The Battle of the River Plate and HMS Ajax.

[Alan Baird]

Hi.

 

'Petty Officer [Stoker] Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett who served on HMS Ajax, during the Battle of the River Plate and witnessed the destruction of the Admiral Graf Spee.

 

I have always thought that the, 'Battle of the River Plate,' was an exceptional story and that it would be great to have a set of medals issued to somebody that was actually there and was part of the naval engagement but such groups are always difficult to find and often very expensive.

 

But recently I bought a lot on ebay which had approximately 40 documents, of one sort or another, relating to Petty Officer [Stoker] Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett. It covered his life from being a youth and up until his death. He served on HMS Ajax during the battle in 1939 and sadly died onboard HMS Imogen in 1940 and so I decided I would create a Petty Officer Wallace Bartlett file/presentation that would satisfy my desire on having something from this particular naval engagement.

 

Then, by total chance or by a collector's miracle, I spotted his medals and a few other items up for sale on ebay and these were from a different collector. 

 

So, this is the story of these two parts of his life being brought back together again. 

 

Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett was born in Harrow, in Middlesex, on the 22nd of August in 1906 and his parents were Frederick George and Louise Eleanor Bartlett. [Nee Fensom]

Wallace O. F. Bartlett joins the Royal Navy on the 20th of July in 1925 and he is physically described as being:-

Five feet and seven and a half inches tall.

Has a chest measurement of thirty seven and a half inches.

Brown hair.

Grey eyes.

Fresh complexion.

Previous occupation was gardener.

Wallace Bartlett was given the service number of K66579.

Signed up for 7 years under the colours and with 5 years on the Reserve List.

 

I will only record his main naval service and not go into the many instances when he returned to naval training establishments ie Penbroke II and Boscawen [Albury and Harrier] etc.

 

2/12/1925 to 31/12/1928 served with HMS Repulse and on the 20/7/1926 he was promoted to 'Stoker 1.' There is a small newspaper article/sketch showing the 'Leaguers on HMS Repulse' performing a pyramid on the parallel bars and Wallace Bartlett is believed to be in the picture. There is also Wallace Bartlett's HMS Repulse, 'The Engine Room Department Social and Recreation Club payment card.'

 

On the 3/10/1930, Leading Stoker Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett is transferred to HMS Hermes, the aircraft carrier and remains with the ship until 6/9/1933. During his service with HMS Hermes he took many photographs of her and her aircraft and also of visiting China. I later found out that 3 of these photograph albums were sold at a separate auction.

 

On the 11/1/1938, Petty Officer [Stoker] Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett is serving on HMS Ajax and he remained there until the 25/5/1940. On the 11/9/1939, Petty Officer [Stoker] Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett had been a Petty Officer [Stoker] for over a 6 year period.

Petty Officer [Stoker] Wallace O. F. Bartlett was serving on HMS Ajax during the famous 'Battle of the River Plate' in which the German heavy cruiser 'Admiral Graf Spee' was scuttled by the Germans, after the ship's engagement with British Force G. The naval engagement occurred on the 13th of December in 1939 and was the first naval engagement of the Second World War.

 

Whilst serving on HMS Ajax Wallace Bartlett wrote two letters to his mother, one in May and the other in June of 1938 and these are part of the collection.

Between 8/12/1938 and 28/2/1939, HMS Ajax was on a South America cruise and there are two HMS Ajax cruise cards which details the places and route taken by the ship and one of these cards was signed by Wallace and given to his mother, along with a second card. 

On the 23/8/1939, Wallace sent his mother another letter but only the envelope remains but it is an officially decorated HMS Ajax envelope.

There is also, one or two other items, that relate to this famous battle at sea.

 

On the 13/6/1940, Petty Officer [Stoker] Wallace Osborn Fensom Bartlett joins the crew of HMS Imogen and remained with the ship until it was sunk on the 16/7/1940. The accident/collision with HMS Glasgow was in thick fog and resulted in the sinking of HMS Imogen and the death of P.O. Bartlett who went down with his ship. The accident occurred shortly before midnight whilst in the Pentland Firth in thick fog and the ship had to be abandoned. 17 crew members were killed by the collision but HMS Glasgow was able to pick up the remaining crew of which eleven were wounded and one later died from his injuries. HMS Glasgow sustained damage to her bow. HMS Glasgow proceeded to Scapa Flow and arrived around 9.45am on the 17th of July in 1940. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

I should have explained there is a 'Player's Navy Cut cigarette packet,' which would have originally contained 5 cigarettes and it would suggests that Petty Officer Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett was a smoker. The packet has kept its shape because it is filled with cigeratte cards ie dogs, wild animals etc.

