Decorations None recorded More info Reuben Poole joined the navy as a Boy seaman in April 1912 and was training at HMS Ganges(Suffolk) from August 1912. He joined HMS Warrior as a Signals Boy on 1st July 1913 and was promoted to Ordinary Signalman in November 1913 and to Signalman in April 1915. The Warrior was an improved Duke of Edinburgh class armoured cruiser attached to the 1stCruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet commanded by Admiral Arbuthnot. While sweeping ahead of the battleships of the Grand Fleet on 31st May 1916, the squadron came directly into the path of the German High Seas Fleet. HMS Defence(flag) was blown up and the Warrior badly hit by at least 15 11 inch shells. She was saved from immediate disaster by the failure of HMS Warspite’s steering gear causing her to circle in the path of the German fleet and attract their fire at the crucial moment. Warrior was able to escape under her own power though badly holed. She was taken in tow by HMS Engadine at about 9.00 p.m. and she foundered at 8.25 a.m. next day when her survivors were taken off. Poole was the signalman who passed the message by flags to Engadine “Come alongside. Am sinking”. 743 of her crew of over 800 survived. The flags and Poole’s binoculars all survive at the Imperial War Museum. Following the loss of Warrior, Poole was posted to a number of shore establishments. He was rated Leading Signalman in July 1917. He saw further sea duty on HMS Delhi after the war and was invalided out of the service in 1925 suffering from Chronic Otitis Media - Right or damage to the tympanic membrane of the right ear.