Robert Henry KENNAIRD

Commemorated:
1. Memorial:	Chatham Naval Memorial	12. Kent
2. Book:	The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918	Pg.127
3. Memorial:	The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour	9B GQS

Awards & Titles:

Family :

Born at Greenwich, 1889. Mother, Lucy of 7 Milton Place, Gravesend.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

Unit / Ship / Est.: H.M.S. Inflexible

Pendant No 83 (1914), 75 (1.18), 47 (4.18). Launched 26.6.07 John Brown. 17,250 tons, 567(oa), 530(pp)x78x26ft. Turbine 41000shp, 25.5kts. Armament: 8-12in, 16-4in, 4-18in tt. Armour: 6in sides, 2in deck, 7in guns. In Mediterranean 8.14, detached to South Atlantic 1914 (Battle of the Falklands), joined Grand Fleet Battlecruiser Force late 1914 until 1918. Battle Honours (and links to despatches, casualties, awards) Falkland Islands 8 Dec 1914, Dardanelles 1915, Jutland 31 May 1916. Sold 1.12.21 Stanlee, resold, BU in Germany. (British Warships 1914-1919)

Replaced Jupiter in Nore Division of Home Fleet on completion, but then underwent repairs to damage caused by gun trials (October 1908-January 1909). Joined 1st CS in March 1909 and suffered slight damage from a coal bunker explosion. In September 1909 became flagship of Sir Edward Seymour for visit to New York. Refitted October-December 1909; damaged May 1911 in collision with Bellerophon off Portland. After repairs became flagship 1st CS until May 1912. Commissioned as flagship of Admiral Berkeley Milne, C-in-C Mediterranean Fleet in November 1912. Led hunt for Goeben and Breslau in August 1914 but ordered home on 18 August. A month later replaced New Zealand in 2nd BCS at Rosyth. Sailed with Invincible for refit at Devonport 5 November 1914 and sailed for Falklands six days later. During Battle of the Falklands fired 661-12in shells. On her return was sent to Mediterranean, and relieved Indefatigable as flagship of C-in-C. Bombarded outer Dardanelles forts, on 19 February and 15 March 1915, and during the attack on the 18th put two 14in guns out of action. Suffered superficial damage from Turkish gunfire, but was seriously damaged by a mine on 19 March, suffering flooding forward. Towed to Malta and repaired by May 1915 but then returned to Rosyth, where she joined her sisters in the 3rd BCS. Suffered no damage at Jutland, and spent remainder of the war in 3rd BCS. Collided with submarine K 22 on I February 1918 during 'Battle of May Island', and was present at German surrender in November. (Battle honours - Falkland Islands 1914, Dardanelles 1915, Jutland 1916). Joined Nore Reserve in January 1919 and paid off at end of March 1920. Sold December 1921 to Stanlee, resold for breaking-up in Germany. (Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-21)

Action : Gallipoli

The Gallipoli Campaign was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula 25th April 1915 to 9th January 1916. in a failed attempt to defeat Turkey by seizing the Dardanelles and capturing Istanbul. Ill-conceived and planned, the initial effort by the Royal Navy failed to force passage through the Dardanelles by sea power alone. It was then realised that a land force was needed to support the project by suppressing the Turkish mobile artillery batteries. By the time all was ready the Turks were well aware and well prepared. Despite amazing heroics on the day of the landings only minor beachheads were achieved and over the succeeding 8 months little progress was made. Eventually the beachheads were evacuated in a series of successful ruses.

Despite Gallipoli rightly becoming a national source of pride to Australians and New Zealanders, far more British casualties were sustained, and these days the substantial French contribution is almost forgotten.

Shipwright 1st Class. Service No. 346890 (Ch).

There are contradictions in the date of death, from the Masonic record which shows February, military records which show March and Probate which shows May.

An article in the Aberdeen Press and Journal 22nd March 1915, proves the probate date wrong, citing under the banner "MEN H.M.S. INFLEXIBLE Killed" listing all including "Shipwright R.H. Kennaird." The masonic date of February shows routine action in the ships log, but for the 18th March, the page is blank. The March date coincides with the ship being badly damaged by Turkish shore based artillery fire. This project acknowledges the date of death for Robert, and the action in the Dardenelles to be on the 18th March 1915.

Masonic :

Type	Lodge Name and No.	Province/District :
Mother :	Union of Malta No. 407 E.C.	Hampshire & IOW

Initiated	Passed	Raised
7th January 1914	16th February 1914	1st April 1914

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The (UK) National Archives
Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
Researcher : Bruce Littley

Last Updated: 2019-08-25 07:01:30