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R.M.S. Royal Edward

Extract From The Burnley Express and Advertiser
The British Transport 'Royal Edward' was sunk by an enemy submarine in the Aegean Sea on Saturday 13th August 1915. According to the information at present available, the transport had on board 32 officers and 1350 troops, in addition to the ship's crew of 220 officers and men.

The troops consisted mainly of reinforcements for the 29th Division Royal Army Medical Corps.
Full information has not yet been received, but it is known that about 600 men have been saved which leaves 1000 to be accounted for.
The 'Royal Edward' was a large ship of the Royal Line, her port of registry being Bristol. Before the war she was engaged in the Canadian Service, sailing between Avonmouth and Montreal. Built in 1908 by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Glasgow, her gross tonnage was 11,117, 5669 net. She was 526 feet long, and had a speed of 19 knots.

The connection between Burnley and the tragic affair is; it is feared, very close indeed and tidings are anxiously awaited as to the men who have been saved. The official announcement mentions 'detachments of the R.A.M.C.' and a good many Burnley folk, some Padiham and Brierfield people believe that near relatives are to be found among the detachments. During the week-end numerous postcards have been received, these having been posted at Malta, and some of the writers stated they were on the 'Royal Edward'.

One pathetic messsage on the back of a picture postcard of the 'Royal Edward' was as follows:-
"Dear Son, -- This is the picture of our troopship, the one your daddy is on."

THE BURNLEY NEWS, WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 1915.

Missing and Saved : Ambulance Men on "Royal Edward."

