Richard Samuel Edwards
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
He was the eldest son of Richard and Mary Ann Edwards who had four children of whom only three survived to 1911; Susehannah/Susey (as census), Richard Samuel and Albert, all of whom were born in Ilkeston. Their father, who had been born in Dudley, Staffordshire, was a coal miner. In 1901 the family was living at 3 Meredith Terrace, Hawthorn Street, Meadows. Susey was 9 years old, Richard 7 and Albert 5. Ten years later in 1911 the family was living at 6 Livingstone Terrace, Bunbury Street, Meadows. Their mother described herself as 'married' (20 years) but her husband was not in the household on the night of the census. Her daughter, Susey, was a lace hand and her two sons were coal miners. Richard joined the Royal Navy in 1913. The Royal Navy notified his mother of her son's death; her address was given on Richard's service documents as Broad Street, Nottingham.
Richard joined the Royal Navy on 2 April 1913 when he was 19 years old. He probably joined on a 12 year engagement. He served in the following ships and shore establishments: Victory I, 2 April 1913-21 June 1913 (Ordinary Seaman); HMS Bulwark, 22 June 1913-26 November 1914 (Able Seaman 22 June 1913). He was lost at sea when HMS Bulwark was sunk by an ammunition explosion; only 12 of a ship's company of over 750 survived. His body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial (Panel 2). The pre-Dreadnought battleship HMS Bulwark of the 5th Battleship Squadron, Channel Fleet, was sunk on 26 November 1914 by an ammunition explosion while at No 17 Buoy in the River Medway off Sheerness. Only 12 men survived from a ship’s company of over 750 and among the dead were sailors and Royal Marines from Nottinghamshire, many of whom came from the Meadows and Radford. Eye-witnesses in nearby ships described seeing smoke from the stern of the ship before the explosion, which appeared to have been in an after magazine. Divers who examined the wreck a few days later reported that Bulwark’s port bow had been blown off by the explosion and lay 50 feet beyond the mooring while the starboard bow lay 30 feet further away. No other large sections of the ship could be found. A Naval board of enquiry into the cause of the explosion concluded that the most likely cause of the disaster was the overheating of cordite charges stored alongside a boiler room bulkhead. It was also suggested that shells for the ship’s 6” guns had been stored in in cross-passageways connecting the ship’s 11 magazines and had, contrary to regulations, been packed too close together and were also touching the magazine bulkheads. A chain reaction explosion of the shells would have been sufficient to detonate the ship’s magazines. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, made a statement to the House of Commons on the afternoon HMS Bulwark was lost, "I regret to say I have some bad news for the House. The Bulwark battleship, which was lying in Sheerness this morning, blew up at 7.35 o'clock. The Vice and Rear Admiral, who were present, have reported their conviction that it was an internal magazine explosion which rent the ship asunder. There was apparently no upheaval in the water, and the ship had entirely disappeared when the smoke had cleared away. An inquiry will be held tomorrow which may possibly throw more light on the occurrence. The loss of the ship does not sensibly affect the military position, but I regret to say the loss of life is very severe. Only 12 men are saved. All the officers and the rest of the crew, who, I suppose, amounted to between 700 and 800, have perished. I think the House would wish me to express on their behalf the deep sorrow with which the House heard the news, and their sympathy with those who have lost their relatives and friends."
In memoriam published 7th January 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “EDWARDS. – In loving memory of Richard, dearly loved son of Richard Edward, late of Briar-street, Meadows, Nottingham, lost on the Bulwark, November 26th, 1914. – Father, sister Suss, brother Albert (in France).” In memoriam published 26th November 1919 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “EDWARDS. – In loving memory of Richard Samuel, lost with H.M.S. Bulwark, November 26th, 1914. Sadly missed. – Brother Albert, sister-in-law Emily.” Above are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
