HMS Victory during WW1

[Doddie]

I am doing some research on behalf of a friend. One of her ancestors was John Bain (born Argyll, Scotland c.1885) who served in the Royal Navy Reserve during the First World War. He drowned in 1917, aged 32, while serving on the Grenadier, a trawler that was used as a minesweeper. He was buried in Newhaven Cemetery. I was sent a photograph of John which must have been taken before he was on the Grenadier. He is wearing a typical naval hat with 'HMS VICTORY' shown quite clearly on the hatband. Is this Nelson's HMS Victory? I thought initially,of course, that this surely couldn't be the case. However, in all my hours of googling and so on the only such named ship/boat I could come across was Nelson's. I am extremely intrigued. Would appreciate any thoughts.

Doddie

[ainslie]

The name of the famous 'Victory' has been used for a headquarters ship at various periods.  If you google it, you may find more.

[Wendi]

Hi Doddie !

I'm not a Naval expert, but my educated guess would he that at the time the photo was taken he was shore based at HMS Victory in HMS Nelson in Portsmouth, but I'm not sure, however, I would think that the Royal Navy Museum there might be able to help

http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/research.htm

Wendi 

[Bilge]

Friday, 21 September 1917

GRENADIER, hired trawler, minesweeper

 Name: BAIN, John, Deck Hand, RNR, SD 2380, drowned.

In 1889, HMS Victory was fitted up as a Naval School of Telegraphy. She soon became a proper Signal School, and signal ratings from ships paying off were sent to HMS Victory, instead of the barracks, for a two-month training course. The School remained on HMS Victory until 1904, when training was transferred temporarily to HMS Hercules, and in 1906 the whole School was moved to a permanent establishment at the Chatham Royal Naval Barracks.
As the years passed by HMS Victory slowly deteriorated at her moorings. By 1921 she was in very poor condition, and a campaign to save her was started with the Save the Victory Fund under the aegis of the Society for Nautical Research. The outcome of the campaign was that the British Government agreed to restore and preserve her to commemorate Nelson, the Battle of Trafalgar and the Royal Navy's supremacy before, during, and after the Napoleonic period.

[Doddie]

Thank you ainslie, Wendi and Bilge. Appreciate your input. Have emailed the Royal Naval Museum link and the HMS Victory website with my query, will  keep you posted.

Doddie

[sue210]

Hi, I've recently been doing family research and one of my relatives was on the "Victory" from 15/9/16 - 8/2/17. Previously he had been on other ships which were used for minesweeping such as the "Sabina", "Vance" and "Hannibal".  From what I've found so far it seems like trawlers and other ships were renamed for war use so this may be the case with the Victory. Obviously its not the HMS Victory as that was well out of usage by WW1, but I have found mention of a Victory which was an auxiliary patrol vessel termed Hired Drifters. I've included the link of here i found this. https://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishShips-Dittmar3WarshipsB.htm#15. I've been able to find pictures of the other boats my relative was on, but unfortunately I can't find any of the Victory. I hope this info helps