39.
May 17, 2012

My grandmother's husband was Private William Maynard Grainger of The Royal Marine Light Infantry and he perished on Goliath.  She had been married only three weeks in 1914 when he was drafted to the ship and of course she never saw him again.  My grandmother rarely spoke of it and she subsequently re-married in 1918. I have obtained William Maynard Grainger's Service record and know that he was from Shirebrook in Derbyshire, was a coal mine fitter and enlisted in Mansfield in 1907. 

His father lived at 49 Prospect Drive, Shirebrook.  I wonder if his family were informed and did he have brothers and sisters and if so, do his descendant's know of his fate. My grandmother had no evidence of his service, such as medal or citation. He should at least have got a war medal. I would be absolutely delighted if anyone from the GRAINGER Line were to get in touch.

Ian McMillan
 

38.
May 13, 2012

I am today remembering all those who lost their lives on HMS Goliath 13th May 1915 and in particular my Grandfather's older brother Edgar Ayton Holland.

Shirley Quick
West Sussex, UK

37.
Apr. 24, 2012

I have just now discovered my grandfathers name on the roll of honour for the HMS Goliath. His name is Thomas Warnock and he was from Belfast Northern Ireland and was a stoker in the R N R. I don't know his age when he went down with the ship so I would be so grateful if you could give me any information at all about him that is of course if you have any.

Thank you with best regards,
Edith Kennedy

36.
Oct. 18, 2011

I discovered today that my grandfathers cousin, William H. F. Coombs, was lost on the Goliath on the 13th May at the age of just 21. Of course I then 'googled' HMS Goliath and read the heartbreaking stories of how she was lost and found your website most interesting. I have no family photos of William and I know its a very long shot, but could I ask anyone on there if they have any or even any stories of him that may have been passed down through their families?

Kind regards,
Debbie Denton, Manchester, UK

35.
Dec. 9, 2010

The wreck of Goliath may be seen on the internet. I found it a very strange experience, knowing that my grandfather, Frank Cordwell, R.M.A., had been on that ship and so many of his fellow soldiers died. He would never give up smoking to his dying day, swearing that it had been a cigarette that had saved his life.

The Gallipoli campaign lasted 8 and a half months and involved 84 regiments of British soldiers. They experienced torrential rains and freezing blizzards causing mudslides and collapsed trenches in the November.480,000 allied troops took part of which 252,000 suffered casualties and 48,000 men lost their lives.

On the night of 12-13 May my grandfather was on the Goliath waiting to be transferred out of the hell. Goliath was stationed in Morto Bay off Cape Helles [aptly named], along with HMS Cornwallis and a screen of 5 destroyers. Around 1 a.m. my grandfather, who was a smoker decided to go up on deck from his bunk to have a cigarette. The turkish torpedo boat Muavenet-i-Milliye, which was manned by a combined German and Turkish crew, eluded the destroyers HMS Beagle and HMS Bulldog and closed on the battleships. Muavenet fired 3 torpedoes which struck Goliath, causing a massive explosion-the ship capsizes almost immediately taking 570 of the 700 strong crew to the bottom, including Captain Shelford.

Accounts from the time talk of the survivors hearing the screams of men in the water slowly going silent. My grandfather jumped into the water and was picked up by one of the other ships. He said they were freezing, just in their underpants and vests and gathered around the brazier on board. The captain was worried that the men were actually tilting the ship and fired his gun into the air to get them to move away from the brazier. Granddad then went straight on to the Somme and the horrors of that. It is a miracle that he survived.

He rarely if ever spoke of his experiences like so many of that generation, but when war arrived again he was utterly against his only son [my father] being involved in it. Granddad worked with the horses and guns and got his leg crushed between a gun and the horse at some point. He always walked with a limp and is leg was twisted outwards at the knee. I never heard him complain once.

Post No 33 wanted to hear survivor stories. It is true what post 12 said-it was those on deck who survived...my granddad was on deck for a quick fag! Attached is photo of my granddad.

Stephanie Rudd

May 12, 1916: Frank Cordwell, R.M.A. in his engagement photo.

Frank Cordwell, R.M.A. seen in uniform.

