Name
John Stanley Ruthven
3 June 1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/05/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Electrical Artificer 4th Class
M/8859
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Invincible."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Navy Star, British War Medal and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
20.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Little Berkhamsted War Memorial
Pre War
John Stanley Ruthven was born in Clapton, Hackney on 3 June 1893, the son of Christopher and Mary Ann Ruthven, and was baptised on 2 July 1893 at All Saints Church, Clapton Park, Hackney. He was one of eight children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living 6 Holly Villas, Hackney, where his father's occupation was given as Master Builder (retired) His parents had moved to Little Berkhamsted by 1908 where his father managed the Five Horse Shoes public house. When his father died in 1911, aged 81, his mother Mary Ann continued to manage the public house after her husband’s death. (N.B. His mother was granted probate of his father's estate with effects of £11,213 19s 9d.)
John was working as an apprentice gas engineer in 1911 and on enlistment his occupation was listed as fitter and turner.
Wartime Service
John enlisted into the Royal Navy for a 12-year term on 22 September 1914. After training at Portsmouth (HMS Vernon) and Crystal Palace (HMS Victory II) he was posted to the battlecruiser HMS Invincible on 10 June 1915 and served as an Electrical Artificer 4th class.
He was killed in action on 31 May 1916 during the Battle of Jutland when HMS Invincible engaged the German fleet shortly after 6pm. In the course of the battle Invincible was hit by fire from Lutzow which struck her amidships and detonated her magazine causing her to explode and sink, killing 1020 crew and leaving just six survivors.
His body was not recovered for burial and his name is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire.
Additional Information
His sister Violet of Five Horseshoes PH, Little Berkhamsted was listed as his next of kin.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Martin Cope, Jim Maynard
