KEANE, Ernest John

Able Seaman, HMS Egmont
Service No: 225455
Died: 06/08/1915
Age: 26

Interred in Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery
Recorded on the CWGC headstone for his brother Stephen in Bangor Cemetery

Ernest John Keane was born on 7th December 1887, in Clandeboye, Bangor. He was the son of Richard Keane, Station Officer in the Coastguard and Elizabeth Keane nee Sumner.  The family were living in Whitehead when his mother Elizabeth died in 1900. His father and family later moved to Bangor where they lived in Dufferin Avenue.

Ernest joined the Navy as a Boy on 3rd December 1903 serving on a number of of vessels including the Empress of India and Arrogant and on 7th December 1905, his 18th birthday, signed on for continuous service as an Ordinary Seaman.

He was serving on board HMS Egmont when Britain joined the Great War before transferring to HMS Blenheim then to HMS Adamant from 1st August 1915 (his last ship according to his service record and not Egmont as given on CWGC.org)

The depot ship HMS Adamant with submarines alongside at Mudros © IWM (Q 13841)

He died on 6th August 1915 in 21st General Hospital Alexandria from enteric fever and was interred in Chatby Military and War Memorial Cemetery in Alexandria.

Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery

His death is also recorded on the memorial to his brother Stephen in Bangor Cemetery. When a headstone is erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, a family was given the opportunity to pay for a personal message to be inscribed on it. It appears the family used this to remember Ernest although the reference to submarine “B9” does not show up on his record. It should be noted that the vessels he served on HMS Egmont, Blenheim and Adamant were submarine depot ships so it is possible he spent some time on board that vessel.