34.
Nov. 15, 2010

My Wife`s Great Grand Father was Petty Officer George Painton, who was killed when HMS Goliath was sunk in 1915. Here is a picture of him on his Wedding Day in 1911 with his Wife Julia.

Thanks,
Richard Carpenter

33.
Sept. 28, 2010

My Great Great Great Granddad's cousin was one of those lost on HMS Goliath. His name was Jacob Fletcher and he was 55 when he died. If anyone knows anything about him or if anyone has any survivor stories I would be really keen to hear them. I'm tracing and documenting my family tree so details about events like these make the people come alive again in our thoughts if not in flesh.

Many thanks,
Mark Watts

32.
Sept. 23, 2010

I would like to hear from anyone who has travelled to the Dardanelles and Morto Bay in recent years as part of any association with the sinking of HMS Goliath. My grandfather, CPO William Smith, died that morning and as the 100th anniversary of this event is coming up in under five years time I am considering a visit to the area. I would particularly like to hear how anyone travelled there, what can be seen on land there, what memorials exist in the area for the Goliath's crew and how the Turks themselves have commemorated the sinking.

John Maunder

31.
Sept. 18, 2010

My great grandfather Able Seaman John Shaw, RNR, form Aberdeen, Scotland, served and died on the Goliath. If any one has any knowledge of him, I would be delighted to hear from them.

Neil Shaw

30.
Sept. 2, 2010

I was sorting thru some old family photographs and found this one of my great-uncle John T. Corkish. He is the one in the center. Curious about the ship he was on, I did a search and found your website on HMS Goliath. He was a seaman (RNR) on board the ship. He was from the Isle of Man.

Lesley Hendricks

29.
Aug. 24, 2010

It is almost midnight here in Malta and it is around this time that I usually decide to look up some curiosity.  Today I thought of looking up again for any reference to my late husband's grandfather PIO LAUTIER.  He died at sea around the begriming of the last century near Gallipoli. Today his name came up with HMS GOLIATH. I am not sure if it is the same person. Is it possible to know if he was MALTESE - I'm not sure of his father's first name and he was married to JESSIE nee' MCFARLANE and he was born in Cospicua (Bormla) Malta.

Thank you in anticipation,

Mary Lourdes Lautier

28.
Aug. 6, 2010

My great grandfather (Tomas Keohan) was on the HMS Goliath I would like to get his service record I am hoping that you can advise me the best way to do this. Also what would I see in it?

Regards,
Emmet Keohan

27.
May 19, 2010

The users of this website may be interested to know that a memoir of a midshipman's service aboard the Goliath was published in 1916. The book is called “From Dartmouth to the Dardanelles: A midshipman's log”. The name of the ship is not mentioned in the book (nor that of the author - perhaps by choice, perhaps through censorship) but the identity of the ship can easily be determined through matching events described in the book with those in historical records. The author's ordeal at the time of the sinking of the Goliath is sensitively described.

I have a copy and there is also one in the Australian National Library in Canberra. I imagine there is a copy in the British Library although I have not searched the catalogue. It is only a small book and could probably be purchased at a reasonable price through antiquarian book sellers.

Regards,
Dr. Ashley Watson
Canberra, Australia

26.
Mar. 29, 2010

I would love to hear more about John Horden MOORE, born about 1874 in Brixham, Devon, who died 13th May 1915 on HMS Goliath. John was in the Royal Navy Reserve, and was 41 at the time of his death. He left a wife, Mary Jane, and 5 children. His wife Mary Jane (nee STAPLETON) had just the previous month lost her brother Samuel at Ypres, (there is no grave for him either - he is commemorated on the Menin Gate) and was also to lose her cousin Philip John NORRISH on board HMS Defence at the Battle of Jutland the following year (who is commemorated on the memorial on Plymouth Hoe).

Thank you,
Diana

25.
Mar. 18, 2010

I am trying to trace the wife of my Great Great Uncle who died aboard HMS Goliath. His name was Stoker 1st Class Percy J. Crump, we believe that his wife's name was Emily (she may have remarried to become Emily Clarke) and they had a son. I believe that Emily was born in Upton upon Severn in Worcestershire. I've attached a picture of the couple with their son, which was taken shortly before Percy left for the Dardanelles. If anyone has any information on Emily I'd greatly appreciate them getting in touch.

Regards,
Robert Daniel