Royal Navy – HMS Suffolk
Arthur Edward Birt was born in Lambeth, south east London on 30 March 1875. He was the son of Daniel and Eliza Birt of 8 Spring Gardens. After a short period as a postman he joined the Royal Navy as a Boy entrant and the 1891 Census shows him as a crew member, age 16, of HMS Ganges, which was a Boy’s Training Ship, moored in Falmouth Harbour in the years 1866-1899.
On his 18th Birthday, in 1893, he signed on as an Ordinary Seaman, for a twelve year period of service. Promotion to Able Bodied followed in March 1894. In 1905 his initial period of service came to an end and he elected to sign on for a further four years. He became a Leading Seaman in March 1908.
After over sixteen year’s service he was discharged on 17 April 1909. He had served on board a variety of ships and had no doubt seen much of the world. Upon discharge he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve at Devonport.
Upon the outbreak of war in August 1914 Arthur immediately rejoined the Royal Navy and was initially posted to HMS Eclipse, a cruiser of the Class which bore the same name.
On 26 January 1916 he transferred to HMS Constance, a ‘C’ Class Light cruiser, launched in 1915 – possibly he was one of the original crew. Constance took part in the greatest sea battle of the Great War, the Battle of Jutland, fought in the North Sea on 31 May and 1 June 1916. He stayed with this ship until 7 November 1916.
On 23 December he joined HMS Defiance, the Royal Navy Torpedo School, where he remained until 15 May 1917.
His next ship was the Monmouth Class armoured cruiser HMS Suffolk, launched in 1903, on which he served from 16 May 1917 until 31 July 1919.
He died at home – 91 Slad Road, Uplands, Stroud – on 31 August 1919, age 44, cause of death unknown. He left a widow, Florence Annie, whom it is believed he married in Stroud in 1907. She never remarried and died in Stroud on 16 July 1931, aged 48.
Arthur Birt’s grave, in Slad (Holy Trinity) Churchyard, is now marked by a standard CWGC headstone, within what was appears to have been an original private grave with a kerbed headstone. The inscription on the original grave marker reads: In loving memory of Leading Seaman Arthur E Birt of HMS Suffolk died August 31st 1919.
Researched by Graham Adams 10 July 2012