Private Bert JONES As announced in the 'Burnley News of Saturday, Private Bert Jones, of 1 Renshaw-street, Burnley Lane, is one of those saved. He joined the R.A.M.C. last year, at the age of seventeen. His parents received from him at the week end, a field card, stating he was quite well, and a letter was following. He also sent an interesting "souvenir from the Dardanelles" in the shape of a table center, bearing a novel patriotic design, worked in silk in the national colours of the Allies, on a silk background of emerald green. The design which represents the guns firing on the Turkish forts, has been worked by the natives and bears the inscription "Souvenir From The Dardanelles". It is a fine specimen of native art and is a prized possession of the soldier's parents.	Private Charles MIDGLEY No news yet has been received of Private Charles Midgley, of 23 Duke-street, Harle Syke, who was a member of the R.A.M.C., on board the ill-fated ship. Midgley, who was formerley a weaver, was known to be good swimmer.	Private A. E. KENYON Private A. E. Kenyon, who's parents live at 150, Oxford-road, was married not long before leaving for the Dardanelles. He was connected with Sion Baptist Church. The official news of his safety reached Burnley on Saturday.
	Late Private T. STEPHENS We are informed that the name of Private T. Stephens, No 18 Linby-street (No 581), of the 2nd East Lancashire Field Artillery, R.A.M.C., does not appear in the list of survivors of the "Royal Edward".	Private Patrick KENDALL No word has yet been received of Private P. Kendall, R.A.M.C., who was on the "Royal Edward". He was 23 years of age, and prior to enlisting was a weaver in the employ of The Self Help Mill, Co., Healey Wood Road.
Lance Corporal R. HAMMOND Lance Corporal R. Hammond who has survived the disaster, (official information being received at the week-end by the family), residing at 7, Lionel Street, Burnley, joined the R.A.M.C. last November. He was a member of the 2nd Lowerhouse cricket eleven, and had figured once or twice with the premier team. But he is best known through his association with St. John's Church, being a member of the choral society and choir. He is highly esteemed in the district.	Private W. SLATER of 2, Basnett-street, is one of the survivors. Slater is well known at St. Peter's Church, being connected also with the Sunday School. He was a weaver at Messrs. Halstead's Mill, was a powerful swimmer, and a member of St. Peter's swimming club, as well as having been previously one of the members of the sqaudron team.	Private F. BASNETT (saved) Private JAS. DIXON (saved)
Private Harrison WILKINSON Nothing has yet been heard as to the fate of Private Harrison Wilkinson, whose wife resides at 40 Ryan-street, Burnley. He was a tailor at Messrs. Thornton and Tattersall's Rake Head Mill. He is thirty years of age, and formerly was associated with Immanuel Baptist Chapel and Sunday School. Private Wilkinson was very well known and esteemed by a large circle of friends in Burnley and district.	Private E. TAYLOR News of the safety of Private Edmund Taylor, of 18, Atheletic-street, was received at his home during the week end. No news has yet been received of Private James NEWELL, of 33, Admiral-street, and Private R, RAWSTRON, of Olympia-street,	Private Chas Gordon SMITH of 1, Grimshaw-street, Burnley, has writtten a letter stating that he is safe. Private Chris BROCKBANK The mother of Private Chris Brockbank of the R.A.M.C., who was aboard the "Royal Edward", was relieved after a trying period of suspense when she received on Saturday a field-card from her son announcing that he was safe and well. She has since received official confirmation of the new from the Record Office, Preston.
HARLE SYKE MEN SAVED
Private Norman BRADSHAW Private 486 Norman Bradshaw (18) and Fred Cliffe, Both of Harle Syke, are amongst the saved. The former is the son of Mrs. H. Bradshaw, 40 Granville-street, and she received	Private F. CLIFFE official intimation on Saturday morning that he had been saved. This news was doubly welcome for Private Fred Cliffe had previously written to say he had heard nothing of Bradshaw.	Private W .ROBINSON Of Padiham (saved)
BURNLEY SOLDIER WOUNDED AT THE DARDANELLES News has been received in Burnley from Private Thom. McGowan of 30, Exmouth st., that he has been wounded at the Dardanelles. Private McGowan, who joined the 6th Battalion, East Lancashires, at the outbreak of Private T. McGOWAN war, is one of three brothers now serving in the army, and has been at the front eight or nine weeks. On August 5th, he was struck by shrapnel and was shot through the left thigh. the same shell killed his companion, Private John Lancaster of Zion-street. Private McGowan is now in hospital at Alexandria. News has been received at Clitheroe, that Private Walter Bell, of the 2nd East Lancashire Regiment, of Salthill Road, has been killed in action in France. We understand that no official notice has been received with reference to Lance Corporal Harker of Lancaster Street, whose rumoured death was referred to in our issue of Saturday.	DEATH FROM WOUNDS NELSON SOLDIERS FATE Mr Halstead, 3, Hope-street Nelson, was yesterday, officially informed of the death of his son, Pte Frank Horden Halstead, who served with the 5th Batt. East Lancashire Regiment. (T.F.). The notification states that Pte. Late Private HALSTEAD Halstead died at sea on August 8th from wounds received in action. He was 25 years of age, and was for many years, a choir boy at St. Mary's Church, Nelson and was well known in the town. He joined the East Lancashires along with his brother Pte. Arthur Cecil Halstead, at the beginning of last September, and was drafted to the Dardanelles in April. On Monday, Mr Halstead received a letter from his son Arthur, stating that Frank had been wounded in the thigh, but that the injury was only slight. Deceased was formerly employed as a weaver at Mesrs. Wm. Ekroyd and Sons, Lomeshaye Mills. PTE. JAMES MUNROE No official news has yet been received concerning Pte. James Munroe, whose parents live at Taylor Street, Burnley Lane. Twenty years of age, Pte Munroe was prior to enlistment, a weaver at North Bridge Shed. He was associated with the Ebenezer Baptist And Sunday School and played with the Sunday school football team.	