My Great Grandfather
My Grandfather, George Edward Wise (Known as Ted) entered the Royal Navy in the late 1920s but was invalided out, in 1932, by having his hand crushed between a bollard and a cable. He was a gunner and had followed his father into the Royal Navy. Before he died he told me his father, also Joseph George Edward Wise and known as Ted, had been a gunner too.
LEFT:
Joseph Wise as a Petty Officer. The cross on his right sleeve is of two crossed guns signifying he is a gun layer. The two crossed fouled anchor signifies a Petty Officer 1st Class. He also has two good conduct (or undetected crime!) stripes which, I believe means a six or more years. I am unsure of the medal. The lanyard around his neck is a trademark of a gunner.
BELOW:
This photo is of a group of sailors at Inverness naval base, 11th January 1901. (Reverse of photo is below to Betey Ellen Wise from Ted.
Ted is third from the left middle row with the pipe in his mouth. During this time he was serving on HMS CENTURION
as a Leading Seaman. I am unable to make out the legend on the caps or the significance of the newspaper. Interesting to note that some of the ratings are in bare feet, which even by the day, was not unusual for sailors.
BELOW:
This is an entry into my Grandmother’s date book showing when her father-in-law born and died aged 61. 8, School Terrace, Reading, where he was born, still exists today.
LEFT:
Click on the writing to take you to his service sheet. Click on the ship names for more information.
RIGHT: A photo of Ted at HMS LORD WARDEN, HMS EXCELLENT.
Click on the image to see full photograph.
