H.M.S. Astræa (1893): Difference between revisions

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On 2 July, 1918, Acting {{LieutRNR}} [[William Harold Owen|Harold Owen]] was appointed to the ship and served in her until some time after the Armistice.  He later recounted the following ghostly encounter while the ship was at anchor off Cameroon:
On 2 July, 1918, Acting {{LieutRNR}} [[William Harold Owen|Harold Owen]] was appointed to the ship and served in her until some time after the Armistice.  He later recounted the following ghostly encounter while the ship was at anchor off Cameroon:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
''I had gone down to my cabin thinking to write some letters. I drew aside the door curtain and stepped inside and to my amazement I saw Wilfred sitting in my chair. I felt shock run through me with appalling force and with it I could feel the blood draining away from my face. I did not rush towards him but walked jerkily into the cabin--all my limbs stiff and slow to respond. I did not sit down but looking at him I spoke quietly: "Wilfred, how did you get here?"
''I had gone down to my cabin thinking to write some letters. I drew aside the door curtain and stepped inside and to my amazement I saw Wilfred sitting in my chair. I felt shock run through me with appalling force and with it I could feel the blood draining away from my face. I did not rush towards him but walked jerkily into the cabin--all my limbs stiff and slow to respond. I did not sit down but looking at him I spoke quietly: "Wilfred, how did you get here?"''


He did not rise and I saw that he was involuntarily immobile, but his eyes which had never left mine were alive with the familiar look of trying to make me understand; when I spoke his whole face broke into his sweetest and most endearing dark smile. I felt not fear--I had none when I first drew my door curtain and saw him there--only exquisite mental pleasure at thus beholding him. He was in uniform and I remember thinking how out of place the khaki looked amongst the cabin furnishings. With this thought I must have turned my eyes away from him; when I looked back my cabin chair was empty . . .
''He did not rise and I saw that he was involuntarily immobile, but his eyes which had never left mine were alive with the familiar look of trying to make me understand; when I spoke his whole face broke into his sweetest and most endearing dark smile. I felt not fear--I had none when I first drew my door curtain and saw him there--only exquisite mental pleasure at thus beholding him. He was in uniform and I remember thinking how out of place the khaki looked amongst the cabin furnishings. With this thought I must have turned my eyes away from him; when I looked back my cabin chair was empty...''


I wondered if I had been dreaming but looking down I saw that I was still standing. Suddenly I felt terribly tired and moving to my bunk I lay down; instantly I went into a deep oblivious sleep. When I woke up I knew with absolute certainty that Wilfred was dead.''
''I wondered if I had been dreaming but looking down I saw that I was still standing. Suddenly I felt terribly tired and moving to my bunk I lay down; instantly I went into a deep oblivious sleep. When I woke up I knew with absolute certainty that Wilfred was dead.''
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
William was at the time unaware that his brother, Wilfred, had been killed in action a week prior.<ref>''Harold Owen, Journey From Obscurity, Wilfred Owen, 1893-1918''</ref>
William was at the time unaware that his brother, Wilfred, had been killed in action a week prior.<ref>''Harold Owen, Journey From Obscurity, Wilfred Owen, 1893-1918''</ref>

Revision as of 13:13, 8 March 2021

H.M.S. Astræa (1893)
Builder: Devonport Royal Dockyard[1]
Ordered: Naval Defence Act of 1889[2]
Launched: 17 Mar, 1893[3]
Commissioned: 5 Nov, 1895[4]
Sold: 1 Jul, 1920[5]
Fate: Scrapped

H.M.S. Astræa was one of eight Astræa class cruisers completed for the Royal Navy between 1894 and 1896.

Service

Re-commissioned at Hong Kong on 20 September, 1906.[6]

In mid-August 1912, Astræa, Juno and Charybdis were contributing to congestion in Chatham Dockyard, and were to be moved out to the Medway.[7]

Astræa recommissioned at Sheerness on 22 April, 1913. By July, she was ordered to the Cape of Good Hope.[8]

On 2 July, 1918, Acting Lieutenant R.N.R. Harold Owen was appointed to the ship and served in her until some time after the Armistice. He later recounted the following ghostly encounter while the ship was at anchor off Cameroon:

I had gone down to my cabin thinking to write some letters. I drew aside the door curtain and stepped inside and to my amazement I saw Wilfred sitting in my chair. I felt shock run through me with appalling force and with it I could feel the blood draining away from my face. I did not rush towards him but walked jerkily into the cabin--all my limbs stiff and slow to respond. I did not sit down but looking at him I spoke quietly: "Wilfred, how did you get here?"

He did not rise and I saw that he was involuntarily immobile, but his eyes which had never left mine were alive with the familiar look of trying to make me understand; when I spoke his whole face broke into his sweetest and most endearing dark smile. I felt not fear--I had none when I first drew my door curtain and saw him there--only exquisite mental pleasure at thus beholding him. He was in uniform and I remember thinking how out of place the khaki looked amongst the cabin furnishings. With this thought I must have turned my eyes away from him; when I looked back my cabin chair was empty...

I wondered if I had been dreaming but looking down I saw that I was still standing. Suddenly I felt terribly tired and moving to my bunk I lay down; instantly I went into a deep oblivious sleep. When I woke up I knew with absolute certainty that Wilfred was dead.

William was at the time unaware that his brother, Wilfred, had been killed in action a week prior.[9]

She paid off on 1 July, 1919.[10]

She was sold to S. Castle of Plymouth on 1 July, 1920, and broken up in Germany.[11]

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 77.
  2. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 77.
  3. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 77.
  4. ↑ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. p. 77.
  5. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 39.
  6. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1908). p. 280.
  7. ↑ "Movements of Ships." The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Aug 14, 1912; pg. 8; Issue 39977.
  8. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1913). p. 281.
  9. ↑ Harold Owen, Journey From Obscurity, Wilfred Owen, 1893-1918
  10. ↑ The Navy List. (September, 1919). p. 733.
  11. ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 39.
  12. ↑ "The Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), July 12, 1894, Issue 34314, p.10.
  13. ↑ "The Naval Manoeuvres." The Times (London, England), July 19, 1895, Issue 34633, p.14.
  14. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1898). p. 226.
  15. ↑ Paget Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 372.
  16. ↑ Paget Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/18. f. 372.
  17. ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1902). p. 227.
  18. ↑ Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  19. ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1905). p. 281.
  20. ↑ Tufnell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1338.
  21. ↑ Tufnell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/39. f. 1338.
  22. ↑ Vaughan-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 441.
  23. ↑ Vaughan-Lee Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 441.
  24. ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1908). p. 280.
  25. ↑ Ryan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 339.
  26. ↑ Ryan Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 339.
  27. ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1909). p 280. indicates he was still here in June, 1909.
  28. ↑ Kiddle Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 382.
  29. ↑ Kiddle Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 382.
  30. ↑ Leatham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 147.
  31. ↑ Leatham Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 147.
  32. ↑ Parry Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45. f. 34.
  33. ↑ Parry Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45. f. 34.
  34. ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), 3 Dec. 1912, p. 12.
  35. ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 282.
  36. ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 392f.
  37. ↑ Fuller Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43. f. 460.
  38. ↑ Phillimore Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/511. f. 511.
  39. ↑ The Navy List. (November, 1917). p. 391m.
  40. ↑ Phillimore Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/43/511. f. 511.
  41. ↑ Austin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 78.
  42. ↑ Austin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46. f. 78.

Bibliography

  • Dittmar, F.J.; Colledge, J.J. (1972). British Warships 1914–1919. London: Ian Allan.


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