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Those known to have sailed in HMS Illustrious during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Clark John Thomas. PO,
- Hopkins Hugh. Ld.Sea
- Johnson Charles Thomas. CPO.
- Lavender Geoffrey.
- O'Donnell William Charles Gerald. PO/Stok. (d.19th Feb 1944)
- Wall John Francis. AB.
- Webb John. PO.
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
Records of HMS Illustrious from other sources.
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Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Want to know more about HMS Illustrious? There are:22 items tagged HMS Illustrious available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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AB. John Francis Wall HMS Illustrious My Grandad, Jack Wall volunteered on the 19th of March 1941 and enlisted in the Royal Navy at Devonport.
He entered under NS( AF) Oct 1939.
He trained at HMS Raleigh 19th March to 26th March 1941
transferred to HMS Drake 27th March - 30th June 1941
He joined HMS Illustrious (aircraft carrier) 25th Dec 1941 - 11th Oct 1942 and served in the Loader gunnery station. He was in HMS Assigai 12th Oct 42 - 8th Nov 1942, HMS Lanka 9th Oct 1942 -3rd July 1944
Returned to HMS Drake 4th July 1944 - 2 Jan 1945
then HMS Malaya 13th Jan 1945 - 6th March 1945
HMS Drake 7th March to 21st Dec 1945 when he was released in class A Reserve.
Jack was wounded in action on 19th of March 1945. He visited Bombay,
Durban, Cape Town and Mombasa.
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PO. John "Herbie" Webb HMS Illustrious    My father John Webb was an Officer's Steward PO on board HMS Illustrious, an Aircraft Carrier of the Mediterranean Fleet. Some time between 1940 and 1942 he found himself as part of the allied forces besieged by Italy and Germany on the Island of Malta. (Sorry I cannot be more specific about dates here). He was serving at a joint RAF and Fleet Air Arm air station at Hal
Far, which is on the heights above much of Malta.
During our honeymoon to the Island in July 2004 I was able to visit the site and the nearby hospital which my father was in for a while, not sure why.
Dad was profoundly deaf after the war: he always told the story of how at his discharge medical the MO said I've been calling you, Webb for some time and you have not responded, I'd better check your hearing. It was then discovered that Dad had suffered substantial damage to both his ears. He then recalled a time during an air raid as he was running to a bomb shelter outside the Hospital, he was lifted from the ground and thrown down the bomb shelters' steep steps. He was certain that was when he was made deaf. When I went to the Hospital site that July in 2004, many workmen from several different countries of origin that now lived in Malta, were busy converting the building into a residential centre for asylum seekers that were coming in large numbers to Malta.
With their help I was able to find and enter the very same bomb shelter my Dad had taken refuge in on that awful day when he was deafened by the blast from an Italian bomb dropped so close to the Military Hospital. It was a very moving experience as many of the workmen had relatives that had served and some that had died in action during WW2. We shared a group hug before I left.
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Geoffrey Lavender HMS Illustrious Geoffrey Lavender graduated from class 241, HMS Royal Arthur, and later served on HMS Illustrious.
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PO, John Thomas Clark HMS Raven My late grandfather, John Clark, was an aircraft mechanic, Chief Petty Officer. He served in World War Two with the Royal Navy, and then backed up in the Korean War with the Royal Australian Navy.
Ships that Jack served on:
- HMS Drake
- HMS Raven
- HMS Condor
- HMS Illustrious
- HMS Owl
- HMS Jackdaw
- HMS Waxwing
- HMS Haloford
- HMS Daedalus
- HMS Saket
- HMS Bheninda
- HMS Landrail
- HMS Sydney
- HMS Albatross
- HMS Glory
- HMS Nirimba
- HMS Penguin
- HMS Vengeance
- HMS Heron
Jack was a merchant seaman before he joined the Royal Navy. He spent about 15 years at sea.
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Ld.Sea Hugh Hopkins HMS Illustrious My father served on the following ships:
HMS Illustrious Oct 1941-Oct 1942
HMS Assegai 12-20th Oct 1942
HMS Harrow Oct 1942-Sept 1944
HMS Black Swan June 1945-Sept 1945
HMS Slinger 7th Oct-25th Oct 1945
HMS Drake and HMS Golden Hind 26th Oct _,13th Feb 1946
I am trying to find out which activities these vessels were involved in and where these took place. I would be grateful for any help from anybody with information.
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CPO. Charles Thomas "Snowy" Johnson HMS Nelson My father, Charles Thomas Johnson, joined the Royal Navy in 1936 by enrolling at HMS Ganges as a boy. He went on to serve until 1961, attaining the rank of CPO Gunner's Mate, of which he was understandable proud. During the war he served on a number of ships in a number of theatres, here are some, HMS Nelson, HMS Mayala, HMS Valient, HMS Indomitable, HMS Illustrious, and quite a few more besides. He was an ardent hockey player and boxer, as well as being a bit of a lad. He left us with many sailor tails of life at sea, and fun ashore. If any old ships or their families who knew him are out there it would be great to hear from them.
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