Name
ARTHUR MAURICE DRIVER
24/05/1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/11/1914
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Able Seaman
J/14398
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Good Hope."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
2
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
He was lost a sea and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Portsmouth, to the missing.
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial, Church of St Mary the Virgin Memorial Cheshunt
Pre War
We believe this to be the A Driver, on the Cheshunt Memorials
Arthur Maurice Driver was born in Lee, Kent, on 24th May 1895, son of Harry Edwin Driver a, Fern Grower and Maud Driver (nee Havers). The eldest of three son Edwin Samuel George (B 1898) and Maurice John (B 1905).
1901 Census records Arthur aged 5, living with his parents, and brother Edwin (3), in Cromwell Road, Flamstead End Village, Cheshunt, Herts.
Arthur joined the Naval Training Ship “Mercury” as a boy sailor at Hamble, Hants.
1911 Census records Arthur aged 15, as training, aboard T. S. “Mercury”, Hamble, Hants.
Mercury trained boys for the Royal and the Merchant Navies. On completion of his training Arthur enlisted in the Royal Navy on 24th May 1913, for 12 years, (his 18th Birthday), with the service number J/14398, with the Rank of Ordinary Seaman, promoted Able Seaman in November 1913.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war Arthur was serving at HMS Excellent a Royal Navy shore base Gunnery training school at Portsmouth. Posted to HMS “Good Hope” a Drake-class armoured cruiser, on the 17th August 1914.
HMS “Good Hope” was in the South Atlantic with the 4th Cruiser Squadron, under the command of Rear Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock, off the coast of Chile when they came across the German, East Asia Squadron, on the 1st November 1914. The German Squadron outnumber Cradock’s force and were individually more powerful; sinking Cradock’s two armoured cruisers in the Battle of Coronel, HMS “Good Hope” and HMS “Monmouth” with the lose of all hands, one light Cruiser was damaged.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Portsmouth, Hants.
Additional Information
Probate was awarded to his mother Maud Driver. £50-4s-6d.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
