Page 46 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side v1

st
Harry Thurlow TUTHILL - Boy 1 Class, Royal Navy
1899- 3rd February 1915

Harry Tuthill lived with his parents and five brothers and sisters at their home in Pretoria Cottages,
Foots Cray. Shortly after leaving school at 14 years-of-age, Harry went to the naval shore base at
Shotley, near Ipswich, known as “HMS Ganges” to train for a career in the Navy. Notorious for its
rigid discipline, “HMS Ganges” was a tough place in which to survive. Although the trainees were
land-based, they regularly went to sea in all weathers to carry out tough drills which included climbing
the 100’ mast of a former sailing vessel.

Just before Christmas 1914, Harry was one of the 50 or so young trainees who went to sea in the ship
"Clan McNaughton". The ship, which was crewed by a mixture of reservists, including some men
from Newfoundland, as well as one or two Royal Naval pensioners and the youngsters who were all
under the age of 18, set sail for patrol duties in the North Atlantic Sea about 20th December, but later
had to put into Liverpool for some problem to be resolved.

rd
About 6am on the morning of 3 February 1915, HMS “Clan McNaughton” was in radio contact and
reported terrible weather conditions. Nothing further was ever heard of her again. The icy North
Atlantic sea swallowed up the ship, its voluntary crew and all the young sailors. No one survived. No
wreckage was ever found. No clues ever came to light. Young Harry’s adventure ended tragically
and the cottagers, his family and former school friends were left to mourn his loss.

st
In Memoriam: Harry T. Tuthill, aged 16 years, Boy 1 Class, Royal Navy is remembered on the
Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent.

th
Arnold Bexley VANSITTART 11 (Prince Albert’s Own) Hussars
1890-11th May 1915

In 1911, 21-year-old Arnold Vansittart (a descendant of Lord Bexley) was working in the London
offices of a chartered Accountant. He served in the Inns of Court Officer’s training Corps for three
years and obtained his Commission in the special reserve of Officers in August 1914, when he was
th
gazetted to the 11th (Prince Albert’s Own) Hussars. On 15 August 1914, just ten days following the
th
declaration of war, the 11 Hussars sailed from Southampton to France, commanded by Lt. Col.
Pitman. As well as 26 officers and 532 non-commissioned officers, the ship carried 608 horses.

April 1915 - Ypres, South West Belgium In the month or so of fighting, the Germans had
captured around two-thirds of the ground and inflicted some 60,000 casualties on the British, one of
which was 2nd Lieutenant Vansittart. He was badly wounded on 10th May and, despite all the
medical orderlies dedicated efforts, died the next day. He was 25-years-of-age.

The devastating news deeply shocked the people of North Cray, who looked up to Captain Vansittart
and his family with great respect. The Saturday parade of the Sidcup Volunteer Training Corps, of
which Captain Vansittart was the Commanding Officer, held a brief Memorial Service.

nd
In Memoriam 2 Lt Arnold Bexley Vansittart was buried in Brandhoek Military Cemetery. which
was opened in 1915 in a field adjoining the dressing station.