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Age-21

70, Ennis Road, Plumstead

HMS Monmouth was an armoured cruiser and in the autumn of 1914 she joined the 4th Cruiser Squadron commanded by Rear Admiral Craddock which sailed to the South American coast to search out German raiders. 4th Cruiser Squadron was then sent to find the German East Asia Squadron and prevent them from entering the southern Atlantic. On 1st November 1914 the two opposing squadrons came face to face off the coast of Chile in the Battle of Coronel. The German squadron was bigger and its ships were more powerful and in the ensuing battle HMS Monmouth was lost with all hands, including over fifty men from London. One of these was Reginald Gibbs.