 

The souvenir shoe pin-cushion has never been used and would, most likely, have been a gift to his mother but I have not a clue to where ''d'anver'' or ''anver'' is located?

 

 

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

 

Here are some clearer photographs of Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett.

 

The small photographs are the original and the larger photograph is obviously the digital copies.

 

We know that Wallace Bartlett believed that boxing was a '''Noble English Sport''' because he actually said this in his diary from 1911. I believe the entries were put in the diary, some years after 1911, when he was older or else he was one extremely clever and athletic 5 year old. I would suggest this from looking at his hand writing and the entries in the diary probably relate to his early teen years or thereabouts. 

 

From the photograph you can see he won a considerable number of medals and cups.

 

In the collection we have 2 navy boxing medals that were awarded to him.  

 

I will add some more of the details and photographs, probably tomorrow.

[Hugh]

Anvers is the city that most English-speakers know as Antwerp in Belgium

[Marcon1]

Hiya,

 

D'Anvers is the French name for Antwerp (or Antwerpen in Dutch/Flemish).

A harbour town in Belgium.

The item looks like a clogh (wooden shoe souvenir).

 

Marcon1.

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

 

That is much appreciated because my wife also believed it was from Antwerp and it is a wooden shoe.

 

 

Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett also had a couple of items from HMS Repulse :-

 

The ''Leaguers on HMS Repulse'' performing the pyramid on the parallel bars. You probably need to see the actual item in question to really study the details but I have tried to attach a reasonable quality of photograph of the sketch.

 

There is also a photograph of ''HMS Repulse's Engine Room Department Social and Recreation Club payment card.''

 

Wallace later transferred to his next ship - HMS Hermes [aircaft carrier]. Wallace appears to have been a very good and professional photographer because his photograph albums were extremely nice and were snapped up at auction. There is his 2 Hermes blazer navy badges and the other badges are Royal Navy badges.

Hi,

 

Petty Officer [Stoker] Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett was then transferred to his next ship - HMS Ajax.

 

In May and June of 1938, he wrote 2 letters to his mother which we still have today...........

[Alan Baird]

 

Hi,

 

Petty Officer [Stoker] Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett must have enjoyed HMS Ajax's South American official cruise which covered the period between 8/12/1938 to 28/2/1939.

 

Here we have two HMS Ajax cruise cards which Wallace sent to his mother and one of them he signed.

 

 

On the 23/8/1939, Wallace Bartlett sent a letter to his mother but unfortunately only the envelope survived but this is an official HMS Ajax's envelope.

 

There are some other interesting points about Wallace Bartlett's life but I will have to cover them another day.

 

 

Hi,

 

This is the last point I want to make today but if I don't add it now......I will probably forget.

 

Petty Officer [Stoker] Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett was due to be awarded his Royal Navy Long Service medal in 1940 but his death on HMS Imogen meant this was never done.

[2dresq]

So wonderful that you were able to re-bring all these items back and form a great collection. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us on the forum.  It is very impressive.

Best Regards,

JustinG

[BalkanCollector]

Remarkable group of items and an excellent job reuniting the group! Thank you very much for sharing all the details with us!

[Alan Baird]

 

Hi,

I appreciate your comments so thank you for enjoying his story.

 

 

Now you will meet Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett and his family.

 

As we have already stated Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett was born in Middlesex, in 1906 and his parents were Frederick George and Louise Eleanor Bartlett and attached is some early photographs of them. The small photograph is again the original and the larger one is the digital copy.

I would suggest that Wallace was very close to his mother because in one of the letters he sent to her from HMS Ajax in 1938, he thanks his mother for all the letters he receives from her. The letters are very basic and revolve around the family and who says what and who did what etc. This again is showing a close family connection.

 

 

The next photographs relates to 1911 and it is of a ''tobacco dealer's licence'' which was issued to Wallace's mother Louise Eleanor Bartlett for the selling of tobacco and snuff. The address is 348 Hertford Road, Enfield, in Middlesex. Even in 1911, the Customs and Excise men/government wanted their money...............

 

The next photographs relate the Wallace Bartlett's ''Almanack and Diary for 1911'' and Wallace is residing in the family home at Highwood, Bishop's Hall Estate, in Brentwood. After studying the diary, I believe, most of the entries were listed when Wallace was approximately between 15 and 17 years old ie 1921 to 1923 or maybe even in 1924. This is because major changes occur in his life when he reaches the age of 17 and 18 years old. The diary is not used as a diary but more as a note book for writing down his beliefs and thoughts. I have photographed some entries to give you an idea of what I mean by that. 

