Description
Queen’s South Africa, no bar, China 1900, no bar, Stoker Leonard James Warne, HMS Terrible, Royal Navy.
Both officially impressed: “L.J. Warne. Sto., H.M.S. Terrible”
Confirmed on the medal rolls.
These medals issued to him on board HMS Terrible on 22nd September 1902.
Later earned the Royal Navy LS&GC on 15th January 1913, unusually named to him at the Royal Naval College Osborne as a Petty Officer, as well as the 1914-15 Trio.
He was interesting WW1 service, spending the war in the Middle East in the Persian Gulf, taking part in the 1st Relief of Kut on Tigris Gunboat HMS Gadfly followed by 2 years on Royal Indian Marine Troopship HMS Dalhousie on Decoy and Guard duties in the Shatt-al-Arab waterway.
Leonard James Warne was born on 20th April 1878 in Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Son of Shipwright Leonard James Warne and Susannah.
He was a Plumber when he joined the Royal Navy on 24th November 1897.
He joined HMS Terrible on 18th December 1898, serving on board throughout the Boer War & Third China War, until 24th October 1902.
During this period he was advanced from Stoker 2nd Class to Stoker on 1st April 1899.
He was advanced to Leading Stoker on 1st November 1906.
Continuing on to complete his 21 years contract, he served throughout World War 1.
Before the war he was stationed ashore at the Royal Naval College, Osborne where he earned the RNLSGC Medal during 1913 as a Petty Officer.
He would then become part of the first crew for HMS Queen Mary, serving on board the Battle-Cruiser as a Stoker Petty Officer from 4th Sept 1913 – 12th May 1915.
Followed by HMS Victory II from 13th May 1915 – 3rd Sept 1915.
Then HMS Alert, from 4th September 1915 – 31st March 1918, as this is a Depot Ship it notes he was actually on board HMS Gadfly from 22nd Sept 1915 – 21st May 1916 followed by HMS Dalhousie from 22nd May 1916 – 31st March 1918, during this time advanced to Acting Chief Stoker on 1st June 1916 and then Chief Stoker on 1st June 1917.
He was invalided out of service on 3rd October 1918 at HMS Victory II.
Leonard saw unusual service in World War 1, spending most of it stationed in the Middle East, out of Depot Ship HMS Alert, which spent the war as a base ship for Naval Rivercrafts on the Shat-el-Arab in the Persian Gulf.
Initially serving on the River Gunboat HMS Gadfly from Sept 1915 – 21st May 1916 , this ship saw service in the Mesopotamia Campaign in the attempt to relieve Kut.
Firstly during January 1916 the Gadfly, with fellow River Gunboats Butterfly, Cranefly & Dragonfly were part of the 1st Attempt to relieve the British-Indian Forces besieged at Kut al Amara, these ships of the Fly Class were known as the “Tigris Gunboats”.
One one occasion it was recorded that the Gadfly during January 1916 reconnoitred Turkish Positions whilst carrying onboard the Senior Naval Officer, being hit a by 4.8 inch shell during this, requiring a visit to Abadan for repairs.
When he joined HMS Dalhousie it had been transferred recently from the Royal Indian Marine to the Royal Navy for war service and was stationed in the region as Decoy and Guard Ship to protect the waters, later becoming a Depot Ship.
