This article is the result of an in-depth research programme which has been undertaken concerning Masters in the RFA.

With the start of the RFA the ships deck officers for many years had served their Apprenticeships on sailing ships and Captain John Hurst was one such officer.

John Hurst was born in London on 20 January 1887 and after his usual schooling he entered the training ship HMS Worcester, the Thames Nautical Training College at Greenhithe, as a Cadet serving on board her for just one year. He came ashore on 14 April 1904

HMS Worcester

On 9 November 1904 he signed articles as an Apprentice with T. Dunlop & Sons of Glasgow and was appointed to their four masted steel barque Clan Galbraith

Clan Galbraith

The Clan Galbraith sailed all over the world particularly in Australian waters.

Apprentice John Hurst remained on the Clan Galbraith until 8 November 1907 when he was appointed, on the 11 November 1907, to another T. Dunlop & Sons’ ship – the ss Queen Mary as an uncertificated 3rd Mate.

His service with T Dunlop & Sons continued on the Queen Mary until 17 July 1908 when he was granted leave.

Dunlop’s next appointment for John Hurst was on their ss Queen Elizabeth on 26 November 1908 again as an uncertificated 3rd Mate. The Queen Elizabeth had commenced service on 9 September 1907 and was actually owned by Merito Shipping Co Ltd., one of the Dunlop group of companies.

Hurst signed off the Queen Elizabeth on 15 April 1909 and took study leave. He sat the examination for the Certificate of Competency as 2nd Mate at London Dock Street on the 28 June 1909 and was successful

The 3 September 1909 found John Hurst signing on another of T Dunlop & Sons ships – the ss Queen Louise – as 2nd Mate and he remained on this ship until 9 October 1910

On 19 November 1910 he sat for his Certificate of Competency as First Mate again at London Dock Street and passed

A short period of leave followed before he was at sea again, this time still as 2nd Mate on another of Dunlop’s ships – the ss Queen Eugenie

This time he remained on board, with two short periods of leave, until 9 October 1912

Further study leave followed and on 3 January 1913 at London Dock Street he sat the examination and passed his Certificate of Competency as a Foreign Going Master

John Hurst’s advancement in rank and service on the various ships in the fleet of T Dunlop & Sons continued

On 21 May 1913 he was appointed as Mate on yet another of their vessels – this time it was the ss Queen Margaret where he remained until September 1915.

With the 1st World War well underway it is not surprising that John Hurst joined the Royal Naval Reserve. On 5 November 1915 he was appointed Temporary Sub-Lieutenant RNR and details of this appointment were Gazetted on 12 November 1915. On the 16 November 1915 he was appointed to HMS Excellent where he remained until 10 January 1916. The following day he was appointed to HMS Alecto as Navigating Officer.

HMS Alecto

His Commanding Officer reported that he was a careful and zealous navigating officer

On 17 December 1916 he was on the move again when he was appointed as the Navigating Officer of HMS Bramble.

HMS Bramble

On the date of his appointment HMS Bramble was in dry dock in Bombay, India. Sub-Lieutenant Hurst sailed from the UK on the ss Palitana and he caught up with Bramble when she was alongside at Kuwait.

On 5 November 1917 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant RNR.

In 20 October 1918 sickness was a serious issue onboard the ship. HMS Bramble was at anchor at Basra with 65 on the sick list. The Captain, 3 officers and 29 of the ratings were discharged to hospital with one rating dying. Two days later a further 12 ratings were admitted to hospital. Three others deaths occurred among the crew and funeral parties were landed from the ship on the 23rd, the 27th and 28th October 1918 to bury the deceased in Basra War Cemetery. It does not appear that Lieutenant Hurst was affected by the sickness as his initials appear on each page of the ships log while the Captain was in Hospital.

The Bramble’s Commanding Officer reported that Lieutenant Hurst carried out his duties with great ability.

Lieutenant John Hurst left HMS Bramble on 4 September 1919 while the ship was berthed at Karachi, Pakistan but he was not demobilised until he arrived home on 16 October 1919.

John Hurst now entered the RFA when on 8 May 1920 he was appointed Chief Officer of RFA Limol, then on 21 January 1921 he received a fresh appointment to RFA Belgol as Chief Officer until 24 August 1921. His next appointment, again as Chief Officer, was on RFA Olna (1) from 1 September 1921 until 27 May 1923.

His next RFA appointment was back to RFA Limol on 24 August 1923 when he was appointed as Acting Master until 22 December 1924.

RFA Limol – Captain John Hurst’s first command in the RFA

There followed commands of a series of different RFAs

23 April 1925                       RFA Bacchus (1)
1 November 1926                  RFA Prestol
20 November 1926                RFA Delphinula
10 December 1926                RFA Pearleaf (1)
4 May 1928                          RFA Montenol
2 July 1929                          RFA Dredgol
27 July 1929                        RFA Montenol
21 October 1929                   RFA Limol
6 November 1929                  RFA Appleleaf (1)

Captain Hurst was taken ill while in command of RFA Appleleaf (1) and had to return home for treatment on 18 June 1930

After treatment his commands continued: –

18 December 1930                RFA Fortol

On 30 January 1931 RFA Fortol was in collision with the ss Kittiwake while underway and turning in thick fog in the River Clyde. Fortol was held to blame for the collision but as the pilot was in charge and had given the vital order which caused the collision no blame was attributable to Captain Hurst.

3 May 1931                         RFA War Hindoo
5 January 1932                    RFA Petroleum

Unfortunately RFA Petroleum grounded on 31 January 1932 and Captain Hurst was advised to exercise greater care in navigation.

11 August 1932                   RFA Elmol
25 April 1933                      RFA Prestol

During his command of RFA Prestol Captain Hurst suffered several periods of sickness

7 December 1933                 RFA Birchol (1)
15 January 1934                   RFA Petroleum
16 August 1934                    RFA Brambleleaf (1)

Captain Hurst’s illness returned while the ship was at Malta and he had to give up command of RFA Brambleleaf (1) with effect from 4 February 1935

He returned to the UK from Malta on the P & O liner Ranchi which arrived at London on 15 February 1935.

With no prospect of regaining full health he retired from the Service.

By April 1941 he was in command of the m.v. Sea Bequest a vessel owned by the Ministry of Shipping and which was home ported at Portsmouth. The ship was only 14 grt and had a crew of four which included the Master and it apparently lacked accommodation for any of the crew.

On 25 April 1941 Captain Hurst was seen entering the Maddens Hotel, premises just outside Portsmouth and Southsea Railway Station. On 27 April 1941 Maddens Hotel was hit by a German parachute mine which, when it exploded, flattened the Hotel killing all 28 guests and staff. Captain Hurst’s remains were not discovered in demolished Hotel until 29 April 1941.

Captain Hurst was buried in Ann’s Hill Cemetery, Gosport on 5 May 1941.

His death is recorded in the Debt of Honour of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records of Civilian War Dead

May he rest in peace