Edward Bingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edward Barry Stewart Bingham
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Mural in Kilcooley
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| Born | 26 July 1881 Bangor Castle, County Down, Ireland, UK |
| Died | 24 September 1939 Central London, England, UK |
| Buried |
Golders Green cemetery, London
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| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1895 – 1932 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Order of the British Empire Order of St. Stanislaus of Russia (2nd Class with swords) |
| Relations | John Bingham, 5th Baron Clanmorris (father) |
Rear Admiral Edward Barry Stewart Bingham was a brave officer in the Royal Navy. He served during the First World War. He earned the highest award for bravery, the Victoria Cross, for his actions in a huge sea battle. This battle was called the Battle of Jutland.
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Edward Bingham: A War Hero
Edward Bingham was born on July 26, 1881, in Bangor Castle, County Down, Ireland. He was the third son of Lord Clanmorris. Edward went to school at Arnold House. He also trained on a special ship called HMS Britannia. This training prepared him for a life in the Royal Navy.
Edward joined the Royal Navy in 1895. He started as a young officer, called an acting sub-lieutenant. By 1901, he became a full sub-lieutenant. When the First World War began, he was made a Commander. This meant he was a senior officer on a large warship. His ship was HMS Invincible. This ship fought in the Battle of the Falkland Islands in December 1914.
The Battle of Jutland
On May 31, 1916, a massive naval battle took place. It was called the Battle of Jutland. This battle happened off the coast of Denmark. Commander Bingham was in charge of a group of small, fast ships called destroyers. He led his destroyers into the fight.
A Brave Attack
First, Bingham's destroyers attacked enemy destroyers. Then, they faced much bigger German warships. These were the battle cruisers of the German High Seas Fleet. Bingham was very brave. He ordered his own destroyer, HMS Nestor, and another ship, HMS Nicator, to get very close to the enemy. They came within 2,750 meters. This was so they could fire their powerful torpedoes.
While they were attacking, the German fleet fired many guns at them. Bingham's ship, Nestor, was hit and sank. But his actions were incredibly brave. For this, he was given the Victoria Cross. This is one of the highest awards for bravery in the British military. Not many naval officers received it during the First World War.
After the War
After his ship sank, the Germans rescued Bingham. He became a prisoner of war. He was held in a camp called Holzminden. He stayed there until the war ended in 1918. After the war, he continued to serve in the Royal Navy. He retired in 1932 as a Rear Admiral. Edward Bingham passed away in 1939. He is buried in the Golders Green cemetery in London.
His Victoria Cross Medal
Edward Bingham's Victoria Cross medal is very special. In 1983, it was sold at an auction. A local council bought it. They wanted to keep it in his home area. The medal is now on display at the North Downs Museum in Bangor Castle.
Later, Bingham's Victoria Cross and another medal were stolen. But the thief was quickly caught. Experts helped value the medals. They were worth a lot of money. The medals were safely returned.