 

The entry ''drowned in the deep and mother's tears'' turnout to be very sad but very true.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

 

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

 

So what happens next?

 

On the 21/12/1922, Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett's application to join the ''Sea School'' is accepted and that his starting date is 5/3/1923.

 

The Gravesend Sea School in Kent was established in 1918 by the Shipping Federation to provide training for boys aged between 16 to 18 who wished to pursue a career in the British Merchant Navy.

 

The Sea School was located in Commercial Place, in Gravesend. The building had been a hotel and then in 1882 became a hostel for sailors between voyages or who were destitute or shipwrecked. 

 

It then became the Sea School in 1918 where Wallace Bartlett studied to become a merchant seaman learning all the basic skills of seamanship.

 

Everything seemed to be going fine and I have added some of the documentation which relates to the School and this period.

 

 

[Alan Baird]

 

Hi,

 

So what happened next..........................

 

Well on the 13/10/1923, Mrs Louise E Bartlett is officially informed by the Sea School that her son has left the School to join the merchant navy ship, ''S.S. Port Caroline.'' 

The letter is addressed to the family home at 2 Highwood Cottages, South Wield, in Essex.

 

Dated 2/1/1924, the Merchant Navy ''Continuous Certificate of Discharge'' book for Wallace Oswald Bartlett, serial number 1093489, has an official entry for the S.S. Port Caroline placed in it. The journey was from London to Australia and back. Wallace Bartlett was engaged as a ''Deck Boy'' and his conduct was listed as being ''very good.'' 

 

Wallace had successfully completed his first sea passage and they were happy with his performance but what happened next?

 

 

Hi,

 

There is one small correction needed to ensure the information is accurate and that is :-

 

Mrs Louise E Bartlett was informed that her son had left the Sea School on the 13th of June in 1923 and his engagement with the Merchant ship S.S. Port Caroline began on the 13th of June in 1923 and lasted until his return to London on the 19/12/1923. 

[Alan Baird]

 

Hi,

 

''If ever a man was destined to serve..........it was Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett.''

 

After returning from his merchant navy voyage to Australia, Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett ............became 6842556 Rifleman Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett of the King's Royal Rifle Corps.

 

The date of joining the British Army was 31/1/1924 and Wallace Bartlett signed up for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Army Reserve.

 

Unfortunately his army service only last 37 days but the army stated his performance had been ''satisfactory'' during that period.

 

Unfortunately Wallace had told a ''little white lie'' and stated he was 18 years old when he really was on 17 years old. They gave him his discharge papers and a travel warrant so that he could return home safely. 

 

Photographs of several of the military forms have been attached.

 

Wallace Bartlett was not disappointed and applied to join the Royal Navy as a Stoker but again he was informed that the minimum age for joining was 18. 

 

On the 25/2/1925, a letter from Gravesend Sea School stated it was now convenient for him to return to the School and he will be trained up in ''Wireless.'' The new class was about to start next Wednesday morning. Everybody appear to have been impressed by his ability and enthusiasm.

 

Only a few months later Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett joins the Royal Navy and begins training as a stoker. This brings his story the full circle, as we have already discussed his Royal Navy service. 

 

I am still researching his family connections and at a later date, I will post the results and his ancestry Naval records. 

 

 

 

 

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

 

''One story often leads to another.''

 

On the 3rd of September in 1939 with the outbreak of the 2nd World War, Captain Langsdorff with the German pocket-battleship the ''Graf Spee'' was ordered to commence raiding operations on British merchant ships but was not to engage the Royal Navy.

This tactic resulted in the capture or sinking of 9 merchant ships before the Graf Spee was finally engaged in the ''Battle of the River Plate.''

One of these ships was the ''SS Tairoa'' and it was Captained by William Burnaby S. Star who was of British Indian descent. Captain William Star and his Indian crew were held in the ''German tanker support ship Altmark.'' Later I believe, officers of the captured and sunk ships were transferred to the Graff Spee and the crewmen remained in cramped and difficult conditions within the Altmark. Captain William Star, to his great credit, refused to be moved because he feared his Indian crew might be badly treated so he remained on the Altmark to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Captain William Star could speak Urdu so could translate what was going on. It should also be noted that Captain William Burnaby Southouse Star was the oldest prisoner on the Altmark as he was 63 years old.

