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Some
of HMS Firedrake's Last Crew
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Comm.
E.H.Tilden DSC. RN. |
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George
W. Simpson Able Seaman HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 George joined the Royal Navy at sixteen, he didn't want to follow in his fathers footsteps as a miner, His first ship was HMS Ashanti. |
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Albert
E. Johnstone Stoker class 1 HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 From Percy, Nr North Shields, Tyne & wear. Albert 21 was in business with his father as a dairyman before volunteering for the Navy. Albert was educated at St. John's School Percy Main. He joined the Firedrake in February 1942. |
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Billy
Kay HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December Billy From Norwich was rescued by the crew of the Sunflower. He was brought aboard unconscious but despite desperate efforts by the crew they could not revive him. He died before day break of the 17th. See P-4 |
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Wally R Jordan Wally from Wells-on-Sea Norfolk |
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Alec Baker |
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Stanley
Humphries |
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Jimmy
Barber Able Seaman HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Jimmy was 16 when he joined the Royal Navy. |
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David
Sharpe |
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G.W.Bone (Nazzer) |
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Some
of HMS Firedrake's Last Crew
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K.
M. Pascall (Tod) Leading Signalman HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Tod trained at Ganges and Chatham, he was liked by all the crew including the Officers. |
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J.
W. Hursey (Jim) Stoker 1st Class HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Jim a builder before the war came from Fulham Greater London. He was a very good darts player and all-round sportsman. He brought home embroidered cushion covers from New York, Newfoundland and other presents for his wife Jenny and sons Michael and Edward. |
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A.
T. Grace |
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S.
D. Collins Telegraphist HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Photo left was taken at Stanley’s wedding to Mickey in February 1942 Stanley joined the Navy in 1937 and trained at Chatham. He served on HM Ships the Sheffield, Royal Sovereign, Illustrious and finally joined the Firedrake at Londonderry in July 1942. |
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W.
T. Denny ( Bill ) Able Seaman HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. William known as Bill was born in Felsted in Essex. He worked in the Family business as a butcher, a fun loving mimic, lively, friendly and thoughtful and a regular church goer. |
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A.
Z. Sym Alfred Zeebrugge Sym. Born in Gillingham Kent 23rd April 1918 Joined the navy in 1937 at 18 years, first ship HMS Resolution, joined, Firedrake 1939. Engaged to Rene at Rosyth. See P-19 |
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H.
H. Spillett Stoker Petty Officer HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Harry joined the Navy in 1925. And served on the China station. When Firedrake was being repaired in Boston he spent a lot of time with the Tretton Family. Harry left a wife Irean and two children Edward and Sheila. |
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J.
W. Nichols Leading Telegraphist HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Jack had visited the Manning family in Auckland, New Zealand before the war when on HMS Achilles. He was married with a son and came from Carlton Colville, Suffolk. |
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N.
