At about 9:00 pm on March 26, 1918, HMS Kale, a destroyer in the British Royal Navy, left Inningham on England's east coast at the head of a three-ship flotilla. When Petty Officer Thomas Proctor first received the order to sail, he began directing his men to prepare for the voyage. If Thomas knew the ship's destination was Portsmouth, an important naval base on the English Channel, he must have hoped he would get to see his seven-year-old daughter Mary. Such a visit was especially important since Clara Proctor, Thomas’ wife, and Mary’s mother had died about a year earlier. Sadly, it was not to be. At about 7:40, the next morning, the Kale struck a mine, split in two, and sank, drowning 40 members of the crew including Thomas. It was obviously a terrible day for the victims and their families. It would, however, take another 75 years before the full story was revealed - a story even more tragic than the original version.
Thomas Alexander Proctor was born in Liverpool, England on February 15, 1880, the third of Nathaniel and Mary Balmer Proctor’s four sons. Nathaniel was my grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Proctor's uncle so Thomas was my distant cousin. If Thomas and my grandmother ever met, it was as very small children in 1881, when Mary's family was preparing to sail from Liverpool to Trenton, New Jersey. Some 17 years later, on February 18, 1898, Thomas, enlisted in the Royal Navy. The date is probably not a coincidence since he had just turned 18, the age when young men could enlist in the Navy without their parent's consent. No information survives about Thomas's motivation, but it was likely due to a lack of jobs or at least decent-paying jobs. Naval service had also become somewhat more attractive because with Germany the greatest perceived threat, the fleet now spent most of its time in home waters. At the time of his enlistment, Thomas stood 5’ 6” with brown hair and brown eyes. He was still growing and was almost 5’ 9” in 1912.
Although in 1898 Royal Navy ships were fueled by coal or oil, Thomas most likely received his basic training on a wooden sailing ship. Thomas gradually rose through the ranks until he was promoted to petty officer in 1905. Naval petty officers are basically the equivalent of sergeants in the army – senior non-commissioned officers. Thomas’ service record consistently reflects "very good" character ratings, but in spite of his good record, Thomas chose to leave the Navy in 1910 after 12 years of service. While no information survives about the reason for his decision, it was likely family-based. In the first quarter of 1909, Thomas married Clara Lucy Wilkins of Portsmouth, and their child, Mary Hannah Proctor was born on August 29, 1910. At the time of the 1911 census, the family was living in Merton, Surrey where Thomas worked for an electrical supply company.
Thomas’ return to civilian life was short-lived as he rejoined the Navy in October of 1912. Here again, no explanation of the move survives. A few months later, in January 1913, Thomas was assigned to the HMS Blanche. Just over 400 feet long and 42 feet wide, the Blanche was the command ship of a flotilla of destroyers. Destroyers were the fastest warships in the fleet, used primarily for patrolling and raiding. The Blanche had a crew of 314, including Thomas, who was one of five petty officers. When World War I broke out, the Blanche was at Scapa Flow. Located in the Orkney Islands, off the coast of Scotland, Scapa Flow is one of the world's largest natural harbors, covering some 125 square miles. Perhaps surprisingly, World War I naval duty at Scapa Flow was, for the most part, boring and monotonous. With one notable exception, the German High Seas fleet remained in port and duty consisted primarily of patrolling without seeing “an enemy who seemed hardly ever to make an appearance.”
The exception to the boredom and monotony of Scapa Flow was the Battle of Jutland which took place on May 31-June 1, 1916. It was the largest naval battle of World War I, involving 250 ships and 100,000 men. Who won the battle has been debated ever since, but in the end, the German fleet returned to port, leaving the Royal Navy in control of the sea. As a result, the British continued the naval blockade of Germany, one of the key factors in the ultimate Allied victory. Serving on the Blanche, Thomas Proctor was at Jutland, but the ship was at the rear of the English fleet and so far removed from the action, it didn’t even fire its guns. Seven months after the battle, in January of 1917, the Blanche left the British Grand Fleet and was converted into a minelayer.
Six months later, in July of 1917, Thomas left the Blanche for a shore assignment. It’s highly likely that this was due to the death of his wife Clara on February 24, 1917. According to the death certificate, the primary cause of death was childbirth. No record has been found of the child’s birth suggesting both mother and child died. Thomas's stay on shore didn't last long. He left Mary with Clara's mother in Portsmouth and on September 15, 1917, joined the HMS Kale. The Kale was a river-class destroyer, launched in November 1904. Based on the ship’s length and width, it was about one-half the size of the Blanche with a crew of only 70, compared to the over 300 on the Blanche. By March of 1918, the Kale was commanded by Commander Harold Edmund Dennison.
Even had the real story been known at the time, it wouldn't have helped seven-year-old Mary, who was now an orphan. She was given a pension of 10 shillings a week until 1926 when she would presumably be able to support herself. Fortunately, Mary had family members who cared about her. Mary's uncle, George Henry Proctor, Thomas' younger brother, and his wife, Eveline, adopted the bereft little girl. George was an Anglican minister, who died on February 18, 1941, while serving as Vicar of St. John’s Church Doddington in Cheshire. Mary remained with Eveline until Eveline died in 1959. Where Mary lived afterward isn’t clear, but she died on March 24, 1996, at the age of 86 in a nursing home. Thomas Proctor’s body was never recovered and his name is listed on the Royal Navy’s Memorial to the missing at Chatham. He died, sadly, tragically, and unnecessarily in the service of his country. To give meaning to his service and sacrifice, as well as that of his family, it is essential that he, in Shakespeare's words, "shall be remembered" until "the ending of the world."
John, once again I am so grateful that you are such an accomplished historian of our family. This is truly a moving tribute to one of our ancestors. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSue, Glad you enjoyed it, thanks, as always for your support.
DeleteDear John, I too am very appreciative of your wonderful research into the roots of our family tree. The history you provide adds a great deal of color and insight into other’s lives and experiences. With warm regards, Jay
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jay, much appreciated!
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