On Chatham Naval Memorial is the name of 6159 Stoker Joseph Edwin Caselaw, serving on H.M.S. Indefatigable with the Royal Naval Reserve who died 31/05/1916.

Colin Boyd has provided the following :

Joseph was born on 21st November 1896 in Elvet, Durham City the son of Joseph Caselaw, a coal miner and his wife Ada.  Five years later he was living with his parents, five sisters and one brother at 5, Shiney Row, Wallsend, Northumberland. By the time of the 1911 Census Joseph was living with his parents, eight sisters and three brothers at 25, Tenth Street, Horden Colliery, County Durham.

Joseph enlisted in the Royal Naval Reserve on 21st January 1915 when he was described as being 5 feet 4 inches tall with blue eyes and a fresh complexion. Joseph was called up on 26th January 1915 and after training and service on two vessels he was posted to HMS Indefatigable on 15th November 1915. Joseph was killed in action when this vessel was sunk during the Battle of Jutland on 31st May 1916 with the loss of 1016 officers and ratings.

Acknowledgements: Barney Rice

Joseph Edwin Caselaw is remembered at Horden on H130.08, in a list of Local Men Lost in the Battle of Jutland and in our List of Ships’ Crews.