Lieutenant-Commander, Henry Thomas Gartside-Tipping (67) – Killed in Action

Royal Navy, H.M.Yacht ‘Sanda’, 25th September 1915

Henry Thomas Gartside-Tipping

Synopsis of Life and Military Service

Henry Thomas Gartside-Tipping was born on the 11 June 1848 at Dublin, Ireland to his father Gartside Gartside-Tipping, J.P. and Jane Margaret Gartside-Tipping, and was one of at least 6 children.

His Naval Record shows that from the 11 September 1860, when he would have been 12 years old he joined the navy as a Naval Cadet serving in various bases and ships (Britannia, Victory, Ganges, Revenge). On the 7 March 1862 he was promoted to Midshipman (serving on Victory, Doris). 11 June 1867 he was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant (serving on Doris, Victory, Excellent and Victoria & Albert). 21 August 1871 he was promoted to Lieutenant (serving on the Cambridge, Ganges, Britannia).

On 16 July 1884, Henry retired from the navy on a pension. Between his retiral and re-enlistment in The Great War, Henry seems to have carried out a great deal of work for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute.

In the 4th quarter of 1890 at Ormskirk, he married Mary Stuart Flynn, daughter of the late Captain Flynn, Royal Artillery.

In July 1900, Henry, patented the ‘Tipping’s Plate’, most likely from his work with the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, which appears to have been a type of track to go over wheels when on a soft surface when the wheel would likely sink, this would have been beneficial when launching a lifeboat from the beach. See the patent here.

On 16 September 1914, as a Lieutenant-Commander, he was given command of the hired armed yacht ‘Aries’ until 29 September 1914. On 30 September 1914, he moved to the ‘St. George’, which appears to have been a seagoing depot ship based at the time on the Humber until 11 November 1914. From 12 November 1914, he moved to the ‘Illustrious’ which was a pre-dreadnought battleship, until the 8 December 1914. On 9 December 1914 he moved to the ‘Jupiter’ another pre-dreadnought battleship, part of the Channel Fleet, until 17 January 1915. From 18 January 1915 to 12th June 1915, he appears to have been on a vessel called the ‘Colleen’ and also the ‘Attentive’, although the names of these two ships is difficult to read, the ‘Attentive’ was a light cruiser.

On 13 June 1915, he was given Command of the armoured yacht, ‘Sanda’

Henry Thomas Gartside-Tipping

Death

On 25 September, 1915 while Sanda was screening monitors which were bombarding shore positions South-West of Zeebruge, batteries at Blankenberghe, responded and found ‘Sanda’ as a suitable target. A shell of approximately 8-in struck her below the bridge and she was lost with thirteen officers and men, including Gartside-Tipping, who received a posthumous mention in despatches for his service off Belgium during August and September, gazetted 12 January, 1916: “In spite of his advanced age he rejoined and with undemonstrative patriotism served at sea as a Lieutenant-Commander.” His body was never recovered and he is honoured and remembered on the Nieuport Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

The National Probate Calendar of 1916 at London on the 21st January shows that Henry left £49,031 in his Will to his wife Mary Stuart Gartside-Tipping and his brother Robert Francis Gartside-Tipping a Colonel in the army.

His wife, Mary Stuart Gartside-Tipping was later murdered by a French soldier on 6 March 1917.

Dedication

In honour of the service given by Henry, money was raised to purchase the motor boat which was named by the Bishop of Dover as the ‘Henry Gartside-Tipping’ which was 22ft x 6ft in size and built on the Clyde. It was presented to the ‘Missions to Seamen’ at The Mission Hall, Commercial Quay, Dover for their use in serving local seamen. The family gave over such a sum of money so that there should always be hereafter at Dover a vessel that bore his name.

Family

Henry Thomas Gartside-Tipping was born on the 11 June 1848 at Dublin, Ireland.

The following family information has been ascertained :-

  • Wife – Mary Jane Stuart Flynn or Gartside-Tipping, born 1865 at Blackburn, Lancashire, died 6 March 1917.
  • Daughter – Mildreda Phyllis, born 18 March 1892 at Southport, Lancashire.
  • Son – Vernon Danvers, born c.1894 at Binstead, Isle of Wight – Naval Cadet (Invalided), died-1911.
  • Daughter – Esther Pamela, born c.1896 at Binstead, Isle of Wight.
  • Father – Gartside Gartside-Tipping, died 21 November 1890
  • Mother: Jane Margaret Gartside-Tipping.
  • Brother – Cavendish Walter, born c.
  • Brother – Robert Francis, born c..
  • Sister – Alice, born c.
  • Sister – Loetitia Louisa Jane Gartside Pomeroy, born c.
  • Sister – Anna Selina Gartside Stirling, born c.
  • Sister – Mildred Harriet Richardson

Addresses

Records identify that Henry Thomas Gartside-Tipping lived at the following addresses :-

  • 1861: H.M.S. Britannia, Portsmouth Harbour. (Census)
  • 1881: County Hotel, Court Square, Carlile. (Census)
  • 1901: Quarr Wood, Binstead, Isle of Wight.
  • 1911: Dunburgh House, Geldeston, Beccles, Norfolk.
  • 1915: Dunburgh House, Geldeston, Beccles, Norfolk.

Medals

For his service in The Great War Henry Thomas Gartside-Tipping was awarded the 1914-15 Star,  Victory and the British War Medals for his service in the Great War. He was also Mentioned in Dispatches.

Memorials

Henry Thomas Gartside-Tipping is remembered and honoured on the following memorials :-

  • Binstead War Memorial, Isle of Wight.
  • Southport War Memorial, London Square, Southport, Sefton, Merseyside.
Binstead War Memorial, Isle of Wight – © Mark Newton 4 June 2016 (WMR-21715)

Links to Additional Information

References

  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
  • Find a Grave Website – Henry Thomas Gartside-Tipping.
  • Illustrated London News dated 14 March 1891.
  • Yarmouth Independent dated 29 January 1916.
  • Evening Mail dated 12 March 1917.
  • Dover Express dated 16 March 1917.
  • London Gazette.
  • 1911 Census.
  • England and Wales National Probate Callander.
  • 1901 Census.
  • Naval Medal Awardees WW1.
  • National Probate Calendar 1916.
  • England and Wales, Civil Registration of Marriage Index.
  • 1881 Census.
  • 1861 Census.
  • Dover Express & East Kent News dated 30 June 1916.

Groups

Contributors:-

  • Vincent Stuart
%d bloggers like this: