In uniform of Chief Officer,
Royal Navy Shore Signal ServiceThe Service Record of
GEORGE WILLIAM SMITH D.S.M. Royal Navy
Official Number 232282
1904-28Chief Yeoman of Signals, pensioned 25th March 1928
Entered Royal Naval Shore Signal Service 31st January 1929
(Note: a scrapbook - links below - covers part of PO Smith's service between 1919 and 1923)
26th Nov 1888 - Born Lincoln, England
17th Sept 1904 - Volunteered for 12 years service, aged 15.
Boy II/Boy I
Sept 1904-Oct 1905 - HMS Ganges, Boys training establishment, Harwich, England.
Boy I
Oct-Dec 1905 - HMS Pembroke, shore base, Chatham, England.
Dec 1905-Jan 1906 - HMS Repulse, battleship of the "Royal Sovereign" class, (completed 1984, 14,100 tons, 4-13.5in and 10-6in guns, broken up 1911). Serving in Home waters.
Jan-May 1906 - HMS Hawke, large cruiser of the "Edgar" class, (completed 1893, 7,350 tons, 2-9.2in and 10-6in guns, torpedoed and sunk in North Sea by German U.9, Oct 1914). Serving as Boys Training Ship in 4th Cruiser Squadron on North America and West Indies Station; paid off Aug 1906.
May 1906 - HMS Pembroke, shore base, Chatham, England
May-July 1906 - HMS Argonaut, large cruiser of the "Diadem" class, (completed 1900, 11,000 tons, 16-6in guns, broken up 1920). Apparently in reserve at Chatham until June 1906 when started refitting for Special Service.
Boy I to Signalman to Qualified Signalman
Aug 1906-Sept 1908 - HMS Cadmus, sloop of "Cadmus" class (last of long line of sloops retaining some sail power; completed 1904, 1070 tons, paid off at Hong Kong 1920 after spending entire career on China Station). Serving on China Station.
Sept- Dec 1908 - HMS Crescent, large cruiser of "Edgar" class (completed 1894, 7,700 tons, 1-9.2in, 12-6in guns, broken up 1921). Part of Portsmouth Division of Home Fleet 4th Cruiser Squadron (until 1913).
Dec 1908-Mar 1909 - HMS Pembroke, shore base, Chatham.
Mar-May 1909 - HMS Actaeon, shore establishment
May-Aug 1909 - HMS Pembroke, shore base, Chatham.
Aug 1909-Jan 1910 - HMS Minotaur, large cruiser of the "Minotaur" class (completed 1908, 14,600 tons, 4-9.2in and 10-7.5in guns, broken up 1920). Serving with 1st Cruiser Squadron, probably in Home Waters until early 1910.
Jan 1910 - HMS Pembroke, shore base, Chatham.
Jan-Mar 1910 - HMS Hyacinth, light cruiser of "Hermes" class (completed 1900, 5,600 tons, 11-6in guns, broken up 1923). From Feb 1907 as Flagship East Indies Station; recommissioned at Bombay in Mar 1909 and then paid-off at Chatham in Mar 1911. Serving on East Indies Station at this time.
Mar-May 1910 - HMS Philomel, light cruiser of "Pearl" class (completed 1891, 2,575 tons, to RNZN 1914, sold 1947, scuttled off New Zealand in 1949). Commissioned at Portsmouth in July 1909 for East Indies Station, returning in 1913. Serving in the East Indies.
May-July 1910 - HMS Fox, light cruiser of the "Astraea" class (completed 1896, 4,360 tons, 2-6in and 8-4.7in guns, broken up 1920). Left Devonport in June 1908 to relieve light cruiser "Highflyer" in East Indies, recommissioning at Muscat, Gulf of Oman in July 1910. Probably left ship there.
