Description
1914-15 Star, Chief E.R.A. 2nd Class Walter “Wallie” Dean, HMS Invincible, Royal Navy, fought at Heligoland Bight and sank 2 ships at Falkland Islands, Killed in Action when sunk at Jutland on the Invicible.
Bradford Daily Telegraph, with photo in uniform:
“WENT DOWN WITH THE INVICIBLE
Chief Engine Room Artificer Walter Dean, the son of Mrs Dean, 3 Wootton Street, West Bowling, as lost with the Invincible during the recent naval battle. He was 39 years of age, and had been in the Navy 18 years.”
Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class Walter Dean, was Killed in Action when HMS Invincible was sunk during the Battle of Jutland in the North Sea on 31 May – 1st June 1916, following a shell penetrating the ship’s armour the gun’s magazine exploding causing the ship to sink, over 1000 men were lost on the ship, leaving only 6 lucky survivors.
Officially impressed: “269471. W. Dean, C. ERA. 2, R.N.”
With copy service papers.
Also entitled to the British War and Victory medal pair, the medals being issued to his brother after his death.
Received the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal before the war in 1913, this likely to have been taken with him and presumed lost at sea.
Bradford Daily Telegraph, 31st May 1917, 1st Anniversary of his death:
“IN MEMORIAM
DEAN – In loving memory of Walter Dean, who lost his life in the Jutland Battle on HMS Invicible, not good bye, but good night, We shall meet again in the morning light.
From his dear Mother and Family, 4 Wootton Street, Bradford.”
Portsmouth Evening News, 9th June 1916:
“In loving memory of Wallie Dean. who lost his life on HMS Invicible. From Mrs Dunn and Family, Bradford papers please copy.”
Walter Dean by the time of his death was a long serving veteran of the Royal Navy, he had recently celebrated his 40th Birthday and had been in the Royal Navy since 1898, he was due to finish his 21 years of service just after end of the war had he survived.
Walter was born on 5th January 1876 in Westbowling, Yorkshire.
He was a fitter and turner when he signed up with the Royal Navy on 8th September 1898.
He began a distinguished career in the Engine Room, starting off as Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class and rising up the ranks whilst maintaining a spotless “VG” conduct record.
He saw service on many ships and got his LSGC Medal on 4th November 1913 whilst on HMS Impregnable.
Upon the outbreak of the war, Walter was assigned on 2nd August 1914 to HMS Invincible as C.E.R.A. 2nd Class.
He would served throughout until Jutland on the ship.
Wikipedia has good summaries of their involvement in Heligoland Bight, Falkland Islands and Jutland:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Invincible_(1907)#First_World_War
During this time he saw significant action, only 4 weeks after joining the ship, he was involved in the Battle of Heligoland Bight on 28th August 1914, unfortunately for the British fleet the Invincible was the oldest and slowest of the Battlecruisers present firing at least 18 shots at the German Ship Coln but missed them all.
The Invincible would then play an important role in the Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8th December 1914.
The ship would trade heavy blows with the German Fleet, firing 513 shells from her main guns, and had received 22 hits, leaving her with 2 bow compartments being flooded and one big hit on her waterline abreast “P” turret had flooded a coal bunker and temporarily left the ship on a 15 degree list.
In exchange she sank both the Scharnhost and the Gneisenau scoring many hits, giving the Gneisenau as particularly heavy battering once she got slowed down and the Invincible unloaded her whole remaining ammunition into it.
Walter would meet his end when he and most of his crewmates were sunk at the Battle of Jutland on 31st May 1916.
During the battle the Lutzow and Derffliner got the Invincible in her sights and it took only 90 seconds to blast her into the sea, at least one 12 inch shell from the third salvo landed clean in her “Q” turret, blowing off the roof and detonated the midships magazines, this blew the ship in half.
The explosion was believed to have ignited her other magazine, which resulted in the devastating loss of 1026 Officers and Men, including Rear Admiral Hood who was on board.
Only 6 survivors managed to escape and were picked up by the Badger.
The ship now lies 180 feet below the sea in two halves and is a protected site, his LSGC Medal is believed to be in the wreckage.
