110 years ago this week - 18th March, 1915 - my great-grandfather Charles Lind Lamont Young stood on the deck of the HMS Irresistible in the beautiful waters of the Dardanelles.

The Irresistible was part of an attack force there to smash their way through to the Turkish capital, Constantinople.

But at 4:15pm a deafening blast ripped through the hull, throwing Charles and crew to the deck as smoke poured through the corridors. Was Charles going to survive?

To understand what brought him to this moment, we need to step back—back to his childhood in Mittagong, NSW.

I can relate to Charles because we were both born in the 70s - me in the 1970s, him in the 1870s. Like me, Charles lost his father tragically at an early age. And that grief followed him all his life.

Unlike me, Charles joined the Royal Navy at age 13, having moved back to the UK from Australia as a child.

He married his sweetheart Daisy at 24 years old, and they had four children, my grandfather Monty, a daughter Noni, James, and David.

Charles’ whole career was on the water, first with the Royal Navy, then the Merchant Marine—sailing around the world, never truly leaving the sea behind.

In 1914 war broke out that was to affect the whole world. We now know it as World War One, but at the time it was simply known as “The Great War” - the war that was meant to end all wars.

While most young men in Britain were ecstatic at the opportunity to get some real live war action under their belt, Charles was considerably less excited, but dutiful.

On August 2nd, 1914 as the rumours of war slowly became reality, he reported to the Admiralty for duty.

Charles was not only dutiful, he was humble. Upon being assigned to the HMS Irresistible, he discovers he has been appointed first lieutenant - the ship’s senior executive officer and third in command of the ship. He writes in his journal:

Joined “Irresistible” about 5:30PM – all good chaps again; the nicest lot I ever had for shipmates judging by first impressions. Learned to my great surprise that I was appointed 1st lieutenant. I feel very very fraud and only hope I shall be able to do the job credit. Went round the ship with commander. Feel rather dazed at the amount I shall have to pick up before I can do my work usefully.

One of Charles’ responsibilities was Battle Officer, a duty shared with the Captain and Commander. The Battle Officer was responsible for taking charge of the ship in a night action, ensuring searchlights and guns were all manned and working.

August 1914 was spent patrolling in and around the English Channel. Charles’ journal shows the joy he had when he had an opportunity to go ashore and see his wife.

A wire from sweetheart, arrive Portsmouth 2:30PM. Went ashore at 1:30 had a shave and haircut and so to the station: quivering with excitement as the train came in. … A day that will never fade from my memory. The day that I saw my wife though only for a few precious hours when I had made up my mind that we should probably never meet again. She came back to the dockyard with me in a Taxi. Sweet little woman. I can face anything now that I have seen her again.

In February 1915, Irresistible joined an attack force in the Mediterranean. A plan was forming for the British and French fleet to storm the Dardanelles - the narrowest point of water and the entrance to Turkey, home of the Ottoman Empire.

The plan was to use exclusively naval power. No need for troops to land.

Now in a few weeks, Australians and New Zealanders commemorate ANZAC day - the landing of troops from our countries in the Dardanelles. So - apologies for spoilers - but this plan was not going to go well.

Connect with One Ancestor at a Time on social media

You can keep up to date with this project on YouTube, Facebook and BlueSky (an increasingly popular place for genealogists!).

One Ancestor at a Time – Learn history, One Ancestor at a Time

@simonsaidthis.bsky.social on Bluesky

Subscribe on YouTube

One Ancestor at a Time