| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
George Porter was born in Beverley the 20 Dec 1893 the son of Richard Porter and Elizabeth (nee Langdale). Richard was a waterman in the “canal barge trade” and took keels from Beverley Beck into Yorkshire and back; in 1891 he was recorded with his son at Mexborough, Yorkshire on the keel “Industry”. The family lived at 9 Sparkmill Terrace, Beverley. George worked as a tanner’s labourer.
George joined the Royal Navy at Portsmouth on 2 Feb 1912, he served as a stoker but rose to the rank of acting leading stoker. He served until 1928 by which time he was a Senior Petty Officer. From Nov 1912 until Jan 1917 George served on HMS Princess Royal, a battle cruiser launched in 1911. George saw action at the Battle of Heligo Blight in Aug 1914, followed by service in the Caribbean to deny use of the Panama Canal to German naval vessels. The ship also took part in the Battle of Dogger Bank in Jan 1915 and received moderate damage at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. George then served a year on the battleship HMS Repulse, taking part in the 2nd Battle of Heligo Blight in Nov 1917. George then joined another Dreadnought battleship HMS King George V. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star and the War and Victory medals. He was also the recipient of the Long Service and Good Conduct medal.
In 1928 George returned to civilian life in Portsmouth. He re-enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1935 and was still serving at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. He died in Portsmouth in 1974.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |