Haco Bate Dobson, Royal Navy, WW1

[daggers]

There is an interesting thread running on the Great War Forum [in the Ships and Navy section] about an unmarked grave near the coast of Holland. A local investigator there believes it marks the burial of Able Seaman Dobson who was lost at sea during WW1 and has no known grave. He hopes to have the grave recognised by the War Graves Commission and is seeking help via UK channels.

The birth of Dobson, with its rare forename, was registered at Toxteth Park in Q3 1893, though naval records give his birthplace as Penrith, Cumberland, where his family lived at one time.

In 1901 the Dobson family, including Haco aged 7, were at Rainford. In 1911 He was on his own, as a boarder, in a lodging house at Darwen, Lancs. He was a clerk, 17, and gave his birthplace as Liverpool.

Google reveals three enquiries on RootsWeb in 2001 from an address in Paris, asking about family links, in which Haco is mentioned. No replies are evident. I have emailed to the address given, but have no reply yet.

Any sleuths out there willing to have a dig at this???

Daggers

[dickiesam]

His death is recorded in the GRO Index so there will be a death certificate... To be in the Index should mean the cause of death is known and he was not lost without trace.

Death: DOBSON, Haco
Vessel: H. M. S. Dido For Tornado
Country: At sea
Year: 1917
Page: 1430
Age at death: 22
Record source: GRO Marine Death Indices (1903 to 1965)

And there is this entry...
Death: DOBSON, Haco
Date of death: 23 December 1917
Date of birth:12 May 1895
Place of birth: Penrith, Cumberland
Belonging to service: RN
Series: ADM242 - Naval Casualties, Indexes, War Grave Rolls and Statistics Book, First World War
Box:0008

Haco lost his life when the destroyer HMS Tornado, together with two other destroyers, ran into a minefield in the Maas Strait 23rd December 1917. All 3 vessels were lost. See a narrative on the disaster here: http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/s ... php?t=8584

From: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forum ... pic=200511
HMS Dido was a depot ship and served in home waters during WW1 - 1914 - Depot ship 3rd Submarine Flotilla, 1914 - Depot ship 3rd Destroyer Flotilla Harwich, 1915 - Depot ship 9th Destroyer Flotilla Harwich & 1918 - Depot ship 10th Destroyer Flotilla Harwich.

HMS Tornado was a 'brand-new' ship with the 10th Destroyer Flotilla.

[dickiesam]

From http://www.cwgc.org

DOBSON, HACO
Rank: Able Seaman
Service No: J/47978
Date of Death: 23/12/1917
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy- H.M.S. "Tornado."
Panel Reference 21.
Memorial: PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

[daggers]

Thanks for those: I do not have access to those records. Penrith seems to have been on the official Navy records, though all the census and birth registrations give Liverpool as Haco's birthplace.
D

[daggers]

Since January 2014 a Dutch member of the Great War Forum, known as Sijlmans, has been investigating the case of A.B. Haco Dobson, as reported in this thread from time to time.
Sijlmans has now said that the grave has been formally recognised as that of Haco Dobson and is to be rededicated on 5th July. He should be congratulated on his sterling efforts - he has taken a great interest in the fate of British sailors found on Dutch beaches in WW1.

D

[MaryA]

Well done, slowly but surely more heroes previously unsung are being commemorated.

[BarbaraW]

As they should. Thanks to people on this forum and on these boards.

[daggers]

Perhaps a fitting finale to this thead:
https://navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/15095

Daggers

[MaryA]

Oh well done, a fitting closure for the family