Francis George Neal

Memorial: Charfield - Wotton Road

Regiment: Royal Navy

Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Leading Seaman 178447

Parents: John and Annie Neal

Marital status: Married

Home address: Cutts Heath, Falfield, Thornbury, Bristol

Pre-war occupation: Leading Boatman, Coastguard

Date of birth: 17/12/1877

Place of birth: Tortworth

Date of death: 01/11/1914

Buried/Commemorated at: Plymouth Naval Memorial (Panel 1); Thornbury United Reformed Church Memorial Tablet

Age: 37

Further information:

According to Naval records Francis George Neal, known as George, was born in Tortworth on 17th December 1877. He was the eldest of the seven children of John and Annie Neal. By 1891 John and Annie had moved to Brinkmarsh near Falfield. George was working as an agricultural labourer. At the time of the 1901 census the family was living in Whitewall Lane, Thornbury and by 1914 they were at Cutts Heath near Falfield

It is thought that George enlisted in the Royal Navy in about 1892. In December 1909 he married Jane Ellen Merrett in Charfield, giving his occupation as a Leading Seaman on H.M.S. Cumberland. The couple moved to Devonport where their daughter, Beatrice Frances, was born in September 1910 when George was still serving on the Cumberland. The couple kept in touch with their Gloucestershire families as Beatrice was christened in Charfield on 23rd December that year

At the time of the 1911 census George was on reserve, employed as a Leading Boatman Coast Guard, living at Padstow Coastguard Station. The couple had another daughter called Mary in 1912, but she died soon after her birth. In the first months of 1914 their son Percy was born

At the start of the war George was called up to serve on the cruiser H.M.S. Monmouth, protecting Allied shipping from German raiders in the Atlantic. It is likely that he was one of the more experienced crew members on the ship

Monmouth was soon ordered to join Rear Admiral Cradock’s force, which was hunting for a German Squadron that included the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau. On 1st November, in rough sea conditions, the Germans were located off the coast of Chile and engaged in the Battle of Coronel. The German squadron, with newer, more powerful ships, outnumbered the Allied forces. The Gneisenau fired at Monmouth and, badly damaged, she veered out of line and began to list to port. As the enemy light cruiser Nürnberg drew nearer, Monmouth’s list increased so that none of the guns on her port side could be used. The Nürnberg gave the British ship the chance to surrender but there was no response. The German ship then fired a torpedo which missed. Monmouth increased speed, turning towards the Nürnberg, causing her to open fire again. Monmouth sank with the loss of her entire crew of over 700 men. The seas were too rough to attempt any rescue effort. The cruiser Good Hope was also sunk with all hands lost.
George’s body was never recovered and he is remembered on the Plymouth Naval Memorial commemorating those members of the Royal Navy who have no known grave. George’s widow, Jane, moved back to Charfield where sadly their son Percy died in early 1915, soon after his first birthday

Stoker John Ryan was also lost on the Monmouth and is named on the Thornbury Memorial

The family surname is often spelled ‘Neal’ or 'Neale' in the records

Francis's body was not recovered for burial. He is commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial and on Thornbury United Church Memorial

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

Thornbury Roots Website. Thornbury and District Museum Research Group