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Some
of HMS Firedrake's Last Crew
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Comm.
E.H.Tilden DSC. RN.
Commanding Officer
HMS Firedrake
K.I.A. 17th December 1942
Eric Henry (Tom) Tilden was married with four children. He had
been in the Royal Navy for 23 years and was an anti submarine
specialist he'd served on many ships and been commander of the
ASDIC school at Dunoon. See P-17
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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
Able Seaman
HMS
Firedrake
K.I.A.
17th December 1942.
Wally
from Wells-on-Sea Norfolk
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Alec Baker
Telegraphist
HMS
Firedrake
K.I.A.
17th December 1942
Alec joined the navy soon after the out break of war previously
he worked for a Chemicals Company. Alec leaves a wife and son.
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Stanley
Humphries
Able
Seaman
HMS
Firedrake
K.I.A.
17th December 1942
Stan joined the Royal Navy in 1934 his first ship was HMS Duchess
stationed at the China station. He joined the Firedrake in 1938.
See P-11
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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
Stoker
2 class
HMS
Firedrake
K.I.A. 17th December 1942
David from Falkirk, was 40 years of age joined the Firedrake in
October 1942.
He leave a wife Isabell.
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G.W.Bone (Nazzer)
Able Seaman
HMS
Firedrake
K.I.A.
17th December 1942
Close mate of Bert How who survived the sinking because he was
on a S.D. course at Dunoon in Scotland no other information available.
See P-8
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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
Ordinary
Seaman
HMS
Firedrake
K.I.A. 17th December 1942.
Arthur was a Builders Labourer before joining the Navy in September
1941. He trained at Ganges and Chatham.
And joined the Firedrake at Greenock in April 1942.
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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
Supplies Petty Officer
HMS Firedrake
K.I.A. 17th December 1942.
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 |
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
ERA 1
K.I.A. 17th December 1942.
Jack from Bradford Yorkshire was married to Winifred and had a
daughter Julie. Before the war Jack had been in the merchant navy
with the Leyland Line. After joining the RN he was out on the
China station on HMS Diana there he had a pet monkey he called
Jacko. See P-18
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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
Telegraphist.
Leslie was though
to have been lost with the Firedrake on the 17/12/1942. But then
friends in America received a letter from him saying he was OK.
So they wrote back to him at his new address Cookham Camp Rochester
Kent, only to have that returned and be told that he had been
reported missing.
From information received Leslie Best Telegraphist was killed
9th March 1943 while serving on MV Bonneville.
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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
Petty Officer
HMS Firedrake
K.I.A. 17th December 1942.
Robert joined the Navy as a boy, he served on various ships including
HMS Eagle and HMS Rowena.
He was married to Hilda in 1937 and had two children Mike and
Barbara.
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