July-Aug 1910 - HMS Alert, steel screw sloop of "Alert" class (schooner rigged, completed 1895, 960 tons, 4-6in guns, sold 1926); fleet messenger ship, believed on East Indies Station
Sept 1910-July 1912 - HMS Fox, light cruiser (as above). After recommissioning at Muscat in July 1910, served on East Indies Station until recommissioning again at Aden in July 1912.
Took part in capture of Persian Gulf gun-runners on 25th March and 11th July 1911, and 10th February 1912. Paid a gun-running gratuity, 3rd November 1915
July-Aug 1912 - HMS Hermione, sister ship to "Fox" (details as for "Fox", except broken up 1921). Serving with 4th Division, Home Fleet so believed in Home waters.
Signalman to Leading Signalman
Aug-Dec 1912 - HMS Pembroke, shore base, Chatham.
Dec 1912-Jan 1914 - HMS Hecla, destroyer depot ship (ex-"British Crown", launched 1878, 6,400 tons, 4-12 pdr guns. Originally torpedo depot ship and played important role in developing British torpedo forces).
1914 Chevron awarded
Jan 1914-Apr 1915 - HMS Woolwich, destroyer depot ship and HMS Forester, destroyer of "Acheron" class (launched 1911, 780 tons, 2-4in guns and 2-21in torpedo tubes, sold 1921). Joined 1st Flotilla around 1911-12 and part of Home Fleet from Aug 1914 until 1916. Possibly with 1st Flotilla as part of The Harwich Force, commanded by Commodore Tyrwhitt.
28th Aug 1914 - HMS Forester took part in the Battle of the Heligoland Bight and was possibly involved in the sinking of German destroyer V.187.
1915 Chevron awarded
Apr-June 1915 - HMS Vivid I, signals shore establishment
Leading Signalman to Yeoman of Signals
June 1915-27th Mar 1916 - HMS Dido, destroyer depot ship and HMS MEDUSA, destroyer of "Medea" class (launched 27th Mar 1915, completed July 1915, 1,000 tons, 3-4in guns and 4-21in torpedo tubes). Joined Harwich force.
28th Oct 1915 - Awarded Naval General Service Medal with Persian Gulf 1909-14 clasp
3rd November 1915 - Paid gun-running gratuity for captures made in 1911/12
1916 Chevron awarded
25th March 1916 - Harwich Force of light cruisers and destroyers screened "Vindex" for a seaplane attack on the Zeppelin sheds near the island of Sylt off the North Sea coast of Germany. "Laverock" accidentally rammed "Medusa" amidships, leaving her with an enormous hole in the engine-room and had to be taken in tow by flotilla leader "Lightfoot". They were only 40 miles from Heligoland and as "Medusa" was towed north to join the cruisers, were bombed for a number of hours by German seaplanes. Weather worsened with heavy seas and violent rain-squalls alternating with snow. Towing was reduced to 6 knots - (quote) "with the seas breaking over her ("Medusa") as she lay over at an appalling angle .... looked more like a half-tide rock than a ship". They met Admiral Beatty's battlecruisers, but were too close to German forces and the weather was getting even worse. The tow parted and the decision made to abandon ship at 10.00 pm in pitch darkness. Most of "Medusa's" ship's company (including Yeoman of Signals George Smith) were saved by destroyer "Lasso".
Mar-Apr 1916 - HMS Vivid I, signals shore establishment
Apr-May 1916 - HMS Woolwich, destroyer depot ship and HMS Forester, destroyer (details as above). Possibly with 1st Flotilla as part of Harwich Force, until Spring 1916 when attached to 3rd Battleship Squadron believed to consist of old pre-Dreadnoughts of the "King Edward VII" class serving with the Grand Fleet based at Scapa Flow.
May-Dec 1916 - HMS Dido, destroyer depot ship and HMS Forester (details as above, including presumed service with 3rd Battleship Squadron).
Dec 1916-June 1917 - HMS Vivid I, signals shore establishment.
