Description
Third China War Medal 1900, bar Relief of Pekin, Fred Burgess, Ordinary Seaman, HMS Endymion, who served in the Naval Brigade and met the first US Vessels sent when his ship HMS Parthian was sent to personally greet the US Navy when they first arrived to the War on 2nd May 1917.
During the career of Frederick Burgess, he joined the Endymion as a young man and served on her for 3 years, during that time they fought in the Boxer Rebellion in China, he would earn this medal and the “Relief of Pekin” clasp when he was detached to become a “Blue Jacket” with the Naval Brigade who left their ships to fight their way into the besieged city.
Notably the Endymion crew featured a young Officer, the later Admiral Eric Gascoigne Robinson VC, who saw the beginning of a promising career as a young man fighting in the relief force alongside Burgess where Robinson was wounded and MID.
Following their success, he went with the ship to Manila in December 1901, where the Governor of Manila and United States Officers hosted the crew, many of them had just fought side by side in the war in China.
Having been invalided with “Heart Disease” in 1904 his career might have been over, but he hang on with the Royal Fleet Reserve, long enough to be remobilised on 2nd August 1914, joining HMS Argonaut.
On 12th September 1916 he joined the newly launched HMS Parthian with whom he served until the end of the war on board.
In Feb 1917 due to increasing German Submarine activity, Parthian was one of 4 destroyers deployed to Cobh, Ireland. It was there on 10th March that the Parthian assisted SS Arataca in its defence against the Submarine SM U-44, driving it away.
Soon after on 29th April, the Parthian pressed home an attack on an unidentified submarine, using their gunfire and depth charges as well as then attempting to ram the boat as it dived.
On 2nd May 1917 he witnessed and took part in a historical event, HMS Parthian was sent out on its own, to meet a division of United States Navy Destroyers led by US Navy Legend, Commander Joseph Knefler Taussig (who coincidentally also was a young man wounded as a US Navy Officer in China with the Naval Brigade in the Relief of Pekin), in command of USS Wainwright.
These were the very first US Navy Vessels deployed by America, having recently been ordered to the region by President Woodrow Wilson, who requested they help out the Royal Navy at Queenstown, Ireland.
Once they arrived, Vice Admiral Bayly hosted the Americans for dinner in their honour in Ireland having arrived for duty, when Bayly asked Commander Taussig “When will you be ready to go to sea?” and Taussig replied with his now famous statement: “We are ready now, Sir; that is, as soon as we finish refueling”, the statement “We are ready now” was echoed around the USA, and used as a rallying cry, becoming the most famous US Navy quote of the war.
On 30th May 1917, the Parthian then unsuccessfully attacked the SM U-55, although a Prisoner of War form the Merchant Ship SS Clan Murray who was on the Submarine would later attest that the boat had been hit by the Parthian.
One of the Parthian’s skilful attacks on a Submarine was used by Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly when he gave his address to the American Seamen who had come to help in the Submarine fight when he said to them:
“This Destroyer (The Parthian) proceeded to sea. The night came on and just before nightfall a submarine rose to the surface of the sea 150 yards ahead, The watchful eyes of the crew saw her instantly: the watchful commander drove his vessel at her, and the watchful and ready-gun’s crew opened fire instantly. The Submarine was struck 8 or 10 times in the space of a minute. Her tower was shot up, and she rolled over and sank at once. I cite this to show that in a space of perhaps 2 or 3 minutes a submarine was destroyed. If vigilance was lacking, the opportunity would have been lost.”
Officially Impressed: “F. Burgess. Ord., H.M.S. Endymion.”
Two edge bruises.
Confirmed on the medal roll, service number 197093, being issued to him whilst still on the Endymion on 15th August 1902.
Fred additionally earned the 1914-15 Star Trio for his service in World War 1.
Fred was born on 3rd December 1880 in Kentisbury, Devon.
He was raised from a baby by his Grandparents, James and Joanna Burgess in Kentisbury.
Fred was actually the daughter of Mary Ann Burgess, born 1854 in Kentisbury, Devon, the name of his father is not known, but it appears he was born out of wedlock, and thus taken on by the Grandparents to be raised. She later went on to marry Arthur Alfred Horrell in 1886 and moved to Ilfracombe, it is unclear if Fred ever saw his mother again.
A Labourer, when he enlisted aged 17 as Boy 2nd Class on 13th January 1898.
He saw his first proper ship posting once he returned 18 years old, becoming Ordinary Seaman on HMS Endymion, serving on board from 7th June 1899 until 5th September 1902.
During he tenure he fought in the Boxer Rebellion with the Naval Brigade, earning this medal, and being promoted to Able Seaman (AB) on 30th March 1902.
On 5th October he was discharged with “Heart Disease” but he did not let that stop him from enrolling in the ROyal Fleet Reserve on 27th January 1907, he would later re-enroll on 8th January 1912.
In between the wars, he married and moved to Somerset, where he worked as a Carriage Cleaner for Great Western Railways.
During that period he was needed and was remobilised on 2nd August 1914.
WW1 Service:
HMS Argonaut, 2nd Aug 1914 – 13th Sept 1915
HMS King Alfred, 14th Sept 1915 – 8th August 1916
HMS Vivid I, 9th August 1916 – 11th Sept 1916
HMS Parthian, borne in Sandhurst, 12th September 1916 – 30th June 1917.
HMS Parthian, borne in Cormorant, 1st July 1917 – 31st July 1918.
HMS Parthian, borne in Blenheim, 1st August 191 8 – 18th February 1919.
Following the war he was discharged from HMS Vivid I on 15th April 1921.
