Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon | ||
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.121 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 4A GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Native of Devonport. Son of Herbert William and Harriet Dennington, of Bere Ferrers, Bere Alston, Devon.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: HMTB No 90 |
HM Torpedo Boat 88,89,90, built by Yarrow & Company 1894/5, 112 tons TB88,89, 100 tons TB90, Armed with 3 x 3 pounder guns and 3 x 14 inch torpedos. All served at Gibralter 1914-1918, TB88,89 sold 1919, TB90 capsized off Gibralter 25th April 1918. 17 lives were lost. Dittmar & Colledge British Warships 1914-1919. |
| Action : Naval Campaign |
Naval Campaign is defined as to include all sea operations where attrition rates are in ones and twos and which do not fall within specific naval battles such as Jutland, Coronel, Falklands etc. This includes Merchant Navy losses.
Detail :
On his 18th birthday in 1907, he joined the Royal Navy in Devonport for a period of 12 years. It is by strange and tragic coincidence that he died on the exact same day in 1918 – 25th April. He entered the service as a Boy Artificer (engineering apprentice) and worked his way up the ranks, by service and training, to reach Engine Room Artificer Second Class. As such, he helped to maintain and operate the mechanical plant of the ships he served on.
His final posting was to HMS Cormorant, a 'receiving ship' or shore establishment at Gibraltar. Such an establishment had a variety of functions. For many men it was a Naval barracks, for those who worked ashore or for those 'between ships' for whatever reason. In addition there might be men who were on vessels which were too small to do their own administration, so the men were carried on the books of the shore base. Ernest Dennington fell into this latter category, as his last posting was to a small boat, Motor Torpedo Boat Number 90. He was based in Gibraltar for a couple of years, long enough for his to enrol in the Freemason's Lodge there in 1917 and pay a 7s 6d membership fee.
Few details are known of the fate of HMTB 90 but it is listed as ‘capsized off Gibraltar in bad weather ’ on 25th April 1918, with the loss of all hands. No bodies were recovered for subsequent burial. His effects were left to his father, Herbert.
See Musings from Higher Downgate
See Wrecksite EU
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Inhabitants No. 153 E.C. | Gibraltar |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
21st April 1917 | 19th May 1917 | 16th June 1917 |
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