Sub-Lieutenant William Eldridge Pope, R.N.

Sub-Lieutenant William Eldridge Pope, R.N.

William Pope was known in the family as `Willie’ and was, according to R.G. Bartelot `the favourite of all his brothers and sisters […] possessed naturally of a most loveable disposition.

Willie Pope 1881-1901

Willie was born in South Walk House, Dorchester on 22^nd September 1881, the fifth son of Alfred Pope.  He began his education at the Elizabethan Grammar School at Dorchester and then proceeded to the preparatory school for Naval Cadets at Stubbington.  In 1895 he joined H.M.S. Britannia, following in the footsteps of Admirals Somers, Bullen, Hardy and Digby from Dorset.

Willie spent two years on board the Britannia before qualifying as a midshipman on board H.M.S Vivid.  After a year he applied for foreign service and was appointed to the Hermione, and sailed to China.  Whilst he was there, the Boxer Rebellion broke out in 1900 and the Hermione was one of three ships which sailed up the Yangzte River, and Willie took part in the capture of the Taku Forts and of Peking on 17^th August 1900.

Writing to Alfred Pope, Willie’s commander, Rear-Admiral Sir W.E. Goodenough:-

Your son took part in an expedition to Castle Peak Bay and was in charge of a boat under my command which took about five hundred soldiers across from Hong Kong to quell some native disturbances.

HMS Hermione 1893-1922

Willie was awarded the China Medal, and was promoted to acting sub-lieutenant on H.M.S. Aurora in December 1900 and returned to England in January 1901 to study at the Royal Naval College at Greenwich.  He passed his lieutenant examination in February and undertook further study at Portsmouth.

However his health was becoming affected by the frequent changes of climate and he was admitted to Haslar Hospital in October 1901.  He died of acute pneumonia on 11^th November 1901.

Willie was buried at Dorchester cemetery with naval honours and a large marble monument with an anchor was erected there.  A chancel window at Stratton Church was also installed containing the figures of St. Clement, St. Peter, St. Paul and St. Nicholas.  In the centre is shown the Angel of Hope.
 

William Eldridge Pope Memorial Window, Stratton

 

The inscription reads:

The East Window of the Church was erected to the Glory of God and in memory of Sub-Lieutenant William Eldridge Pope, R.N., who died at Haslar November 11^th, 1901, by his loving parents Alfred and Elizabeth Mary Pope.

A memorial service was held in June 1902 when the window was dedicated, and a sermon was preached on the text from Hebrews vi, 19, `Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; with the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.’

Had Sub-Lieutenant William Pope, R.N. lived until 1914, there is little doubt that he would have added to the proud war record of the Pope family in the Great War.