212458 C.Stkr. John Henry Walton Royal Navy HMS Nigeria from:Dagenham Both my father, John Henry Walton and his brother Stanley Walton, served on the HMS Nigeria. Although this was not allowed. My uncle Stanley Walton had lied about his age and about his family connection.
When this was discovered they both had to see the Captain, who after much consideration allowed them to continue serving together, as my father was a stoker therefore working in the bowels of the ship, and my uncle was a signalman, therefore working on deck, so the Captain decided that it was less likely that both would be killed at the same time!
My father served from 1939 right until 1946 on the same ship, spending 9 months in America whilst the ship was being refitted, following Operation Pedestal. My Uncle joined after the ship returned from America. Sadly, their time in the far East, caused a mole on my uncle's face to react to the strong sunlight, and he died of melanoma in 1956, at the age of just 25 years. My father lived until age 70 but rarely talked of his experiences during the war. We heard a lot about his time in America, and for may years received parcels from the family with whom he had stayed.
I have learned so much from Jack Edward's book, and now from the research on the internet. What brave men they all were.
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