On Sunday 14 January in St Ann’s church within Portsmouth Dockyard a ceremony was held to remember the unfortunate loss of L24 where all hands were lost 100 years ago.

L24 was conducting training off Portland on the 10 January 1924 when it was hit by the 29,000 ton battleship HMS Resolution, owing to challenging weather conditions the search for survivors was given up on 12 January 1924.

The service was conducted by Ralph Barber, in attendance was Gillian Hawkins and her family.  Gillian was the granddaughter of Charles Matthews who was an Engine Room Artificer on L24.  The Gosport Branch of the Submariners Association were represented by the Chairman Steve Thorpe MBE and Mitch Sneddon and his wife Sue.

Steve read out the names of the crew of L24 which was followed by laying of 2 wreaths. A wreath was laid by Gillian and a second by Vice Admiral Wilkinson CB (Retd) who is the current Chairman of the Submarine Family.

The service was fitting tribute to the loss of L24 in this centenary year and demonstrated the importance of remembering our forefathers, a plaque remembers the loss within St Ann’s Church.

RIP L24

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