Week 17 - Edward John Drodge

[Merry]

Edward J Drodge was born in Boldre in the New Forest in Hampshire on 4th August 1894, the son of Joseph and Emma Drodge.

He joined the Royal Navy on 4th August 1912 (his 18th birthday) for a period of twelve years and served on eleven different ships between that date and his death.

Edward's twentieth birthday fell on the day of the outbreak of WW1 at which time he was serving aboard HMS Liverpool as an ordinary seaman. Later in 1914 he was transferred to HMS Thetis and in 1915, after a few weeks on HMS Victory, he was transferred to HMS Ghurka where he served for almost two years.

He was killed on 8th February 1917, aged 22, when HMS Ghurka hit a mine in the English Channel. Only five of the crew survived, with 74 killed.