BURNLEY CORPORAL'S DEATH COMRADES TRIBUTE The sad intelligence reached Mrs. Butterworth, of Farraday-street, Burnley, last week end, that her husband, Corporal John Butterworth, was killed in action in the Dardanelles on August 13th. Although no official intima- Late Corporal BUTTERWORTH tion has been sent, the news is conveyed in a letter from Sergeant Stezzaker, who writes that Corporal Butterworth ws shot in the firing line and died five minutes afterwards. "We have lost a good comrade, respected by all his men. May God grant you strength to bear this burden . . . This is the first letter of this sort, I have written. We all join in an expression of sympathy with you in your sore bereavement." The late Corporal Butterworth was formally under manager at Clifton colliery. This Wednesday night, a memorial service to the late soldier will be held in Holy Trinity Church, where Corporal Butterworth had been a sidesman, He was also a Sunday School teacher, and an active worker in the interests of the church work in its various branches. A sad coincidence is that a letter from the late Corporal Butterworth, dated August 8th, was received by his wife, after the communcation announcing his death in action.
BURNLEY FOOTBALLER DEATH OF H. LANGTREE At the outset of the season, Burnley have been deprived of one of their players by the death of Harry Langtree, their spare goalkeeper. The news of Langtree`s death in the Blackpool Cottage Hospital On Sunday. morning was received in Burnley with regret. Langtree who was signed by Burnley when the formation of Third Division of the Lancashire Combination was under consideration last year was a goalkeeper of no mean ability. He was signed by Burnley on May 12th of last year and kept goal for the Reserve on four occasions, the last time being against Rochdale E.L.C. cup-tie at Turf Moor. He also deputised for Dawson in the friendly match at Blackpool at the close of the season. He was a Clayton-le-Moors man and had played for Accington Stanley and Blackburn Rovers. During the early part of last week, he was taken ill at Blackpool, and was removed to the Cottage Hospital where an operation was performed. He was about 23 years of age. On receipt of the news of his death, the flag at the football field was lowered to half mast.	BURNLEY SPINNER KILLED AT THE DARDANELLES Private 11415 William Adkin (29) of the 6th East Lancashire Territorials, who had formerly lived in Cross Street, Burnley, has been killed in action in Gallipoli. This occurred on August 6th, the deceased soldier having by then 10 weeeks training of fighting. At home he was a spinner at Sandygate shed. He leaves a widow. NELSON SOLDIER WOUNDED LETTER FROM THE DARDANELLES News has been received that Private E. Mallinson, a Nelson soldier, serving with the 6th East Lancashire Regiment, has been wounded at the Dardanelles. From a letter received by friends at Nelson, it appears that Private Mallinson was hit with a bullet in the left hand whilst in the trenches on Monday Augusr 9th. He is now in hospital at Malta, and the wound is healing nicely. "It was 3:30 in the morning when I was hit" he writes "but it was noon before I could get away from the firing line". We have permission to go out from 2 p.m. til 9 p.m., but the worst of it is that we don't get any pay to go with. Maltese people are kind to us and give us grapes in abundance in exchange for a bit of our white bread. Evidently they have not had it before. The other night we had a walk through the village. The natives still seem to stare at wounded soldiers as though they had never seen any before. I am sorry to say that the boys from Nelson, Colne and Burnley, were killed in a charge".	FOR LANCASHIRE'S WOUNDED SOLDIERS CONVALESCENT MILITARY HOSPITAL AT BLACKPOOL In about another fortnight Lancashire will have its own convalescent military hospital at Clifton Park Racecourse, South Shore, Blackpool. The work of conversion is rapidly proceeding, and many interesting details were given by Lieutenant-Colonel Netterville Barron M.V.O., the officer commanding, to representatives, this week shown round the course. It will be the fourth great military camp hospital. At Eastbourne, there is one of 3,000 beds, at Dartford one of 1,000 beds, the Epsom hospital will eventually have 5,000 beds, and the Clifton Park Hospital -- Colonel Barron thinks, it ought to have a better name -- County Palatine Military Hospital, for instance, -- will provide 2,000 beds for a start. Possibly there will eventually be far more beds, for it is to provide for all Lancashire's wounded and war worn soldiers who can be made fit and strong again for the firing line. This is the object of the hospital. No patients who are really ill will be dealt with, only cases that are likely to be well enough to go back to the fron in six or eight weeks will be taken. Colonel Barron explained that physical culture will play a large part in the scheme. There are to be trained masseurs at the hospital. Lord Derby is now issuing an appeal for money to equip and pay the running costs of the massage and electrical equipment of the hospital.
NEWS OF PADIHAM MEN On Sunday, his parents were apprised from the Preston Record Office of the safety of Pte. Metcalfe,49 Peel Street. No news, however, has come to hand of Pte. F Whalley, 16 Milton Street, or of Pte. Albert Johnson, 3 Darwen Street.	Private Frank WHALLEY	We reproduce the Photographs of Ptes. Whalley and Metcalfe and also of Ptes. William Robinson, 7 Graham Street, and Rufus Evelyn Graham, 30, Moore Street. The two latter are are both among the rescued.
Private T. METCALFE (Saved)	Private W. ROBINSON	Private R. E. GRAHAM

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