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Those known to have sailed in HMS Indomitable during the Second World War 1939-1945. 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 Indomitable from other sources.
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Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
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 Indomitable? There are:36 items tagged HMS Indomitable 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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CPO. John Frederick Clayden HMS Indomitable John Clayden was my grandfather. He served as a shipwright from 1937 to 1946. I hope to find out much more if I can. His ships were, HMS Iron Duke, HMS Torquay, HMS Invincible, HMS Eagle
and HMS Indomitable.
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Able Sea. James Frances Flynn HMS Indomitable James Flynn served three times on HMS Victory: 2/1/43 - 5/2/43, 19/8/43 - 10/9/43, and 27/11/45 - 30/6/46. He also served on HMS Indomitable, HMS Heron, and HMS Cumberland.
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Robert Henry Webster HMS Indomitable Robert served on HMS Indomitable during WW2. I just want some info or pictures. He was my grandfather. Unfortunately, he died in 1996 and didn't like talking about the war.
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Cpl. William Joseph Blaymires I was told William Blaymires, who served with the Royal Marines in WW2, went in to France on D Day minus 2 and came back plus 2. He later served on many ships including the air craft carrier Indomitable. He was originally in 255 S.S. Squad at Chatham.
He was in Burma and there was a long story about getting lost escorting General Slim's doctor. He was put in for a special award but it was never processed. William later became an RSM in the Canadian Armoured Corps. I have many war photos.
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Thomas Charles Abrehart HMS Indomitable Thomas Abrehart was my father. He served with the Royal Navy aboard HMS Royal Arthur and HMS Indominatble in WW2. I found a photo of my father's class on HMS Royal Arthur.
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Gnr. Dennis Marles Johnson HMS Indomitable Dennis Marles Johnson was my father-in-law. He was born in 1925 and at the beginning of World War 2 he was about to leave school and start work. In the first part of the war he helped out as a fire watcher. His 15th birthday, 29th December 1940 was the worse day of the blitz in London and he spent it watching the fires from the top of the buildings he lived in, Compton buildings in Clerkenwell.
He joined the navy when he was 18 and after training at Whale Island he was assigned to HMS Wren. He spent the first few weeks of his service trying to get on board the ship as he kept being sent to places where it was supposed to be docked only to find it had moved elsewhere. Eventually, he served as a gunner escorting convoys.
He was transferred to the HMS Indomitable towards the end of the war helping transfer POWs and demobbed soldiers back to the UK from Australia and the Far East.
Den passed away in 2003. He was always a pleasant, easy to get on with chap, who spoke very little about his war experiences although he did write up some memoirs of his time growing up in Clerkenwell between the wars and during the Second World War.
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Marine Albert George "Timber" Woods My Dad, Albert Woods joined the Royal Marines in 1940 age 17, 92 days before his 18th birthday.
He served on HMS Penelope from 7th of July 1941 to 8th to April 1942. He was wounded in both legs when she was being bombed in Malta. He spent time in the military hospital there being put back together. He had to send photos of himself with his legs on show to his mum as she was convinced he had lost his legs. He also made a BBC broadcast to her on 11th April 1943 from Malta so he must have been there for quite a long time.
He then went on to serve on: - HMS Howe 1944-1946.
- St. George June to Nov 1946.
- HMS Glasgow Dec 1946-Nov 1947
- HMS Indomitable May-Sept 1950.
- HMS Implacable Sept-April 1953
My dad and mum married in 1948 and mum took me, age 2, to live in Southsea not far from Eastney Barracks. So that we could be with him. I can remember going to the barracks and the NAFFI with my mum she always gave me a Banjo chocolate biscuit, boy did that taste good.
I have been back to Southsea and it holds many happy memories for me. Dad didn't like to talk about the war. It's only since they have both died that I have found papers, photos and other things in their belongings when we cleared the house that I have been able to do some research into where he was and what he did in the war.
He lost his best friend in the bombing of the Penelope in Malta. I only know his first name was Danny. If anyone can give me any other information I would be grateful. I am very proud of him and all the other personnel that fought for this country. We have donated his medals to the Royal Marines Museum in Portsmouth.
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L/Sto1. George Swann HMS Manchester   George Swann joined the Royal Navy at the outbreak of war in 1939 as a stoker on Victory 2, joining HMS Manchester the following year. On that terrible night during the Malta convoy after the ship was scuttled, he finished up in the sea, for some time, until he was picked up by an American vessel which was homeward bound.
He finished up in New York, stayed for three weeks and went home to rejoin Victory 2 and continue fighting the war, moving to HMS Vernon, HMS Indomitable, HMS Victory and other ships. He must have loved the life of a sailor, because when the war ended he stayed on until he was eventually pensioned off in 1958.
He couldn`t get the sea of his chest anyway, so he bought a pub in Portsmouth with his wife Peggy and ran it until his death in 1993. Last year his daughter, Brenda died and a few months later, his last remaining sibling Trevor passed away too. As the eldest nephew, all the old photos were passed onto me, and I was struck by the photo of one of his shipmates with his wife, a lovely photo. However on the reverse, is written, "Topsy", Dad`s friend, killed on HMS Manchester, Malta Convoy 1941, Albert Turner. R.I.P. If Topsy`s family happen to see this posting, I would be delighted to send them this card.
He earned the Pacific Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star,
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CPO. Lawrence Oliver MID. HMS Indomitable My father, Lawrence Oliver, served in WW2 and joined the Royal Navy on 12th October 1939. He was discharged with VG conduct on 3rd July 1946.
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CPO. Alfred James Garland HMS Indomitable Dad, Alfred Garland served on HMS Indomitable during the Pedestal Convoy. He went to Norfolk Navy yard in the USA for repairs. I have his Norfolk Navy Yard pass. He was on HMS Llandudno sweeping into the Normandy beaches on 6th of June 1944. He was in charge of the winch and drank a bottle of rum.
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PO. Charles Dabbs HMS Indomitable I am researching the ships my father sailed on in the Royal Navy 1939-1945. I am in the process of requesting his service records. I know some of the ships he did sail on. He was in the Med campaign, namely Malta, France and North Africa. I can remember he did talk of the Cairo, Indomitable, and Ariadne, but know there must have been many more. He became petty officer while serving, and loved being at sea. His name was Charlie Dabbs and was born in Birmingham. Like many lads at that time, he lied about his age to get in the services.
If anyone has any information, or contacts who may remember my father, I would be very gratefull.
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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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James "Cush" Dow I am the second son of James Dow. Unfortunately I do not have much stories to tell about my father, only that he did some service as and engineer on HMS Formidable during the war years and was involved with HMS Indomitable as well I think. I left Scotland in 1972 for Australia, and I am still here. He told me then that he had been in Sydney in Australia during WW11, so I was not going to be the first Dow to put my feet on to Bondi Beach, as he had done so during the war. Dad, unfortunately died in 1992. I was wondering if there would be any records available of his service during this time and any information at all that would help me to put some pieces together on his service life at that time.
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