Portsmouth Naval Memorial
HMS Queen Mary
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Walter Craig Gunn Jnr was born at Pelaw, County Durham, May 8th 1895, one of 4 sons and a daughter born to Walter Craig Snr., native of Aldershot, Hampshire born 1872 and his wife Grace Ann Miles born 1877 at South Shields, County Durham whom he married in the district of South Shields in 1893. In the census of April 1901 his father was the manager of a grocer’s store, the family were living at 14, Roseberry Street, Sunderland. Unfortunately he died later that same year aged 29 years, leaving Grace with 4 children under the age of 6, the youngest only two months old. She was also pregnant with their fifth child Frederick Craig Gunn who was born in 1902. She remarried in 1907 at Loughborough to Walter Elliott, native of West Leake, Nottinghamshire born 1883 and 7 years her junior. They had 3 children together, Arthur Elliott born 1909, William Miles Elliott born 1st Qtr 1910 and Kathleen Elliott born 4th Qtr 1910.
In 1911 Walter Craig Gunn, aged 15 years, was not living at home but training as an artificer in response to concerns that the Imperial German Navy represented a threat to the interests of the Royal Navy, which might be in danger of being overtaken in seagoing technical expertise. A programme was initiated to train engineers and artificers for service in the Royal Navy and at the Portsmouth base they established in a number of Victorian hulks training centres. Walter trained aboard HMS Fisgard II.
On the outbreak of war, fully qualified he was an Engine Room Artificer 4th Class and was assigned as M/2616 Royal Navy to serve aboard HMS Queen Mary.
HMS Queen Mary was laid down in 1911 she was built at Palmer Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow, on the River Tyne. Launched in 1912 and commissioned for service September 4th 1913. After sea trials and pre-war voyages to Russia she prepared for combat August 28th 1914 supporting in early fighting. Refitted with a new fire control system in 1915 she returned to duty in February 1916. As the 1st Squadron Battlecruiser she sailed in support of the 5th Battle Squadron in the opening phases of the Battle of Jutland. Engaging at 3:48 pm on May 31 1916, the German fire proved accurate from the outset. At 3:50 pm Queen Mary opened fire on SMS Seydlitz with its forward turrets. As Beatty closed the range, Queen Mary scored two hits on its opponent and disabled one of Seydlitz's aft turrets. Around 4:15 pm, HMS Lion came under intense fire from Hipper's ships. The smoke from this obscured HMS Princess Royal forcing SMS Derfflinger to shift its fire to Queen Mary. As this new enemy engaged, the British ship continued to trade hits with Seydlitz.
At 4:26 pm a shell from Derfflinger struck Queen Mary detonating one or both of its forward magazines. The resulting explosion broke the battlecruiser in half near its foremast. A second shell from Derfflinger may have hit further aft. As the after part of the ship began to roll, it was rocked by a large explosion before sinking.
Her wreck was discovered in 1991 and rests in pieces, some of which are upside down, on the floor of the North Sea. HMS Queen Mary is designated as a protected place under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 as it is the grave of 1,266 officers and men, only 20 of her crew were rescued.
Engine Room Artificer M/2616 Walter Craig Gunn died May 31st 1916, aged 21 years and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. The Memorial is one of three commissioned at the end of WW1 by the Admiralty, the others being at Plymouth and Chatham, in the shape of an obelisk, bearing the names of members of the Royal Navy who have no known grave, having died at sea where no permanent memorial could be raised.
His mother Grace received all monies due to him and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Walter’s brother Ronald William Craig Gunn also served as a 2nd Lieutenant attached to the 3rd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), he was killed in action January 6th 1917. Recipient of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Walter Craig Gunn is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 and on our List of Ships’ crews
