CROWLEY, Desmond Joseph, Able Seaman, RNVR, London 4/2958.
Desmond was born on the 13th April 1891, son of Mr & Mrs Crowley of 57 Mansfield Road, Hampstead. He was educated at St Edmund’s School/College, Herts (1904-09). His civilian employment is recorded as ‘Insurance Official’.
He died on 8th August and has no known grave. Desmond joined HMS President on 5th June 1913. In May 1914, he was rated Ordinary Seaman and on the 15th September 1914, he was rated Able Seaman.
His first and only peacetime sea training was on HMS Audacious during May 1914, his post training write-up was VG Sat. In May 1914, HMS Audacious was a relatively new British dreadnought battleship of the King George V class, having been commissioned in October 1913.
In May 1914 she was serving with the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Royal Navy's Home Fleet participating in peacetime fleet exercises and training. In August 1914 Desmond was mobilised and drafted to HMS Pembroke (Chatham Depot), to join ‘B’ Company, Drake Battalion, the Royal Naval Division.
On the 27th October 1914, he was transferred to Chatham’s books for sea service. He remained on their books until April 1915. During this time, he most likely joined a pool of ratings, who were made available to the fleet to fill gapped billets.
On the 13th April 1915, he had a permanent draft to HMS India. She was an armed merchant cruiser. Originally built as the passenger liner SS India for the Peninsular and Oriental (P&O) Line in 1896, she was requisitioned by the Admiralty in March 1915 and converted into an armed merchant cruiser. During this process she was fitted with naval guns, ammunition magazines, protective measures, and naval communications equipment. She carried a crew of roughly 300 officers and men after conversion.
On 8 August 1915, while patrolling off the Norwegian coast near Helligvær, HMS India was torpedoed by the German submarine SM U-22. The ship broke apart and sank rapidly. About 160 crew members were killed, while survivors were rescued and taken to Norway. As Norway was neutral, many survivors were interned there for the remainder of much of the war.
Desmond was remembered by his old school alumni, in The Edmundian (1914-1919) – The contemporary magazine of St Edmund’s College: 'Although it is some nine months since the sinking of H.M.S. India, the news that Desmond Crowley lost his life on that occasion reached us only this term. He came to St. Edmund's in 1904 and remained nearly five years, leaving the class of Grammar in 1909. It is to be regretted that, in spite of his long stay at the College, we have been unable to trace his later career, and are even uncertain as to the capacity in which he answered the last call of duty. Nevertheless, we are proud to add his name to the Roll of Honour on the Church door. and can assure his relatives of the. prayers of his fellow Edmundians'.
Remembered at the Chatham Memorial, HMS President Memorial and St Edmund's College Memorial, Old Hall Green
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