Telegraphist Charles Stanley Warner RNVWR

Charles Stanley Warner was a Telegraphist No. P/WRX69 V. (Wireless) R. on a converted trawler - H.M. Trawler River Clyde which was mined on Monday 5th August 1940. He was aged 25.

Charles' Parents Grave

Charles was the son of William and Ella Warner who ran a grocery shop on The Green. He is remembered on their grave in Great Glen churchyard although not buried there. He worked in Leicester.

The Royal Navy Wireless Auxiliary Reserve was a reserve who made their own wireless sets to receive Morse Code. They trained with the Navy and their training ran parallel with the uniform reserve. In 1939 they were amalgamated and called the RN Volunteer Wireless Reserve, RNVWR.

Commander Archie Pitman joined the RNVWR branch in Leicester and became in charge of this group and he was so enthusiastic about this branch of the Royal Navy that he recruited the largest number of men in the country. So many in fact that they had to close membership because they simply could not take any more.

HM Trawler River Clyde was built in 1919 and requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1939 for use as a mine-sweeper. Her displacement was 276 tons and she was mined off Aldeburgh, on the Suffolk coast when Charles was a member of her crew.

Royal Naval Memorial
Portsmouth

Charles is listed on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Southsea Common, overlooking the promenade. His name is on Panel 45, Column 1.

Royal Naval Patrol Service

Memorial Grimsby

There were 2385 men who served in The Naval Patrol Service and lost their lives at sea during WW2. They were colloquially known as ‘Harry Tate’s Navy’ or ‘Churchill’s Pirates’ and they lost more vessels than any other branch of the Royal Navy. Their ‘fleet’ consisted of hundreds of requisitioned trawlers, whalers, drifters, paddle steamers, yachts, tugs etc. and were armed with ancient and out-of-date weaponry. A memorial just for them has been erected in Grimsby. Although only the men from the Grimsby area are listed by name it is a memorial to all of the men, including Charles.

Royal Naval Patrol
Service Silver Badge

The Service was unique in that the personnel wore a silver badge showing they were members of a special unit.

Royal Naval Patrol
Service Medal

The Royal Naval Patrol Service Association has commissioned a medal which is available to all men of the Service between 1939 and 1945 or their next of kin. Charles’s next of kin were eligible to claim this medal.