HINDE, Ralph Stevens


No.J/13297, Able Seaman, Ralph Stevens HINDE
Aged 23


H.M.S. "Torrent", Royal Navy
Killed in Action on Sunday, 23rd December 1917


Ralph Stevens HINDE was born in Warley, Essex on 10th October 1894, (Romford Q401894 4A:464), son of Benjamin John and Rebecca HINDE (née STEVENS).


1901 census...Aged 6, he was at 30 Cemetery Road, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Benjamin HINDE [35] a sergent major in Volunteers, born Northants; his mother Rebecca [37] born Downham, Cambs; brothers Frank [10] born Upware, Herbert [9] born Colchester and Sidney [1] born Stowmarket; sister Violet [3] born Stowmarket.

1911 census...Aged 16 a law clerk, he was at 23 Withersfield Road, Haverhill with his parents; sister Violet; brothers Sidney and Stanley [5] born Haverhill. All six siblings survive.

The pension card has his mother at Depot, Bury St Edmunds ( his father was with the Suffolk Regiment)


He enlisted on 23rd August 1911 5 feet 5.75 inches (167 cm)tall, chest 33.25 (84.5 cm) inches, blue eyes,light brown hair.
Starting his training at HMS Ganges ( a "stone frigate" near Ipswich) as Boy 2nd class, then to "Caesar on 11 November 1911, promoted Boy 1st class 1st January 1912.
Then to Prince George on 26th March 1912, followed by Victory I on 4th June and to Excellent (Whaley Island, Portsmouth) on 1st July. Reaching his 18th birthday he became Ordinary Seaman and his 12 year service proper began.
He was still moving between training schools, Albemarle, Victory I, Excellent, then to a real ship, battleship HMS Iron Duke, being made Able Seaman in September 1914. Then came Excellent and Victory I again before posting to HMS Prince of Wales from 19th February 1915 to 20th November 1916 so he may have seen service at Gallipoli and in the Adriatic
More training at Victory I was followed by service at HMS Dido ( a depot ship for his next two ships, HMS Stork and HMS Torrent.Both of these were Class R destroyers.

Eight destroyers of the Harwich Force were sent to escort a small convoy from Holland. The rendezvous was off the Maas Light buoy . This was a regular happening that would have been known to the German Navy. They laid a new minefield in the area around that time.
About 10 pm on 23rd December 1917, in poor weather, the VALKYRIE hit a mine about five miles from the Light. in the ensuing confusion after this the TORRENT was mined and the SURPRISE, trying to pick up survivors, also struck two mines and sank. TORNADO, manoeuvring in the poor visibility to assist the survivors of these ships, then struck a mine which broke her in two and she also sank.
RADIANT rescued all she could find. The original casualty, VALKYRIE, survived and was towed home by the destroyer SYLPH. Over 200 men died in this incident. It is believed there were 22 survivors from Torrent,but there are many conflicting numbers here, her complement was supposed to be 82. CWGC show 67 of the "Torrent" crew killed, 4 of which were recovered and buried in Flushing (Netherlands), the rest are named on Naval Memorials, 15 at Chatham, 3 in Plymouth and 46 at Portsmouth.


No image of HMS Torrent appears to exist, this is a sister ship





photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Ralph Hinde is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial panel 25
and commemorated in the Old Independent Church, Haverhill

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


BACK to Haverhill home page