Search our records : Arthur George Abbott

Arthur Abbott was born on 21^st October 1891, the son of Robert and Sarah Abbott of 4 Rose Cottages, Beer. 

Arthur joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 18^th January 1913 and his RNR record describes him as 5ft 6½ ins tall, with blue eyes and a fair complexion. In the period between then and the outbreak of war, he was working as a merchant seaman on voyages to New Orleans and Australia. 

He was called up on 3^rd August 1914 and joined the cruiser HMS Challenger. As a result he served in African waters during most of the war, taking part in the attack on the Cameroons in September 1914, operations against the German warship Koenigsberg in 1915, and the bombardment of Dar es Salaam in 1916.  He remained on Challenger until January 1918, after which he spent a period on the SS Empress of Britain, a liner which was being used as a troopship. At the time of the Armistice he was serving on the SS Carmito.

Arthur was demobilised from active service on 15^th January 1919, but continued in the RNR, even though he moved to Wellington, New Zealand.  He resumed his work as a merchant seaman, with voyages to the USA and South America, and finally left the RNR on 1^st November 1920.