John Richard Stubbs' diary for 1896

Major Duncan Stubbs' diary entry for 16 October 1914

Friday 16 Oct

… I wired to the Navy League to order me a wreath from Harrods to be placed on the Nelson Column on Trafalgar Day and I sent a card to attach to it as follows: “In loving memory of Midshipman John Duncan Stubbs of HMS Aboukir who died doing his duty in the service of his country, from his Father & Mother” …

… Another cruiser torpedoed in the North Sea, HMS Hawke, & 500 lives lost.  In the Navy list are given the names of several cadets on board.  I only hope the poor boys were taken off as a result of the Aboukir disaster but I am afraid it will not be so as there are not enough midshipmen to man all the ships in commission without the cadets.  The new Dartmouth Coll Captain writes “expressing the sympathy of the College & Navy in his sad but honourable end” & saying that his sea chest is at Chatham, not lost on the ship as I expected.

John Richard Stubbs' diary for 1895

Major Duncan Stubbs' diary entry for 14 October 1914

Wednesday 14 Oct 

… I received a telegram from Averil [his sister-in-law] that a boy’s body had been found at Karright [?] and she was sending the papers by express post.  I received the papers about 4.10 being a letter from the British Vice Consul at Ymuiden with particulars of the body and a photo.  The particulars were of a fair haired, blue eyed, thin boy aged about 17.  The face I could not identify.  The body was dressed in trousers and a pyjama jacket the hands looked like Duncan’s.  I telegraphed the Vice Consul asking him to look for identification marks especially the teeth and to take a cast if possible.  I also wrote him fully …

John Richard Stubbs' diary for 1894

John Richard Stubbs' diary for 1893

John Richard Stubbs' diary for 1892