Stirling W D Lt HMS Monmouth Royal Navy
STIRLING, WILFRED DIXON, Lieut., Royal Navy, s. of Col. James Wilfrid Stirling, of The Grange, Rockbeare, Devon, now commanding 72nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, by his wife, Cecil Mary, dau. of Major-Gen. Dixon Edward Hoste, C.B., R.A.; b. Pennycross, near Devonport, 12 Sept. 1886; educ. Cheltenham College, and passed direct into H.M.S. Britannia in 1901 and passed out 5th in his term in Dec. 1902, having been awarded the Diploma of Honour as selected Candidate of his term for His Majesty’s medal; entered the Navy as Midshipman, 16 Dec. 1902; promoted Sub- Lieut., 15 March, 1906, and Lieut., 16 June, 1907; served as Midshipman in H.M.S. Bacchante, under Capt. (afterwards Admiral Sir) Christopher Cradock; qualified as Navigating Officer in 1907, and acted in that capacity successively in H.M. ships Ringdove, Media, Attentive and Grafton; was Instructor in Navigation to Cadets at Dartmouth, Jan. 1913, to Aug. 1914; appointed Navigating Lieut., H.M.S. Monmouth (Capt. Brandt), Aug. 1914, and was lost when that ship was sunk in the battle off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914; unm.
From many appreciative letters the following sentence is taken from that of a brother officer: “His was a glorious example, and if anything can lessen the terrible sorrow you and Col. Stirling are suffering it must be the knowledge that his life was well lived and his duty nobly done.”
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1