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Charles Barber

A Second Hand with H.M. Drifter Violet May, Charles died on 15th of February 1918 at the age of 30. 

Charles was born at Raveningham, Norfolk, on 29 October 1888, a son of George R. and Mary Ann (Polly) Barber. In 1891 his family lived at Bungay Road, Stockton, near Loddon. By 1901 they were living at 60 Pakefield Street, Kirkley, and this was still their home in 1911. 

On 26 December 1914 George married Dora May Cable at Saint Margaret’s Church. George was a smacksman living at Pakefield Street, and Dorsa lived at 166 High Street. By January 1915 they were living at 59 Stevens Street, and later Dora lived at 47 London Road. 

Charles joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 6 February 1915. He served on the trawler Seaflower until 31 December 1915 when he joined the trawler Sea Commander. On 21 January 1916 he joined the trawler E.B.C. and on 2 June 1916 he joined the trawler Arndilly Castle. He joined the Violet May on 22 August 1917.  

Charles was serving on the Violet May when he was involved in an event known by some as the ‘Massacre of the Drifters’. Captain Taprell-Dorling, in his book Swept Channels described the event:

"On the night of 14-15 February 1918, an enemy submarine was reported in the minefield [off Dover] by the drifters, and heavy firing began. The "P" boats, monitors and destroyers on patrol concluded that the firing was at the submarine. They were unaware that a flotilla of German destroyers had steamed through the patrol and were attacking the paddle minesweepers, trawlers and drifters who were burning lights to assist in illuminating the minefield.

The trawler James Pond, commanded by Chief Skipper A.E. Berry, D.S.C., R.N.R., was burning her flares near the French coast when he saw three destroyers approaching from the eastward at high speed. Flashing past at very close range, they each fired salvoes. It was impossible to miss. The raiders disappeared into the darkness, to leave the trawler damaged and blazing.

The enemy destroyers had not finished. After passing the James Pond they turned sharply to the north-north-west along the line of drifters, firing salvoes into them as they steamed by. These little ships did not hesitate to return the fire with the tiny guns they possessed; but 3 and 6 pounders were nothing of a match for the 4.1's of the enemy. The Christina Craig, Clover Bank, Cosmos. Jeannie Murray, Silver Queen, Veracity and W Elliott, all between 60 and 96 tons, were sunk one after the other. Still more were damaged."

In the action the Violet May was badly damaged. Seven members of the crew were killed. Charles was wounded and died of his wounds. Two of the crew survived.

Two men were awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Navy) for the action in the following circumstances:

Engineman John Ewing, R.N.R. (T.). and Engineman Alexander Noble, R.N.R. (T.). received the C.G.M. When their ship had been severely damaged and was on fire and all the men killed, with the exception of Second-hand Charles Barber, who was very severely injured and quite helpless, having since died of wounds, and Deckhand V. Disney, who was wounded in one leg and badly burnt and of little assistance, they cleared the wreckage of the boom from a small boat, got out the boat, into which they put their wounded shipmates and got away. Finding that their ship did not sink, they returned to her, attacked the fire with buckets, and succeeded in putting out the flames, the small-arms ammunition in the wheelhouse exploding as they worked. They then got their injured shipmates on board and made them comfortable, and afterwards burnt flares of old clothes soaked in paraffin until picked and towed in at 7 a.m.

See: First World War Bravery Awards - Maritime Archaeology Trust

Note: Deck Hand V. Disney was Victor Roland Disney, son of Albert Edward Disney and brother of Stanley Frank Disney - see entries in Our Fallen

Lived at

Charles Barber
47
London Road South
Lowestoft
United Kingdom

52.4710565, 1.7475187

CountryOfService
United Kingdom
BranchService
Naval
Regiment
Royal Naval Reserve
ServiceNumber
1084/SA
Burial/Memorial
United Kingdom
LOWESTOFT (NORMANSTON DRIVE) CEMETERY
14. 39.

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