Commemorated:

1. Memorial:Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon11
2. Book:The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918Pg.118
    

Awards & Titles:

 

Family :

Son of Louisa Ambrose, of 5, Whittington St., Pennycomequick, Plymouth. Born at Stonehouse, Devon.

Service Life:

Campaigns:

Unit / Ship / Est.: HMS Lion 

"Mike: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=95016&hl=HMS+Lion HMS Lion limped into the Walker Naval Yard on the Tyne where some casualties had to be cut out of the ship. A number are buried in neighbouring cemeteries HMS Lion was a battlecruiser of the Royal Navy launched in 1910, the lead ship of her class (known as the ""Splendid Cats""). She was originally constructed with her foremast and spotting top behind her forefunnel; the heat and fumes made access to the spotting top difficult and after her initial trials she was rebuilt with the foremast and fore funnel switched in position. In World War I she fought at the battle of Heligoland Bight, 28 August 1914, and served as David Beatty's flagship at the battles of Dogger Bank, 24 January 1915 and Jutland, 31 May 1916, and was sold for breaking in 1924 under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. At Dogger Bank, she scored a somewhat lucky hit on Seydlitz which caused a cordite flashback which burned out the latter's two rear turrets. While it nearly resulted in the destruction of the Seydlitz, the Germans gained crucial insight into improving magazine safety that would make the difference in the future battle of Jutland.[1] In response she was struck by a salvo from the German battlecruiser Derfflinger which crippled her, forcing her to fall out of line and Admiral Beatty to lose control of his squadron until he transferred his flag to HMS New Zealand. At Jutland she was hit by a 12 inch (305 mm) salvo from the L?tzow which blew the roof off of the ""Q"" turret. Dozens of Royal Marines were killed, but a far larger catastrophe was averted when Major Francis Harvey, the mortally wounded turret commander, ordered the magazine doors shut and allegedly ordered the magazine flooded, thereby preventing the cordite propellant from setting off a massive explosion. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. "

Action : Jutland 

The Battle of Jutland was the largest naval battle of World War I, and the only full-scale clash of battleships in that war. It is considered to be the largest conventional naval battle in history. It was fought on 31 May - 1 June 1916, in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. The combatants were the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet, commanded by Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer, and the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe. The German fleet's intention was to lure out, trap and destroy a portion of the Grand Fleet, as the German numbers were insufficient to engage the entire British fleet at one time. This formed part of a larger strategy to break the British blockade of the North Sea and to allow German mercantile shipping to operate. Meanwhile, the Royal Navy pursued a strategy to engage and destroy the High Seas Fleet, or keep the German force bottled up and away from Britain's own shipping lanes. Considered a tactical victory for the Germans but a resounding strategic victory for the British.

Present at the Battles of Heligoland and Dogger Bank.

Masonic :

TypeLodge Name and No.Province/District :
Mother : Lodge of St George No. 2025 E.C.Devonshire
Joined : Royal Naval No. 3337 E.C. Devonshire

Initiated
Passed
Raised
24th January 1905
19th December 1905
24th July 1906
 

William is recorded in the 1921 book as Bulley, but the Lodge records for Royal Naval Lodge have him listed as Bullen. He was a founder member of Royal Naval Lodge No. 3337, but his mother lodge is St. Georges Lodge No. 2025 at Plymouth.


Source :

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Last Updated: 2017-09-08 12:31:17