BATEMAN Stanley

Native of Ripple, Worcestershire.

Appears in the Worcester/Worcestershire Roll of Honour Book for navy casualties located in Worcester Cathedral.

Stanley Bateman was born in 1893 in Minchinhampton near Stroud, one six children of Frederick and Ann Bateman. His birth is registered in the December quarter 1893 under the Stroud Registration District. However, when he enlisted in the Royal Navy on 8th January 1910, he gave his date of birth as 18th August 1891 and the Commonwealth War Graves record his age as 21 when he died in 1916 – in fact he would have been 22 years of age. In 1901 the family consisting of Frederick and Ann and their 3 sons, Thomas aged 19, Albert aged 13 and Stanley aged 7 lived in Rectory Cottage, Ripple, Worcestershire. In 1911 Frederick, Ann and son Albert are living at Hale Cottage, Ryall, Worcestershire. Stanley has not been located on this census so it is probable that he was overseas at the time.

Stanley enlisted in the Royal Navy as Stoker 2nd Class on 8th January 1910 for a period of 12 years, serving first on HMS Vivid I until the 3rd June 1910 after which date he transferred to HMS Sapphire until 27th November 1910 by which time he had been promoted to Stoker 1st Class. He then served 3 months on HMS Vivid II before transferring HMS Indefatigable on 24th February 1911. He was promoted to Leading Stoker on 20th October 1918.

HMS Indefaigable was a battlecruiser commissioned in February 1911. On 31st May 1916 she engaged with the German battlecruiser Von der Tann at the Battle of Jutland. She was hit by several shells fired from the German ship causing two major explosions. The ship sank rapidly taking 1,015 men with her, only 2 of her crew members surviving the attack.

Stanley Bateman’s death is briefly mentioned in a report in Berrows Worcester Journal on 17th June 1916:
Ripple Sailors Lost
Leading Stoker Bateman was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs F. Bateman, and met his death in the HMS Indefatigable. Both were old pupils of Ripple School.

Stanley Bateman has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Plymouth Naval Memorial.