midshipman

A Midshipman James William Bond was lost with the sinking of HMS Russell on the 27/04/1916.
www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/3050634/BOND,%20JAMES...

Russell was steaming off Malta early on the morning of 27 April 1916 when she struck two mines that had been laid by the German submarine U-73. A fire broke out in the after part of the ship and the order to abandon ship was passed; after an explosion near the after 12-inch (305-mm) turret, she took on a dangerous list. However, she sank slowly, allowing most of her crew to escape. A total of 27 officers and 98 ratings were lost.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Russell_(1901)

There are records at the National Archive in the ADM 196/119/22 series for a Midshipman James William Bond, born 25th November 1896 who joined the Navy on the 15th September 1909.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7...

The 1911 census has a 14 year old James W, from Martham, Norfolk, who was recorded as a Naval Cadet at Osbourne Whippingham on the Isle of Wright.

(James is not, however, remembered on the Martham War Memorial)

Going back to the 1901 census the 4 year old James W was recorded at The Manor House, Cantley, Norfolk. This was the household of his parents, Henry K, (aged 44 and a Farmer from Ipswich) and Evelyn M, (aged 33 and from Hampshire). James has four brothers, plus there are 5 live in servants.

Help piece together the Life Stories of more than 8 million men and women who made a contribution during the First World War at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/

A speculative long-shot. Is this Nigel Anselm E Adams, born Dover, 1899? No indication that he joined the Royal Navy though.//

Z/7170 Able Seaman Nigel Anselm Edward Adams served in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve from 1918. Unlikely to be him. Not a bad try though. Scouring the Forces War Records site, but not having much success! Probably safe to say that this man survived the war.

Then perhaps it is not N E Adams, but instead H E Adams, - perhaps Midshipman Harold Edward Adams who, in 1918, was a Sub-Lieutenant on HMS DANUBE II ? This appears to have been a Royal Navy Rescue Tug.//

Harold Edward Adams was born on 3rd September 1898. He was Commissioned as a Midshipman in 1914, and completed his Royal Navy Service in the rank of Commander. National Archive Record ADM 196/121/1.//

Help piece together the Life Stories of more than 8 million men and women who made a contribution during the First World War at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org/

There is a Midshipman Hugh W Bredin (Seniority from 15 August 1917) included in the Navy List of March 1919:
digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/pageturner.cfm?id=9...

The same person appears in: Aren't we lucky: the magazine of H.M.S. "Renown," August to December 1919, available from the Internet Archive: archive.org/details/arentweluckymaga00edinrich
Midshipman Bredin appears in a list of HMS Renown officers that took part in a tour of Canada, 24-29 August 1919, I think accompanying HRH the Prince of Wales (p. 36) and in the general list of officers of HMS Renown (p 124).

And from the London Gazette:

18 January 1921, p. 469:
Actg. Sub-Lieutenant, appointed Sub-Lieutenant, 15th Jan. 1921.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/32196/pages/469/

20 April 1923, p. 2886:
"Actg. Lieut. Hugh W. Bredin to be Lieut. 15th Mar. 1923."
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/32816/pages/2886/

There are then references in the Abilene Reporter-News that suggests that Commander Bredin had an American wife and retired to Key West, Florida:

Abilene Reporter-News, 25 August 1948, p. 16:
OCR text, incorporating a few obvious corrections:
Florida Couple Supper Guests Added Wednesday to the round of daily parties at which Cmdr and Mrs. Hugh Bredin are being honored here was an informal supper party given .by Mrs. Philip Kauffman, Mrs. Bess Scott and their brother, Jim Harper. The trio entertained at the home of Mrs. Amr [?] Smart, where supper was served from a polished table, decorated with pink, and white asters. Mixed flowers in deeper-pink shades were decorations for rooms. Mrs. John B. Ray and Mrs Bradfield Gay presided at the supper table. Commander Bredin, returned from the British Navy, and Mrs Bredin are visiting here for a week with her sister, Mrs. Winfield S James, and Mr. James as they are traveling by automobile from their home in Key West, Fla.
www.newspapers.com/newspage/45021097/

Abilene Reporter-News, 19 December 1948, Page 37:
Mr. and Mrs. James will be the guests of her sister, Mrs. Hugh Bredin, and Commander Bredin retired from the English Navy, in Key West
www.newspapers.com/newspage/45081231/

There is a curious reference in the Roman Catholic newspaper The Tablet of 11 January 1913 (p. 7) to Hugh Waldine Bredin being the adopted son of Dame Katharine Walker, the widow of General Sir Mark Walker, V.C.:

THE latest illustration of hostility to Catholicism shown in the dead hand of a last testament is seen in the will of the late Dame Katharine Walker, widow of General Sir Mark Walker, V.C. She directed, reports the Times, that "her great-nephew and adopted son, Hugh Waldine Bredin, is not to spend his holidays or otherwise reside with Roman Catholics. ... If any legatee, with the exception of Florence Sheppard, shall, before obtaining "vested interest under her will, forsake the Church of England, or shall join any other sect which is not included in the Church of England, he or she shall forfeit all interest under her will, and in particular, in case the said Hugh Waldine Bredin shall adopt the Roman Catholic religion or marry a Roman Catholic before obtaining a vested interest in her estate, her will shall be read as if he had predeceased her. She prohibited the appointment of any person who is a Roman Catholic to any position of trust or confidence in connection with the trusts of her will and the payment of any moneys to or through a Roman Catholic."
archive.thetablet.co.uk/article/11th-january-1913/7/notes

General Sir Mark Walker VC KCB (1827-1902) won his VC at Inkerman on the 5 November 1854 during the Crimean War and was married in 1881 to Catherine Chichester. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Walker

Presumably, Hugh was "adopted" by his great-aunt after his mother left for the United States.

And this reference in the London Gazette, 23 May 1913 (p. 3713) would appear to refer to some possible problems with the same will:

PURSUANT to an Order of the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice, made in the Matter of the estate of Dame CATHERINE WALKER, deceased, and in an action of the Public Trustee and Henry Champernowne against Hugh Waldine Bredin, an Infant, by Charles Richard Jelf, his Guardian ad litem, and Florence Sheppard (1913, W. 470), the creditors of the said Dame Catherine Walker, late of 10, Castle Hill-avenue, Folkestone, in the county of Kent, the Widow of General Sir Mark Walker, V.C., K.C.B. (who died on the 17th day of August, 1912, at Trotton, Petersfield, in the county of Hants), are, on or before the 16th day of June, 1913, to send by post, prepaid, to Mr. Alfred Henry Gardner, of 8A, Cheriton-gardens, Folkestone, Kent, a member of the firm of Wightwick and Gardner, of the same place, the Solicitors of the above named Plaintiffs, the Public Trustee and Henry Champernowne, the executors of the deceased, their Christian and surnames, addresses and descriptions, the full particulars of their claims, a statement of their accounts, and the nature of the securities if any) held by them, or in default thereof they will be peremptorily excluded from the benefit of the said order. Every creditor holding any security is to produce the same before Mr. Justice Warrington, at his Chambers, the Royal Courts of Justice, London, W.C., on Tuesday, the 24th day of June, 1913, at 12 o'clock at noon, being the time appointed for adjudicating on the claims. -- Dated this 20th day of May, 1913.
WARREN, MUETON and MILLER, 45, Bloomsbury-square, London, W.C.; Agents for WIGHTWICK and GARDNER, Folkestone, Kent, Solicitors for the said Plaintiffs.
www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/28721/pages/3713/

Florence Sheppard is again mentioned; I think that "Guardian ad litem" means that Charles Richard Jelf is representing him in this particular lawsuit, not that he was his legal guardian.

Extremely trivial, I know, but "Comdr. Hugh W. Bredin of the British Royal Navy" is mentioned as having organised a cricket match for the Key West Kiwanis Group in the Key West Citizen, 28 June 1948, p. 8.
ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00048666/00570

The National Archives ADM 196/148/259 provides some more dates:

Born: 8 February 1901
Entered service: 15 September 1914
Seniority as:
Acting Sub-Lieutenant: 15 May 1920
Sub-Lieutenant: 15 January 1921
Acting Lieutenant / Lieutenant: 15 March 1923
Married: 13 November 1925
Placed on Retired List: 30 January 1931 (eyesight)
Promoted to Lt. Cdr. (Retd.) 15 March 1931

His postings are mentioned, a mixture of ships and shore bases (mostly indecipherable), including: Iron Duke, Verdun (Columbine), Renown and Warspite in his midshipman days. The comments are a bit mixed, but are fairly consistent, e.g. "capable but does not take things seriously enough" ... "has a weak voice & thereby suffers when giving orders" ... "at present rather colourless" (1922) ... "very quiet type" ... "conscientious but lacking in leadership & influence" ... "pleasant personality, moderate physique" ... "a good type, could show more tact in dealing with men" (1927) ... "hard worker; v. keen & capable at handling a ship, gd. leader & influ. over his men" (1929).

The Admiralty record also includes: "Stated to be a 'Ward in Chancery'" (26 August 1922), which might suggest continuing problems with his great aunt's will (although I'm not sure why that would be of particular significance for the navy).

discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D8...