504125 C.P.O. Harry Trowbridge Royal Navy HMS Electra
My Uncle was Acting Stoker, P.O., Harry Trowbridge, he served on board HMS Electra, and I have a small HMS Electra ID. booklet showing his name, rating, part of ship, Mess No. and religion.
Following the sinking of the Electra, my Aunt was extremely concerned for his wellbeing and wrote to the Admiralty requesting information on the 25th of March 1942. A reply was received in April 1942 stating that my Uncle was confirmed as a survivor from HMS Electra and had been landed at Fremantle, Australia.
Following that my Uncle was “loaned” to the Australian Navy and in July 1942 my Aunt wrote to the Admiralty to enquire of the exact position. In September 1942 she received a letter from the Admiralty confirming that my Uncle was “on loan” to the Australian Navy but that his case and the cases of other ratings similarly placed, necessitated enquiries being made of the Australian Naval Authorities.
I have a postcard with a photograph of a ship set in the outline of Australia – it looks like a destroyer and has the number J186 printed on its side. I believe my Uncle stayed with the Australian Navy for approximately 2 years.
I am pleased to say that my Uncle continued to serve the British Navy until the end of the War. I have a photograph of him when he served on HMS Royal Oak and he also served on HMS Foxhound and T.S.S. Athenia sunk by a German submarine on 3rd of September, 1939.
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