boston Lincs), predeceasing her mother. Frances was survived by her husband Douglas (d. 1988). Sylvia, who had married John Lionel Eakins in 1942 (reg. Northampton), died aged 65 in 1985 (reg. Cambridge. She was survived by her husband John (d. 1994 reg. Stockport).
Ronald William Milnes joined the Training Ship Arethusa on the River Medway in 1937. It was the second ship of this name, and had previously been the German flag merchant ship, SS Peking. It was bought for the Shaftesbury Society in 1933 to replace its original training ship, a 50-gun Royal Navy frigate that saw action in the Crimean War, transferred to the Shaftesbury Society in 1874 and broken up in 1933.
On completing his time in Arethusa, Milnes entered the Royal Navy (Boy 2nd Class) and joined the shore establishment, HMS Ganges, Shotley, Essex, for further training. He served at sea in HMS Hawkins and then drafted to HMS Royal Oak (Boy 1st Class). He was killed on 14 October 1939 when HMS Royal Oak was sunk at anchor in Scapa Flow by a German submarine.
He is buried in Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery, Orkney (grave ref. Plot P. Row 1. Grave 23).
CWGC history of the Cemetery, which is on the Island of Hoy, part of the Orkney Islands: (extract): 'Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery is one of largest sites the Commission maintains in the UK. The cemetery was begun in 1915 when Scapa Flow was the base of the Grand Fleet. Lyness remained as a Royal Naval base until July 1946 and the cemetery contains graves from both wars.' (www.cwgc.org)
Royal Oak was anchored at Scapa Flow in Orkney, Scotland, when on 14 October 1939 she was torpedoed by German submarine U-47.
Of Royal Oak's complement of 1,234 men and boys, 833 were killed that night or died later of their wounds. The loss of the outdated ship, the first of the five Royal Navy battleships and battlecruisers sunk in the Second World War did little to affect the numerical superiority enjoyed by the Royal Navy and its Allies, but the sinking had considerable effect on wartime morale.
Before the sinking of Royal Oak, the Royal Navy had considered the naval base at Scapa Flow
impregnable to submarine attack, and U-47's raid demonstrated that the German Navy was capable of bringing the war to British home waters. The shock resulted in rapid changes to dockland security and the construction of the Churchill Barriers around Scapa Flow.
The wreck of Royal Oak, a designated war grave, lies almost upside down in 100 feet (30 m) of water with her hull 16 feet (4.9 m) beneath the surface. In an annual ceremony to mark the loss of the ship, Royal Navy divers place a White Ensign underwater at her stern. Unauthorised divers are prohibited from approaching the wreck at any time under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
The raid made an immediate celebrity and war hero out of the U-boat commander, Günther Prien, who became the first German submarine officer to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
U-47 sent its last radio message at 04.54 on 7 March 1941 while chasing the convoy OB-293 in the North Atlantic south of Iceland and was then reported missing after it repeatedly failed to report its position. All 45 crew including 'Korvettenkapitän Günther Prien Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub MIA' [Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, MIA (Missing in Action)]
uboat.net/men/commanders/947: (extract) 'Günther Prien boarded U-47 for the last patrol on 20 February 1941 ... It had been long supposed that U-47 was sunk with all hands (45) on 8 March 1941. This is now being questioned, as the traditional credit for U-47's sinking has always gone to the British destroyer HMS Wolverine, but new data suggests that this destroyer actually attacked Eckermann's UA, which was forced to withdraw with heavy damage. It is now suspected that U-47 may have been hit by one of her own circling torpedoes.' (website July 2026)
CWGC Additional information: Son of Grace Milnes, of North Muskham, Nottinghamshire.
CWGC headstone, personal inscription: 'He asked life of Thee and Thou gavest it to him even length of days for ever and ever' (KJV, Psalm 21:4)
Newark Herald, 21 October, ‘The ‘Royal Oak’, Muskham Boy Victim, Balderton Survivor’. Photograph with report. The report included most of the information which was published in the Newark Advertiser several days later (see below). However, it mentioned that his mother lived at The Garage, Muskham. The survivor referred to in the headline was Thomas Rob Storar, 30, whose parents had a telegram from their son saying, ‘I am safe and well. Tom’, followed by a telegram from Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth, to the effect that their son, Thomas R Storar, ERA [Engine Room Artificer], was not on board HMS Royal Oak. The report named two other survivors with local connections: Warrant Electrician Frank J Bulley, brother of the Rev SC Bulley, Coddington Vicarage, and Bandsman Philip Combes, Royal Marines, whose grandfather, Mr George Combes, lived on Charles Street, Newark. (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) The names of FJ Bulley, P Combes and TR Storar have not been traced on the CWGC database so probably survived the war.
Newark Advertiser, 25 October 1939: ‘’Royal Oak’ Victim. Sixteen-years-old Muskham Boy. Ronald Milnes, youngest child and second son of Mrs G Milnes, of North Muskham. Was among those who lost their lives in the sinking of HMS Royal Oak. He was only 16½, and had been on the ship since June, when he was home on transfer leave. Ronald who attended the village school, had always been keen on entering the Navy, and in February 1937 when he was 14 years old, joined the training ship ‘Arethusa’. He was on this vessel for 15 months, and during that time took an interest in all kinds of sport, and won a life-saving certificate with medal for swimming. He was then transferred to the ‘Ganges’ at Shotley, Ipswich, where he was awarded a silver medal for special distinction in gunnery. On the completion of his training he was first posted to HMS Hawkins at Portsmouth, on which he made several sea trips before becoming attached to the ill-fated ‘Royal Oak’. Ronald enjoyed much popularity his home village, and much sympathy has been shown to his widowed mother and family. They desire to thank all friends for their kindness.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Lincolnshire Echo, ‘Deaths’, 29 July 1978: Brown on July 27th, 1978, at The Manor Heckington, Grace, aged 87 years, late of Churchill Way. Funeral service Boston Crematorium, Tuesday, August 1st, at 11am. Cut flowers to JE Severs. Funeral Service, Little Hale.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Family history and additional material RF (July 2026)
Photo of Ronald William Milnes
Photo of Ronald William Milnes
Photo of Ronald William Milnes
Photograph published in the Newark Advertiser, 21 October 1939 (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Photo of Ronald William Milnes
Lyness Naval Cemetery (www.cwgc.org)