1914/15 trio, Memorial Plaque (David John Landricombe)
Sto.1 R.N.
1914/15 trio, Memorial Plaque (William Thomas Landricombe)
~Sto.1 R.N
Both killed in action, H.M.S. Defence, Jutland 31/5/1916, when ‘Defence’ was struck by devastating salvoes blowing up with her entire crew of 54 officers and some 849 men.
With a photograph of the brothers with a third brother, Francis, in Naval uniform, taken presumably 1913 from the cap tally and Francis (Frank) having joined 1913
David John Landricombe, B. 1891, Plymouth, Devon, joined the Navy 1909, sentenced to 12 months hared labour, 1/12/1914 for smuggling spirits on board and striking a superior officer, released early in September, 1915 for ‘rendering assistance to the warders whilst in prison’
Willam Thomas Landricombe , B. Plymouth, 1895, a grocer’s porter, joined 1913
At Jutand , Defence closed in to engage the German light cruiser ‘Weisbaden. Defence in turn was engaged at a range of about 8,000 yards and took fire from the battle cruiser Derfinger and four dreadnought battleships.
From an eye witness officer aboard the destroyer HMS Obedient
‘From ahead , out of the mist. there appeared the ill-fated 1st Cruiser Squadron led by the Defence. At first , the Defence did not seem to be demaged, but she was being heavily engaged, and salvoes were dropping all around her. When she was on our bow, three quick salvoes reached her, the first fell over, the next one short, and the third all hit.. The shells of the last salvo could clearly be seen to hit her just abaft the after turret, and after a second, a big red flame flashed up, but died away at once. The ship heeled to the blow but quickly righted herself and steamed on again. Then almost immediately followed three more salvoes. Again the first was over, the second short and the third a hit, and again the shell (s) of the hitting salvo could be clearly seen to strike, this time between the forecastle turret and the foremost funnel. At once, the ship was lost to sight in an enormous black cloud, which rose to a height of some hundred feet, and from which some dark object, possibly a boat or a funnel was hurled into space, twirling like some gigantic catherine-wheel. The smoke clearing quickly, we could see no sign of a ship at all – Defence had gone
