Samuel Campbell
Place of birth: Kircubbin, County Down, Northern Ireland
Previous occupation: Telegraph Messenger
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Chief Yeoman of Signals
Service Number: 231968
Joined Hood: 20th May 1923 (Yeoman of Signals)
Left Hood: 29th August 1926 (Chief Yeoman of Signals)
Biographical Information: A telegraph messenger as a teenager, Samuel Campbell joined the Royal Navy on 17th August 1904, at the age of 16, as a Boy Second Class. Less than eight months later, he was selected for the demanding signalling branch, becoming a 'Signalman' on reaching his 18th birthday on 15th March 1906. At that point, his 'Man's Time' began, and he signed on for 12 years' service, later signing on again to complete the full 22 years' adult service required to earn an immediate pension. His base port was Devonport (Plymouth.)
Samuel joined HMS Hood as a Yeoman of Signals (Petty Officer rate) on 15th May 1923, and so he participated in the round-the-world 'Empire Cruise' of 1923-4. A keen amateur photographer, Samuel compiled a copious personal photographic record of that trip, although none of his photos include him, and few show the ship. One photo of Hood's fo'c'sle, taken at speed, is shown below. While still in Hood, Samuel was selected for promotion to Chief Yeoman (Chief Petty Officer rate.)
After leaving the Navy to pension on 14 March 1928 - the day before his 40th birthday - Samuel returned to his native Northern Ireland and joined HM Coastguard, stationed first in Portmuck, Co Antrim and then Ballywalter, Co Down. He retired in November 1949 when he was Station Officer in Ballywalter.
History of ships served in and ratings held:
Date From | Date to | Ship | Rating | Source |
17th August 1904 | 22nd March 1905 | Emerald | Boy 2nd Class | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
23rd March 1905 | 24th May 1905 | Emerald | Boy 1st Class | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
25th May 1905 | 15th September 1905 | Vivid I | Boy 1st Class | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
16th September 1905 | 14th March 1906 | Pyramus | Boy 1st Class | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
15th March 1906 | 3rd May 1906 | Pyramus | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
4th May 1906 | 30th September 1906 | Powerful (Sydney N E) | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
1st October 1906 | 11th July 1907 | Pyramus | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
12th July 1907 | 22nd August 1907 | Pioneer | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
23rd August 1907 | 3rd October 1907 | Crescent | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
4th October 1907 | 15th March 1908 | Vivid I | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
16th March 1908 | 21st March 1909 | Vivid II | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
22nd March 1909 | 22nd August 1909 | Defiance | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
23rd August 1909 | 3rd May 1910 | Vivid II | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
4th May 1910 | 16th November 1910 | Vivid I | Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
17th November 1910 | 16th December 1910 | Vivid I | Leading Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
17th December 1910 | 30th June 1913 | Bristol | Leading Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
1st July 1913 | 9th January 1914 | Vivid I | Leading Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
10th January 1914 | 17th August 1915 | Blake (Sheldrake) | Leading Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
18th August 1915 | 8th August 1916 | Blake (Mandate) | Leading Signalman | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
9th August 1916 | 15th December 1916 | Blake (Mandate) | Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
16th December 1916 | 27th May 1918 | Greenwich (Plover) | Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
28th May 1918 | 17th July 1918 | Greenwich (Peregrine) | Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
18th July 1918 | 7th February 1919 | Greenwich (Norman) | Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
8th February 1919 | 15th February 1919 | Greenwich (Sabre) | Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
26th January 1920 | 11th April 1921 | Vivid I | Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
12th April 1921 | 21st July 1922 | Cambrian | Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
22nd July 1922 | 19th May 1923 | Vivid I | Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
20th May 1923 | 24th July 1926 | Hood | Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
25th July 1926 | 29th August 1926 | Hood | Chief Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
30th August 1926 | 30th September 1926 | Vivid I | Chief Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
1st October 1926 | 27th November 1927 | Eagle | Chief Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
28th November 1927 | 14th March 1928 | Vivid I | Chief Yeoman of Signals | ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea |
Additional Photos |
Samuel Campbell (top right) in the training establishment HMS Vivid. |
The ship's company of HMTB86. Samuel Campbell is at top right. |
Hood pushes on at high speed in the North Atlantic, heading for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Photo by Samuel Campbell. |
HM Coastguard training at Portmuck. Samuel Campbell nearest the camera. |
No known memorials
Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
'Register of Deaths of Naval Ratings' (data extracted by Director of Naval Personnel (Disclosure Cell), Navy Command HQ, 2009)
The Empire Cruise by VC Scott O'Connor
ADM188/410 via WW1 Lives at Sea
Mr David Little, grandson, photos and information 2021.