501714 Stoker George Albert Craven Navy HMS Electra My Grandfather, George Albert Craven, was a Stoker on HMS Electra. He was working in the engine room when it was struck by enemy fire and was blinded by the blast, which had blown the retinas away from the back of his eyes, and was also badly burnt on his upper body. He was helped off the ship and into the water by his shipmates and was subsequently rescued by a US Navy submarine. He was eventually shipped home towards the end of 1942 after several months in hospital where he underwent surgery to repair the damage to his eyes. His eyesight was restored although he had to wear spectacles for the rest of his life. He didn't talk much about his wartime experiences but he did tell me a few things, like what it was like on Russian convoy escort, how they had expected to pick up many crewmen from the Hood but were shocked to find only three and how disturbed he had been by what he saw and heard during the sinking of the Repulse.
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