Alexander McPake

Service Number: Clyde Z/3862

Rank: Able Seaman

Force: Royal Navy

Date of Death: 27/4/1916

Age: 20

Date of Birth: 20/10/1895

Birthplace:

Coatbridge

Birth Country: Scotland

Residence Country: Scotland

Residence:

15 Jackson St, Coatbridge

Cemetery: Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire

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Memorial Statistics

Age at Death

Memorial avg: 26.3 years (-6.3)

Rank

Able Seaman

17 on memorial (3.1%)

Occupation

Iron/Steel Worker

241 on memorial (43.6%)

Enlistment Details

Date of Enlistment

13/4/1915

Enlistment Location

Location: Coatbridge

Country: Scotland

Family Information

Son of John and Elizabeth Gray McPake of 15 Jackson St, Coatbridge. Alexander's mother got news of his death 0n the 05/05/1916. From the 1901 Census - Address - 15 Jackson St, Coatbridge - John McPake aged 45, Elizabeth McPake aged 39, Jane McPake aged 17, John David McPake aged 9, Alexander McPake aged 5. Alexander had an elder brother named Dominic and a younger one named Joseph. He also had an elder sister named Jane. Alexander's Pension was awarded to his mother Elizabeth.

Details of Death

Died on the 27/04/1916 when his ship H.M.S. Russell was sunk after hitting a mine

Date of Death: 27/4/1916

Cause of Death: Unknown

Employment

Labourer in the British Tube Works

Occupation: Iron/Steel Worker

Additional Information

Alexander died when his ship H.M.S. Russell hit a mine, laid by the German submarine U73, and sunk off Malta with the loss of 27 Officers and 98 Ratings. H.M.S. Russell, a Duncan class pre-dreadnought battleship, was involved in the protection of Malta after a long campaign in the Dardanelles. On the 1916, while waiting for clearance to enter Grand Harbour, H.M.S. Russell came into contact with a mine which had been laid by U73 the previous evening. Many thanks to my friend Dom who took a photo (1) of Alexander's name on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Alexander is also remembered on the St Patrick's Church and the Stewarts and Lloyds Rolls of Honour (see photos). See photos for Alexander's Newspaper clippings x 2, his Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Record, his Navy Medal and Award Rolls, his Naval Death Record, his name on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Portsmouth Memorial Panel List, Alexander's Pension Record x 3, H.M.S. Russell and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Blazer Badge.

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Quick Stats

Age: 20

Memorial avg: 26.3 (-6.3)

Rank: Able Seaman

17 of 553 soldiers (3.1%)

Occupation: Iron/Steel Worker

241 of 530 soldiers (45.5%)

War Diaries

No war diary images found for this soldier.

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CWGC Records National Archives British War Graves Long, Long Trail Ancestry Records

Cemetery

Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire

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