William Percy Comley
Memorial: Kingswood - Holy Trinity Church
Regiment: Royal Navy
Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Stoker 1st Class SS/104608
Parents: Evan and Eliza Comley
Home address: Mount Hill Road, Hanham, Bristol
Pre-war occupation: Sailor
Date of birth: 25/09/1885
Place of birth: Oldland, Bristol
Date of death: 13/05/1915
Buried/Commemorated at: Died at sea and commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial and Kingswood Holy Trinity Memorial
Age: 29
Further information:
William was born in Oldland the son of a bootmaker and a middle child of eight with four brothers and three sisters. In 1910 William signed up to the Royal Navy for a period of 7 years having previously worked as a farm labourer. He was described as 5' 5" with light brown hair grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He served on a number of different ships and in 1911 William was stationed in China and the East Indies. William was serving aboard HMS Goliath on 12th May 1915 when his ship HMS Goliath together with HMS Cornwallis anchored in Morto Bay near the Dardanelles, Turkey in support of the French general in command at Kereves Dere. On the morning of the 13th May, Goliath was attacked by the Turkish destroyer Muavenet-i-Milliye and was hit by three torpedoes which caused her to sink rapidly. Many of the crew who were below deck had no time to escape and 570 crew members including the Captain and William perished leaving only 180 survivors.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?133457