On board a Grimsby trawler

On the 12^th April 1916, Frederick Charles Bush (my first cousin three times removed) was serving on board HMT Wallington, a 259 tonne Grimsby trawler at the Auxiliary Patrol Base at Grimsby. He had joined the Royal Navy exactly one year previously on the 12^th April 1915 and had been serving on board the Waveney St. George since September 1915.

He had been transferred to HMT Wallington from Waveney St. George on the 6^th November 1915 and 100 years ago today was promoted to Stoker 1^st Class.

HMT Wallington was employed as a boom defence vessel guarding the Humber estuary, patrolling and maintaining the defences and torpedo nets in all weather.

Protecting the Humber

On Saturday the 11th September 1915, Frederick Charles Bush (my first cousin 3 times removed) received his first posting in the Royal Navy after his initial training at Pembroke II since enlisting earlier in the year on April 12th.

HMS St. George

Originally from Wimbledon, Surrey, Fred Bush, aged 18 1/2 years and 5Ft 2 1/2 inches was made a Stoker (2nd Class) on board HMS St. George (Waveney), which was a Destroyer Depot ship  – 1st class cruiser, (Edgar Class). HMS St. George was based at Immingham in North East Lincolnshire on the banks of the Humber Estuary about 6 miles north- west of Grimsby.

For most of the day the ships log recorded “hands were cleaning ship”. Immingham was used as a submarine base and HMS St. George formed part of the Humber guardship patrol for the base.