Name
Frederick John Aldridge
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/07/1917
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Ordinary Seaman
J/39013
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Vanguard"
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL
Panel 22.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Stevenage Old Town Memorial
St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town
Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town
Pre War
Frederick Aldridge was born in 17th January 1899, the eldest son of John & Ellen Aldridge of 2 Huntingdon Road, Stevenage. After leaving school, Frederick first worked as a News Lad for W.H.Smith & Son following which he went to work at the workshops of ESA in Stevenage as a factory hand.
Wartime Service
At 11.20 pm on Monday, 9 July, 1917 HMS Vanguard was at anchor in Scapa Flow. The mighty warship suddenly blew up, taking 804 of her crew down with her. An explosion had taken place in one of the two magazines which served turrets 'P' and 'Q'. It is believed that the cause of the explosion was the spontaneous detonation of cordite, which had become unstable. Although there is no specific evidence, it is thought that a fire in an adjacent compartment smouldered, undetected, long enough for some of the cordite near the adjoining bulkhead to overheat to dangerous levels. Just 3 of her crew survived the detonation.
Additional Information
www.stevenageatwar.com
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson
