Person

Between the names of Ralph Dover and William Dixon there is a gap in the war memorial outside the Memorial Park in South Moor. In 1934 Stanley Urban District Council removed the names of three men from the memorial plaques; Wardle Robinson, Matthew Dargue and Thomas Parkin. All three men had survived the war and their names had been mistakenly inscribed on the memorial. The fact that Wardle Robinson’s name was on the memorial was pointed out in an article of December 1929 in the Stanley News, which was then syndicated as far afield as Nottingham and Falkirk. (See Supporting Materials at the bottom of this page.)

In Matthew’s case, it seems likely that he was presumed dead as he was not finally demobilised from the navy until June 1921. He had joined the navy on his 18th birthday on 3 May 1915. It is possible that he chose the navy rather than the army because of his height; 5 feet 1 inch, according to his navy service record. He started in the navy with the rank of Boy Second Class. He quickly rose to the rank of Boy First Class and then Ordinary Seaman by June 1915. By the end of the war, Matthew had achieved the rank of Able Seaman. Most of his time in the navy was spent aboard depot ships or working at naval bases in this country.

However, it does seem likely that he saw active service. From June 1915 to May 1916 he served aboard HMS Russell. During this period the Russell was sent to the Dardanelles in a supporting role. In January 1916, the Russell participated in the evacuation of Cape Helles. She was the last battleship of the British Dardanelles Squadron to leave the area.

During 1919-1920, Matthew also served aboard HMS Calypso.

Birth date: 03-May-1897

Death date: 1973

Armed force/civilian: Navy

Residence: 14 High Street, Stanley (1901 census)
52 Townley Street, Stanley (1911 census)
18 Second Street, South Moor (family home in 1919, Thomas Dargue army service record)
New Kyo (1934 Falkirk Herald article)
8 Railway Gardens, Stanley (1939 register)

Employment: Pit boy (1915 navy service record)
Miner, hewer, incapacitated (1939 register)

Family: Parents: George Dargue, Elizabeth Dargue (1901 census)
Step-father: Martin Joyce (born in America)
Siblings: Thomas Dargue, Jane Dargue, Georgina Dargue
Step-siblings: Bernard Joyce, Jane Joyce
Half-siblings: Stephen Joyce, Frances Mary Joyce, Martin Joyce, Margaret Joyce (1911 census and service record of Thomas Dargue)
Wife: Esther Wright (married 1923)

Military service:

Enlisted: 3 May 1915
Rank: Boy Second Class
Promoted: Boy First Class, 16 June 1915
Promoted: Ordinary Seaman, 17 June 1915
Promoted: Able Seaman, 31 July 1919
Demoblised: 2 June 1921

Gender: Male

Contributed by Durham County Record Office