 

When the German tanker Altmark had completed her duties she headed for home but was intercepted by HMS Cossack in a Norwegian Fjord and the Royal Navy freed approximately 340 British merchant navy sailors and which obviously included Captain Starr. On the return to his wife and family in Liverpool, he actually only stayed for 10 hours before travelling to London to say he was ready for his next assignment and that was to command the ''SS Empire Trader.'' It can be easily seen this was a man who believed in doing his duty, was dedicated and above all was caring and fair to all the members of his crew.

Captain William Burnaby Southouse Star was also ''commended for brave conduct'' whilst Master of the SS Tairoa and this was published in the London Gazette on the 24th of May in 1940. 

 

Now our story comes meets a man called ''George Churchill Simmons'' who was born in Scarborough, in 1885. George Simmons marries Lily Monks in 1917 and they had a daughter in 1918. George Simmons had previously served in the Merchant Navy during the 1st World War.

He joined SS Tainui in January of 1938, as the 2nd Engineer and his family home was at 14 Hatfield Street, Southport, in Lancashire. The ship's name of ''SS Tainui'' was changed to the ''SS Empire Trader'' in 1939 and she was a 9,900 ton defensively armed merchant ship. She left Liverpool on the 22nd of May in 1940 and was heading to Durban. On the 25th of May in 1940, the SS Empire Trader joined a convoy but eventually when nearing her destination or dispersing point, she continued on alone.

 

On the 5th of June in 1940, off the West Coast of Africa [Freetown, Seirre Leone] George Churchill Simmons [55] went missing and was declared ''presumed disappearance'' but later his merchant navy card details where changed to read, ''missing, supposed drowned.''

There are three possible scenario's ie he was swept overboard in rough seas, he committed suicide and jumped overboard or he was murdered and was thrown overboard.

Knowing the ship's Captain was William Star, I am sure the circumstances of the disappearance of the 2nd Engineer, would have been thoroughly investigated and recorded in the ship's log. I believe these are sometimes available at the National Archives but unfortunately at the moment, I am not sure how to obtain/research such material so that will have to wait until a latter date.

 

Previously the story began with Petty Officer Wallace Oswald Fensom Bartlett and HMS Ajax and the Graff Spee.

 

Then we have Captain William Burnaby Southouse Star and the SS Tairoa and the Graff Spee and the Altmark.

 

Then the story moves on the Captain William Burnaby Star and the SS Empire Trader and 2nd engineer George Churchill Simmons and who knows where it could finally end.

 

George Churchill Simmons was awarded the Mercantile marine and British War medals for WW1 and the War medal and 1939/45 Star and the Atlantic Star for WW2. The British War medal [WW1] is the only missing medal.

 

 

 

    

 

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

 

George Churchill Simmons also had 2 other items which had survived the test of time.

 

The first one was a ''Players Navy Cut cigarette metal tin which would have held 50 cigarettes.'' Obviously many sailors would have smoked in the 1930's and 1940's and I suspect George must have been one of them. I did not bother to photograph the tin and originally it only held his medals.

 

The second item is a ''cargo poster showing the layout of the SS Empire Trader in 1939.'' It is a bit dirty as you would expect considering its age. This poster is 3 feet by 2 feet and so it is a large item.

It has a few tears along the fold seams and normally I would repair these using a special document repair tape. 

But for the first time this special document repair tape is not working and will not adhere to the poster.

I suspect the cargo ship poster was displayed somewhere in the engine room and I believe there is still an ingrained layer of grease/oil etc on the poster from being exposed to this kind of atmosphere. You can almost feel it and in some ways, the poster, is now almost like the touching vellum. Anyway it is quite interesting so I have included some photographs of it.

[Alan Baird]

Hi,

 

Sometimes it is the little stories that are the most interesting. The following are the basic details of a poem that was written by S Pemberton.

 

Poem by Deck Boy S. Pemberton..........

 

The poem was by Deck Boy S. Pemberton who was serving on the SS Tairoa in 1939.

 

The SS Tairoa was sunk by the Graf Spee in late 1939 and her captured crew, including Deck Boy S Pemberton, were transferred to the German tanker Altmark.

 

Later HMS Cossack captured the German tanker Altmark in the waters of Denmark and freed all of the prisoners.

 

The poem is about being held captive on the Altmark.

 

The poem is dated the 16th of February in 1940.

 

Deck Boy S. Pemberton was residing at c/o Mrs Stenning, West Mead, St Mary's Road, Leatherhead.