HMS Hood - 24th May 1941
May 23, 2012 18:41:10 GMT
Post by Hawker Hurricane on May 23, 2012 18:41:10 GMT
HMS HOOD SUNK
At around 0600 on 24th May 1941, in an engagement which came to be called the Battle of Denmark Strait, the pride the British Navy, HMS Hood was lost with all but three hands. From a total compliment of 1,418, a total of 1,415 lost their lives.
HMS Hood (Pennant Number 51) has been launched on 22nd August 1918 and commissioned 15th May 1920, the last of four 'Admiral Class' battlecruisers ordered in mid-1916 for the Royal Navy. By the outbreak of World War II, HMS Hood had won the hearts and admiration of the Nation and the Commonwealth, and was very fondly regarded.
On the evening of 18th May 1941 as 2130, Germany's newest battleship, "the largest and most powerful warship afloat", the Bismarck, had sailed in company with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen from Gotenhafen on her mission to break out into the North Atlantic and attack Britian's convoys. The threat was such that, in order to prevent her getting loose in the North Atlantic, the Navy despatched every vessel they could spare to locate and engage Bismarck and Prinz Eugen.
Bismarck and Prinz Eugen had managed to put out to sea under the cover of thick cloud, and thereby evaded detection for a long period. However, they were finally detected and shadowed by the Royal Navy's heavy cruisers Norfolk and Suffolk, who directed both HMS Hood, and the newly built HMS Prince of Wales in intercept.
During the battle which followed at first light on 24th May 1941, HMS Hood received a direct hit from Bismarck's guns and quite literally 'blew up'. Prince of Wales also received significant damage, whilst both Bismarck and Prinz Eugen came through relatively unscathed. Prinz Eugen later detached from Bismarck and headed eventually for the port of Brest.
Such was the perceived threat of Bismarck however that the Admiralty were ordered quite literally to sink her at all costs. It took until the 27th May to sink the Bismarck as she herself headed for Brest, her progress largely slowed by rudder damage inflicted by torpedo dropped by an obosolete Swordfish biplane from the carrier HMS Ark Royal.
Three Salford men lost their lives in HMS Hood as follows:
HULME, ARTHUR Rank: Wireman
Service No: P/MX 68004
Date of Death: 24/05/1941
Age: 33
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
H.M.S. Hood
Panel Reference: Panel 57, Column 1.
Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of Arthur and Sarah Hulme; husband of Elizabeth Hulme, of Salford, Lancashire.
JONES, ROBERT WILLIAM Rank: Boy 1st Class
Service No: P/JX 175970
Date of Death: 24/05/1941
Age: 16
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
H.M.S. Hood
Panel Reference: Panel 51, Column 3.
Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of John and Mary C. Jones, of Patricroft, Lancashire. Third youngest crewmember lost on the Hood.
TAYLOR, CHARLES Rank: Leading Seaman
Service No: P/JX 137675
Date of Death: 24/05/1941
Age: 24
Regiment/Service: Royal Navy
H.M.S. Hood
Panel Reference: Panel 47, Column 1.
Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of Charles and Maud Taylor, of Salford, Manchester.
In addition, the following Marine from Bolton also lost his life:
HALL, THOMAS Rank: Marine
Service No: PO/X 2844
Date of Death: 24/05/1941
Regiment/Service: Royal Marines
H.M.S. Hood.
Panel Reference: Panel 59, Column 1.
Memorial: PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of William Henry and Gertrude Alice Hall, of Bolton, Lancashire.
All who died in the destruction of HMS Hood are also commemorated at the Hood Chapel in the Church of St. John the Baptist at Boldre in Hampshire. None of the 1,415 bodies of those who perished were recovered for burial.
A wealth of information about the history and crew of HMS Hood, including details and images of the men who perished, and details of the three survivors can be found at the HMS Hood Association website: www.hmshood.com/
:poppy: WE WILL REMEMBER THEM :poppy:
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