Lieutenant
Harold Stephen
MEATS
,
RNR
24
Harold Meats was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire on 20 September 1892, the third son of Albert Meats and Susan Emily Meats (née Griffiths). His mother died when he was four months old, and his father was remarried to Louise Tempest Meats (née Ford). Harold Meats served a four-year merchant seaman apprenticeship in the SS ROCHDALE from 24 April 1907 to 24 April 1911. After a further voyage in SS ROCHDALE as Third Mate, he then served in SS HAMPTON, SS CORFE CASTLE, and SS WALMER CASTLE.
He joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a Temporary Sub Lieutenant, RNR on 15 March 1915 serving in the yacht SABRINA between 15 March and 31 July 1915. He then joined submarines on 1 August 1915 and was appointed to HMS E30 as Navigating Officer. E30 was presumed to have been lost with all hands in a previously unknown minefield off of Orford Ness on 22 November 1916.
Harold Meats was the husband of Rosie Tempest Meats (née Ford). He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No 22 and on the South African Roll of Honour.
One Response
How is Temporary Acting Lieutenant Harold Stephen Meats, RNR, 298, connected to South Africa? Was he raised or lived in South Africa.
By Editor: One of our researchers writes: “From 19 April 1907 to March 1913 he served as a Seaman Apprentice rising to Mate by early 1913 and serving in five different Steam Ships, He then appears to have joined the Union Castle Steam Ship Line serving in the SS CORFE CASTLE and SS WALMER CASTLE for a total of at least six voyages (including some as Master) between UK and South African ports up to December 1914 before he joined the RNR in February 1915. Although it would be difficult to prove it might be assumed that he intended to continue his Union Castle career post war and was retained on their books in anticipation.”