PEERS, Edwin James

Edwin was born in 1893 at Parkhurst to Arthur & Emily (nee LANGDOWN) PEERS who were living at 8 South Mall, Newport at the time of Edwin’s death on the 13th of May 1915.

Edwin was a regular with the Royal Marine Light Infantry, having joined several years before the outbreak of War, & was serving aboard the Pre-Dreadnought Battleship Goliath. lookouts aboard Goliath spotted Muâvenet-i Millîye & issued a challenge; the Ottomans replied to the challenge but very quickly increased speed & launched 3 torpedoes at Goliath. The British opened fire, but only managed to shoot 3 rounds before the 1st torpedo struck the ship. 2 torpedoes hit almost simultaneously, the 1st abreast her fore turret & the 2nd abeam the fore funnel, causing a large explosion. Goliath began to capsize almost immediately, & was lying on her side when a 3rd torpedo struck near her after turret. Muâvenet-i Millîye sped off & escaped unscathed in the darkness as the other British warships gathered to rescue survivors. Some 570 men, out of a crew of 750 were killed in the sinking,

Edwin was one of those lost & is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial with 7,250 of his First World War shipmates. Edwin was 21.