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William Waller
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Early life
Early life
Waller was born in the village of Kingsteignton, Devon in 1869. He was originally an apprentice to the village blacksmith but decided to join the Royal Navy instead. He enlisted as a 14 year old boy seaman in HMS Lion, the training ship at Devonport, in September 1883.
Waller went on to serve in a variety of ships, including HMS Leander, a second class cruiser, and then the battleship, HMS Agamemnon, serving on the East Indies Station. He qualified as an Able Seaman Torpedoman in 1890. He progressed well in his career, gaining the rate of second class Petty Officer in little over three years.
Studio portrait of Petty Officer William Waller (RNSM)
Waller served in a number of other ships until drafted to HMS Hazard in August 1901. This was a gunboat stationed at Barrow-in-Furness commissioned for special service under the command of Captain Reginald Bacon.
Bacon soon became the first Inspecting Captain of submarines. Waller was by now a seasoned first class Petty Officer and selected as part of the team to test out the Navy's first submarine, Holland I. Waller served as the Navy's first Diving Coxswain for the next couple of years.
The Navy introduced British 'A' class submarines in 1904. Waller served in submarine service whilst attached to the depot ship, HMS Thames, in Portsmouth at this date. He transferred to the depot ship HMS Forth, based at Devonport, in 1905. Waller now lived nearer his wife, Louisa, and their two young daughters. He continued to serve as a Coxswain on submarines.
Follow the link to find out more about the Navy's first submarines .