1917 Chevron awarded
June 1917-5th Dec 1918 - HMS CASSANDRA, light cruiser of "Caledon" class (launched Nov 1916, completed June 1917, 4,120 tons, 5-6in guns). Joined 6th Light Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet from June 1917; with sister ship "Caradoc" ran aground on Fair Isle on 15th Aug 1917 and towed to Lerwick for repairs. Then in Nov 1918 to the Baltic to be sunk by mine in the Gulf of Finland on 5th Dec 1918 with 11 dead. Numerous offensive and defensive minefields laid by the Germans and Russians in the Baltic.
Dec 1918-Mar 1919 - HMS Vivid I, signals shore establishment.
Mar-June 1919 - HMS Fox, light cruiser (details as above). From 1915 to 1918, served in East Indies and Egyptian waters and then Red Sea, but then paid off in Mar 1919.
20th May 1919 - War gratuity paid; recommended for Chief Yeoman of Signals
June-Oct 1919 - HMS Fox, light cruiser and HMS Borodino, fleet messenger ship (Scrapbook VIII, Part 1 covers service in these vessels in the North Russian Expeditionary Force) Yeoman of Signals George Smith awarded Distinguished Service Medal for bravery under fire while serving on the bridge during operations against Bolshevik forces on shore
Oct 1919-Oct 1920 - HMS Vivid, signals shore establishment.
21st Jan 1920 - Awarded Distinguished Service Medal.
20th May 1920 - Paid Naval prize money
7th July 1920 - Awarded 1914-15 Star
Yeoman of Signals to Chief Yeoman of Signals
Oct 1920-Jan 1922 - HMS Columbia, destroyer depot ship and HMS Vanquisher, destroyer of the "V" and "W" classes (launched 1917, 1,100 tons, 4-4in guns and 4-21in torpedo tubes, broken up 1947). Possibly with Atlantic Fleet or based at Rosyth.(Scrapbook VIII, Part 2 covers service in HMS Vanquisher during a Baltic cruise)
August 1921 - Awarded Victory and other war service medals
Jan-Nov 1922 - HMS Vivid I, signals shore establishment.
24th Apr 1922 - Awarded Long Service Good Conduct medal
5th May 1922 - Paid medal gratuity
20th May 1922 - Paid final share of Naval prize fund
Nov 1922-Oct 1925 - HMS Curlew, light cruiser of the "Ceres" class and close sister to "Cassandra" (launched 1917, 4,190 tons, 5-6in guns, sunk by German air attack, Norway in May 1940). Recommissioned Nov 1922 for North America and West Indies Station, and escorted battlecruiser "Repulse" on 1923 World Tour by Prince of Wales accompanied by Lt Louis Mountbatten.
9th September 1923 - Photographed the six grounded United States "Clemson" class destroyers that went ashore in poor visibility in the San Francisco area (Scrapbook VIII, Part 3 includes these photographs)
4th May 1924 - Paid supplementary final share of Naval prize fund
Oct-Dec 1925 - HMS Vivid I, signals shore establishment.
Dec 1925-Sept 1926 - HMS Britannia, Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
Oct 1926 - HMS Vivid I, signals shore establishment.
Oct 1926-Aug 1928 - HMS Durban, light cruiser of "Danae" class (launched 1919, 4,970 tons, 6-6in guns, scuttled as part of Mulberry harbour off Normandy beaches, 9th June 1944). "Durban" joined 5th Light Cruiser Squadron on China Station in Nov 1921, but not known if there between 1926 and 1928.
Aug-Nov 1928 - HMS Vivid I, signals shore establishment.
26th November 1928 - Pensioned after 24 years service at age 40 and enrolled in Royal Fleet Reserve until age 50.
1st January 1929 - Discharged from Royal Fleet Reserve and enrolled in Royal Navy Shore Signal Service (RNSSS).
1929- c early 1950's - RNSSS Service until after World War 2. Served in and later in charge of such Shore Signal Stations as Dunnet Head and St Abbs Head in Scotland, Deal (during the Battle of Britain), Flamborough Head (later in the war) and the Isle of Wight, all in England
