David Thomas Price – Royal Naval Reserve, H.M. Drifter Talbot

Stoker David Thomas Price – Royal Naval Reserve, H.M. Drifter Talbot

Early Life

David Thomas Price was born in 1897 in Swansea, the youngest son of Edwin Price and Jessie Price. Growing up in the working‑class, maritime community of St Thomas, he would have been surrounded by the docks, shipyards, and busy coastal trade that shaped Swansea at the start of the 20th century.

1911 Census

According to the 1911 Census, the Price family were living at 20 Middleton Street, St Thomas, Swansea. David’s father, Edwin Price, aged 54 and originally from Devon, worked as a Dock Platelayer, while his mother, Jessie Price, aged 47 and born in Somerset, ran the family home. Their four children were also living at the address: Edwin John, aged 20 and working as a Dock Labourer; Nora Cecilia, aged 19; Brinley William, aged 15, employed as a Printer’s Assistant; and David Thomas, aged 14, working as a Grocer’s Errand Boy. The occupations within the household reflect the typical working‑class life of early 20th‑century Swansea, where many young people entered work early to support their families.

Military Service

As the First World War progressed, David joined the Royal Naval Reserve, serving as a Stoker. This demanding role required long hours in the ship’s stokehold, shovelling coal into boilers in extremely hot, cramped, and physically punishing conditions. Stokers were essential to the running of every naval vessel, and the work carried significant risk, especially on small auxiliary craft.

H.M. Drifter Talbot

H.M. Drifter Talbot was one of the many small fishing drifters hired by the Admiralty for wartime service. These vessels formed the backbone of the Royal Navy’s coastal defence and anti‑submarine operations, tending nets, patrolling minefields, and guarding vital waterways. Conditions on board were basic and often harsh, particularly for stokers working in the hot, confined boiler rooms below deck. Drifters like Talbot frequently operated in exposed areas where sickness was common, and many crewmen who died of illness at sea were buried aboard ship. Although detailed records of Talbot have not survived, her duties would have followed this demanding and hazardous pattern, demonstrating the difficult environment in which Stoker David Thomas Price served and ultimately lost his life.

Death

David died of disease on 6^th September 1918 while serving aboard H.M. Drifter Talbot. Illness was a constant threat on small naval vessels, where cramped conditions and limited medical facilities meant infections could spread quickly. His death occurred just two months before the end of the First World War, marking a poignant loss for both his family and his community.

Commemoration

David Thomas Price
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth
credit - findagrave

David is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, which honours those who served at sea and have no known grave. His name stands among thousands of others who gave their lives during the war, ensuring he is remembered for his service and sacrifice