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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
William J. McCluney was born 09 Feb 1897, Belfast, Ireland. William joined the Royal Navy in 1915. During the Second World War he was loaned to the RCN and served at HMCS CORNWALLIS. After the war he served for a short period at HMCS TECUMSEH as a recruiter. He married Evelyn Marie Bois (born 1908) in Montreal, Quebec. Voter records show him living in Montreal between 1953 and 1972. No records can be found on him after 1972.
Based on his service records, Bill had a very interesting career during WW1. He served with the Royal Marine Brigade in France in 1916. In 1917-1918, he served in HMS DORIS while she was stationed in India as a depot ship / hulk. While serving in her, he recounted how they were fed salt pork dated 1895 - two years older than he was.
Medals awarded for his service during the First World War: The Victory Medal, the 1914-1915 Medal, and the British War Medal.
From 02 to 07 Apr 1919, while serving in HMS Glory, Flagship of the British North Russia Squadron, he was landed for active service in Russia during the British support against the Bolshevik revolution.
Historical note: HMS GLORY was re-commissioned on 1 August 1916 to serve as the flagship for Rear-Admiral Thomas Kemp, British North Russia Squadron, along with the protected cruiser HMS VINDICTIVE and six minesweepers. She had some of her guns removed to increase accommodation space for more Royal Marines. In this duty, she was based at Archangel to protect supplies that arrived there for the Russian Army. The squadron's mission evolved after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 into preventing the supplies that had been delivered from falling into the hands of the Red Army. Nevertheless, Kemp maintained good relations with the local communist leadership; on 6 March 1918, Kemp reached an agreement with the authorities in Murmansk to send ashore a party of 130 marines from Glory to help defend the city from a feared invasion by neighboring Finland. She sent further men to reinforce the marines, along with Lewis guns and a 12-pounder gun, the latter from the armoured cruiser HMS COCHRANE. Finnish forces attempted to seize nearby Pechenga as a first step toward advancing on Murmansk, but the attack broke down after COCHRANE contributed marines and gunfire support to its defence.
While serving in HMCS KING GEORGE V Bill was landed in Turkey to aid at Smyrna in 1922.
Historical note: After the war, King George V became flagship of the Home Fleet and then of the Reserve Fleet before she was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet in late 1920. The ship evacuated refugees during the Great fire of Smyrna in September 1922 before returning home at the beginning of 1923.
Photo: The burning of Smyrna as seen from HMS KING GEORGE V - The Burning of Smyrna, taken from the forebridge of HMS King George V: HMS Iron Duke stands in the foreground against "an unbroken wall of fire, two miles long". This photograph was published as the centrefold (pp. 504–505) in The Illustrated London News - September 30, 1922)
After the First World War from 12 May 1929 to 20 May 1931 he served in HMS BEE, a River Patrol Gunboat on the China Station - flagship of the Yangtze River Patrols.
On 29 Jun 1930 PO W.J McCluney, J20918, was presented with the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal awarded 17 May 1930.
Ships served in (while on loan to the RCN) * Listed as a Commissioned Gunner (T) (seniority 15 Sep 1942) (Navy List Mar 1943) HMCS CORNWALLIS - Appointed to Cornwallis 17 Oct 1942 as a Gnr *, RCN "On Loan to RCN" (Navy List Aug 1943 - May 1945) RCN BARRACKS HALIFAX - Appointed to RCN Barracks Halifax, Gunnery School 26 Nov 1945 as a Cd Gunner*, RCN (seniority 01 Jul 1945) (Navy List Apr 1946) HMCS TECUMSEH - Appointed to Tecumseh 02 Jan 1947 as a Cd Gunner*, RCN (Navy List Jun 1947) * Appointment Terminated (Demobilized) 30 Sep 1947 as a Cd Gunner* RCN (Navy List Jan 1948) * Retired List - as a Lt*, RCN (seniority 01 Jul 1946), Commissioned Officer from Warrant Rank (seniority 01 Jul 1945) (Navy List Jul 1948 - Jul 1959) * Last noted in the Navy List of Jan 1959 on the RCN Retired List as a Lt*, RCN
Notes: (1) " * " - After the rank of Warrant Officer or after his name indicates that promotion was made subject to special conditions in General Orders (2) "Lt*" - Denotes a Lieutenant on the Branch Officer List
Note: The photo of Evelyn and Bill was taken at the famous Montreal restaurant "Au lutin qui bouffe". See photos and link below.
(1) photo credit: Archives de la Ville de Montréal V1.194-Z74-1 (2) Postcard from the 1950s - Chef Joseph McAbbie with his famous piglet (3) photo credit: BanQ Québec. Collection Magella Bureau. P547,S1,SS1,SSS1,D2-39
Article on the history of the restaurant "Au lutin qui bouffe"
Photos courtesy of Jody Woods Click on the above photo to view larger images
Royal Navy Service Record for William J. McCluney Courtesy of Jody Woods Click on the above records to view larger images
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