Royal Artillery explosion Shoeburyness Essex 1885

Gunner Allen was killed instantly having his right leg blown away and was all but decapitated, a piece of the shell striking him in the neck and nearly severing his head. Colonel Fox-Strangeways had one foot blown off and his leg shattered; Colonel Lyon had both legs blown off just below the thigh; Captain Goold-Adams had both legs blown off and his face mutilated; and Sergeant-Major Daykin had one leg blown off from the thigh; Gunner Underwood had his leg blown off, and another gunner was wounded severely. Mr. Rance was severely wounded in the leg, while Mr. Lowe, assistant manager of the Woolwich laboratory and others had narrow escapes.

Captain Goold-Adams and Sergeant Major Daykin both succumbed to their injuries. Colonel Fox-Strangways and Colonel Lyon had both legs amputated above the knee. However both succumbed from exhaustion and died next day. Gunner Underwood also succumbed to his injuries.

When the funerals of four of the victims took place with full military honours on 2 March 1885 at St. Andrew's church, Shoebury, ‘every shop and factory in the whole of Southend District closed’,[4] The explosion, the funerals, and the inquest were reported in the local press.[5] The funeral service for Captain Goold-Adams was conducted by the rector of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, that of Sergeant-Major Daykin by the chaplain to the forces, and that of Gunners Allen and Underwood by the rector of Prittlewell, Essex.[6] There is a memorial tablet to all the victims in the garrison church at Shoeburyness; the officer's grave, close to the south door of St. Andrew's church, is marked by a gravestone as is that of Sergeant Major Sam Daykin elsewhere in the churchyard.[7]

Monumental inscription: In beloved memory of / Francis Michael Goold Adams / Captain Royal Artillery / aged 30 Years / who was killed by the bursting of a shell at Shoeburyness / whilst in the execution of his duty[8]

Francis Goold-Adams' younger brother Major Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams (1858-1920) was a colonial administrator and Governor of Queensland from 1915 to 1920. Three of the dead from the explosion were buried elsewhere: Commandant Fox Strangeways at Exeter, Devon; Colonel Lyon at Warrington, Cheshire; and Mr Rance at Woolwich, Kent. In memory of the dead a memorial hospital for the families of officers and soldiers of the Shoeburyness garrison was opened by voluntary subscription.[9] This was later taken over as a military hospital in 1909 and was in use throughout the First World War. Captain Goold Adams’ widow later remarried and died at Steyning in Sussex, she too was buried in St. Andrew's churchyard next to her late husband:

Monumental inscription: In loving memory of / Evaline Lucy Phillips / widow of / Captain Francis Michael Goold Adams R.A. and wife of / Harry S.F. Jebb of Tullich Lodge Ballater N.B. / born 8 May 1861 passed away 2 March 1907 / whom God's hand rests on / has God at his right hand[10]

One fortunate escape from the 1885 explosion was that of Major John Bally, who was walking near to the smith's shop at the time; ‘a splinter flying over the roof of the shop struck him, but was embedded in a book in his side-pocket and he was saved from serious injury’.[11] Major Bally later became Major-General Commanding Artillery Gibraltar (1902-5).[12] He died at Shoeburyness and is buried close to the south porch at St. Andrew's church:

Monumental inscription: John Ford Bally C.V.O. / Major-General Royal Artillery / 22 September 1911 aged 67 years[13]