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Cmdr John Moore Heath |
Born:
1891 and died 1944.
Son of: George
Heath (1847-1923) and Martha
Charlotte Schmidt (1864-1951).
Brother of:
1. Roland Heath
(1889-1975) who married Eileen Heath (nee Mills).
2. Philip
George Heath MC (1895-1976) who married Olga Heath (nee
Sinclair, 1896-1986).
3. Graham
Douglas Heath (1899-1969) who married 1st Margret Heath (nee
Harman, ?-1930) and then 2nd Joan Heath (nee Small, born 1914).
John married:
Hilary Heath (nee Salter, ?-1984).
John and Hilary had issue:
1. Sir
Mark Evelyn Heath (1927-2005) who married Margaret Bragg (born 1931).
2. Gillian Holland (1930-2009) who
married Michael Holland (1926-????).
Cmdr John Moore Heath: An Overview
We know about Cmdr John Moore Heath from the following sources:
1. The book 'Records of the Heath Family Vol 1'
by George Heath, 1913.
2. The book 'Records of the Heath Family Vol 2'
by George Heath, 1920.
Records of the Heath Family Vol 1, page 100, reads as follows:
John Moore, born at Roseville, Cobham, Aug. 21st 1891. Educated at Naish House with his brother, whence he passed through Osborne and Dartmouth Colleges under the new scheme into the Royal Navy. He served in various ships, viz.: Cornwall, London, Invincible, Wear, Britannia, Hampshire. After passing as Sub-Lieutenant in Oct., 1911, he was appointed to HMS Britannia on the Mediterranean station, was recalled for the Naval Review at Spithead in Aug., 1912, and then returned to Malta. During the war between the allies and Turkey he was ordered to Crete, Salonica, Besika Bay, and Constantinople, where for a time he was quartered at the British Embassy, when 350 bluejackets were landed as a precaution against disorders in that city. In Jan., 1913, he proceeded to Hong Kong, and later to Wei Hai. He left this in H.M.S. Kent on 5th June on his return voyage home.
Records of the Heath Family Vol 2, page 21, reads as follows:
LIEUTENANT JOHN MOORE HEATH, R.N.
Was undergoing an engineering course at Devonport when war broke out, and was then appointed to the old battleship "Albion," Captain A.W. Heneage, R.N. after carrying out various patrol work in the Channel and North Atlantic, this ship proceeded to Simons Bay, Cape Colony, where a squadron was being formed in case the German squadron under Von Spee should attempt to get across to these waters. After the destruction of that squadron the ship proceeded to the Mediterranean, and formed part of the fleet preparing to start on the Dardanelles campaign. She took part in all the preliminary bombardments, and in the unsuccessful attack to force the Straits on March 18th, 1915. On the occasion of the landing on the peninsula the Albion was stationed off V beach, and our business was to support the troops as they landed from the "River Clyde" after she had been run ashore, and although a furious bombardment was carried out nearly all day, this seemed to have but a small effect on the Turkish machine guns, which were wonderfully well entrenched all round the proposed landing place, and these caused severe casualties to the two brigades which attempted to land here, so much so that the beach itself was not secure until the following afternoon, and even then was subjected to shell fire from the Asiatic shore until the evacuation eight months later.
After the appearance of enemy submarines on the scene, the battleships were kept at the base at Mudrow, and only occasionally carried out bombardments of the peninsula, their place for this purpose taken by monitors and especially protected cruisers recently sent out from England.
Early in August the second landing at Suvla Bay took place, and a contingent was provided from the "Albion," amongst other ships, to form a beach party. J.M.H. landed with them and spent two most interesting months on the peninsula, their job being to organise all the lighters, boats and transport as they came into the bay, land troops, horses and mules, arrange the water supply, rig up piers and landing stages, and in fact to assist the army in every possible way. J.M.H. returned to the ship in October, and she then proceeded to Salonika, where British troops had just been landed. The "Albion" returned home to pay off in May, 1916, and Lieutenant Heath was then appointed to "Champion," light cruiser (Captain J.V. Fairie), which as Captain D's --- ship of the 13th Destroyer flotilla based on Rosyth. Jutland had just been fought and a quiet period ensued for a few months, but the ordinary patrols and sweeps were carried out. In November he joined the submarine service, and was appointed to K10, one of the new fleet submarines then building at Barrow in Furness. When completed in June, 1917, K10 as based on Rosyth, and from that centre took her part in most of the fleet work, acting with supporting forces to mine layers, light cruiser sweeps and sundry other efforts designed to entice out the High Sea Fleet, later on carrying out independent patrols, mostly on the surface, and only diving occasionally.
The K boats were designed to meet the enemy battle fleet, but as this failed to appear after their completion, they never had a chance of proving their worth. There is, however, no doubt, that they were wonderful craft for the work projected by their designers.
Soon after the signing of the armistice, Lieutenant Heath was appointed to command Submarine R 12, based at Campbeltown, and employed with the Periscope School.
H.M. Submarine R 12 was paid off in Dec., 1919, when a general reduction throughout the Navy took place.
In the same month J.M.H. was appointed to the Motor Launch Flotilla on the Rhine, and proceeded to Cologne to take up this post Jan. 3rd, 1920
GALLIPOLI AWARDS
LONDON GAZETTE. 15TH March, 1916
COMMENDED FOR SERVICE
The undermentioned officers have been commended
for service in action in despatches received from the Vice-Admiral
Commanding the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron covering operations
between the time of landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula in April,
1915, and the evacuation in December, 1915 - January, 1916:
Lieutenant John Moore Heath, R.N., and others.
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