Stanley Brinjes was born in Hackney on 17 April 1891, the son of Major J T Brinjes & Mrs R M Brinjes of Bayswater, London. He joined the Merchant Marine and served as an Ordinary Seaman from 8 March 1908 to 13 October 1909. He was indentured as an apprentice with Woods, Taylor & Brown from 21 September 1910 to 11 November 1913. Having gained his Mates Certificate, he served as Third Mate from 27 December 1913 to 13 December 1914 in the SS BRITANNIA, SS HIGHLAND GLEN, and SS PERSIAN. From 9 January 1915 Lionel Brinjes was Second Mate of the SS UMTALI.

He joined the Royal Navy as a Temporary Sub Lieutenant, RNR on 18 January 1916, joining HMS LABURNUM. He was appointed to HMS VIVID on 19 April 1916 and then to the Armed Merchant Cruiser OPHIR on 26 May 1916. Promotion to Acting Lieutenant, RNR followed on 11 December 1916. His next appointment was to the Armed Merchant Cruiser ANDES on 18 July 1917 and he was further promoted Lieutenant, RNR on 2 December 1917.

Stanley Brinjes was appointed to HMS L10 as Navigating Officer on 21 September 1918. L10 was sunk on the morning of 3 October 1918 by gunfire from the German destroyer S33. The Commanding Officer of the submarine made a torpedo attack on the S33 as it was engaged in trying to rescue survivors of its sister ship, the destroyer S34, which had run into a minefield. In making his attack on S33, the Commanding Officer inadvertently allowed the submarine’s conning tower to broach the surface. This was sighted by S33, which then made its successful gun attack resulting in the loss of L10 with all hands. L10’s attack on S33 was eventually successful as the destroyer was so irreparably damaged that she had to be sunk by other German forces.

Stanley Brinjes was the husband of Beatrice Elizabeth Brinjes of 13, Pembridge Crescent, Bayswater Middlesex. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No. 30.