Edwards Able Seaman HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. Norman was a market gardener before joining the Navy he was married with a baby, they lived in "Femlea Road Heswell Cheshire" His surviving family have asked me to say does anyone remember Norman. See P-19 |
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Peter George Armstrong BEM. Chief Petty Officer Coxswain HMS Firedrake. K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Joined the Navy as a boy at fourteen by getting his local vicar to sign his entrance forms, Peter told the vicar his parents couldn't read or write so the vicar signed the forms. See P-12 |
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Some
of HMS Firedrake's Last Crew
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Leslie
Giles Ordinary Telegraphist HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. Leslie the son of Arthur and Alice of Tilbury, Essex. Before the war Leslie worked at the Bata Shoes factory in East Tilbury. |
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John
Trennery Canteen Manager HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. Married to Dorothy her nick name was Dona, John Came from Kingston upon Thames. Before the war he had been in partnership in a plastic's moulding company he was liked by all the crew. |
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Leonard
Browne Able Seaman HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. Leonard from Waterside Londonderry, was the youngest of 10 children, 5 of them boys, one had a reserved occupation the others went into the Army. He was married with a son Albert. His elder brother Bobby Browne, was a Leeds Utd and Irish International footballer. See P-24 |
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Jack
Wallbank |
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Robert
Bunce (Bob) P.O. R.F.R. K.I.A. 17th December 1942. Bob from Hayes in Middlesex, had served his time, but had been called up again because of the emergence. He had been a keen boxer, and had served on the China station before the war. His wife Dorcas never moved house or remarried and expected Bob to walk in one day. |
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Leslie
Best |
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Thomas
Henry Clarke E.R.A. 4 K.I.A. 17th December 1942 HMS Firedrake Thomas was married to Amelia and had a daughter Joan, they lived in the Ipswich area after moving from London. He completed his training as an ERA in April 1941 then joined the Firedrake in early 1942. |
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Douglas
Gandy Able Seaman R.N.V.R. K.I.A. 17th December 1942 From the Byker area of Newcastle upon Tyne, and had worked at the Vickers Armstrong naval Yard on the River Tyne where the Firedrake was built. He had two brothers Thomas who lived in London and Norman, who had also worked on the Firedrake when being built in the Naval Yard on the Tyne. |
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Peter
Joseph Brady Ordinary Seaman K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Peter 19, from Herne Bay Kent, was a C.W. rating doing his 6 month sea training before going to King Arthur College, Hove, to be trained as an Officer. |
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A.
Gilmour Able Seaman HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Able Seaman Gilmour came from Linlithgow Scotland no other information available as yet. |
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W.J.Odell
Ordinary Seaman HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Ordinary Seaman Odell came from Walthamstow. Son of William and Annie Elizabeth Odell, Husband of Evelyn of Christchurch, New Zealand. |
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Duncan
Heselton Walker Acting Leading Stoker K.I.A. 17th December 1942. Duncan was born in Whitby North Yorkshire. He filleted fish for Tommy Turners on the quay at Whitby before joining the Merchant Navy for a year, then he joined the Royal Navy at 18, HMS Firedrake was his first war ship. |
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Albert
Henry Forster ERA 4 HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. The son of John Thomas and Isabella Forster, of Dean Bank County Durham. |
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Owen
Stanley Howard Stoker 1st Class HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Owen age 26 had a nickname Frizz because of his wayward hair. He was married and had a son to Ada Mary Howard and lived in Terrington-st-Clement in Norfolk |
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Ronald
Gordon Totterdell Leading Telegraphist HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. Ronald joined the navy as a boy and served on the China station, on HMS Cornwall. Ronald had been ill with black water fever, and was sent home to convalescence. He had just been certified fit for duty and was drafted to join his brother on the Firedrake. Full story P-19. |
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Gerald
Norman Totteredell Ordinary Seaman HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. Gerald on leaving school joined the Police as a boy clerk. At 19 he left the Essex Constabulary to follow the seamanship steps of his younger brother, and was posted to Shotley. Then Chatham and the Firedrake and his brother. Full story on P-19. |
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Thomas
George Noble Petty Officer HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. He joined the Firedrake in April 1939 the same time as he got married. He was promoted to Petty Officer in September 1941. He left a wife (Emily) and son (Anthony) a week after his death his wife gave birth to a daughter (Brenda).See P-4 |
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Albert
Sydney Bluemel Ordinary Telegraphist HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942. Albert was the youngest in his family, he had seven brothers and sisters. Albert had been with the Firedrake only 9 months. He was married to Joan with a two year old daughter, shortly after his death Joan gave birth to another daughter. |
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Howard
Cairns Ordinary Telegraphist HMS Firedrake K.I.A. 17th December 1942 Howard had attended the math's school in Rochester, before volunteering for the RAF, but was turned down because of his eyesight but he was excepted into the Royal Navy. |
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Robert
Pickersgill |
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