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Those known to have sailed in HMS Valiant during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Barry DSO Claud Barrington. Rear Admiral
- Higgins Stanley Augustus. Stokr.
- Holton Denis William.
- Mowat John Alexander. ERA4.
- Murphy Patrick Joseph. Ldg Sto. (d.22nd March 1945)
- Rishman Albert Charles Arthur George. Able Sea.
- Robertson William. SPO.
- Robinson Robert Benjamin. PO.
- Sanson Joseph Charles.
- Wood DSM Bertram. Stoker 1/Cl. (d.1942)
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 Valiant from other sources.
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
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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 Valiant? There are:30 items tagged HMS Valiant 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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Denis William Holton HMS Valiant Does anyone remember my father Denis William Holton who served on HMS Valiant when it was mined in Alexandria harbour by Italian mini-subs. Also does anyone have a copy of the feature film The Valiant (1960)starring John Mills, please? I really would appreciate any help. Many Thanks.
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Stokr. Stanley Augustus Higgins HMS Dorsetshire     After completing his basic training following his call up on 27th of February 1940, Stanley Higgins was posted to HMS Dorsetshire on 5th of June 1940 at Devonport, where she was completing a refit.
During the Bismarck action, Stanley was off watch from the boiler rooms, and was at his action station in a damage control party. Part way through the action he was allowed to go "up top" to see what was happening, and witnessed the smoke shrouded wreck of Bismarck before its sinking.
After being stood down from action stations, all available hands were called to "man the sides" and assist in the rescue of Bismarck survivors. Stanley took part and after assisting in the rescues, one particular survivor, called Friedrich Junghans, gave Stanley his "erkennungsmarke" or ID tag. It is currently on display in the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool.
Eleven months later, at the time of the Dorsetshire's own sinking, Stanley was again off-watch and again called to action stations, at this time he was a leader of a damage control party up near the Dorsetshire's bows adjacent to the ships paint locker. Very shortly after the commencement of the Japanese air attack, all comms in the ship were lost, though it was soon apparent that the Dorsetshire was receiving a heavy pounding, with the ship heeling over and quaking from the impact of the Japanese bombs.
One concussion dislodged a length of suction hose, known as an elephant's foot, which hit Stanley and he was concussed for a few seconds. On regaining his wits, and sensing that the ship was starting to list heavily, Stanley shouted for the party to get on the upper deck via a ladder leading to a hatch in the compartment roof. The first man up the ladder shouted that he couldn't unlatch the hatch dogs. Stanley used a crowbar to release the latches and the party crawled out onto the rapidly inclining bow deck. One party member, a South African, couldn't swim and went down with the ship, the rest all survived.
Stanley went on to serve on the battleships Warspite, Valiant and Malaya, and ended the war in Fremantle, Australia onboard the submarine tender, HMS Adamant.
After demobilisation, Stanley was a bus driver in Liverpool until retirement in 1984, and passed away on 4th July 2013, aged 93.
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PO. Robert Benjamin Robinson HMS Pembroke My grandad, Robert Robinson, was in the Royal Navy from 1933 until discharged in 1945. He was sunk twice. He was mostly on board HMS Pembroke but also served on
HMS Apollo, HMS Calliope, HMS Ferret, HMS Valiant, HMS Ramillies, HMS Dolphin, HMS St Angelo, HMS London and HMS Asphodel from his hand written certificate of service.
Bob had scarring on his lungs from the bronchitis caused by his time adrift after being sunk and this contributed to his death in 1995.
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Able Sea. Albert Charles Arthur George Rishman HMS Valiant Albert Rishman served in HMS Valiant.
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SPO. William "Skin" Robertson HMS Stanley William Robertson was born on 30th April 1918, and joined the Royal Navy at age 21 as Stoker 2nd Class. His first ship was the HMS Royal Arthur, which he served on from 21st March 1940 until 25th April 1940.
He then served time on the HMS Drake, HMS Titania, HMS Drake (again), HMS Stanley (until it was torpedoed on 19th December 1941 - he was one of only 25 survivors) back onto the Drake, Caradoc, Valiant, Drake, Mount Stewart and finished his service again on the HMS Drake on 5th May 1946, by which time he had been promoted to Stoker Petty Officer.
He spoke with a broad Glaswegian accent and was very slim, hence his nickname "Skin". He married after the war and went on to have seven children and lived until his 66th year.
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Ldg Sto. Patrick Joseph "Paddy" Murphy H.M.S. Valiant (d.22nd March 1945) Leading Stoker Murphy was the Son of Denis and Margaret Murphy, of Skibbereen.
He was 28 when he died and is buried in the Skibbereen (the Abbey) Churchyard, Skibbereen, Co. Cork, Ireland.
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Stoker 1/Cl. Bertram Wood DSM HMS Ark Royal (d.1942) My grandfather, Bertram Wood DSM, served in the Royal Navy from 1924 until April 1942, when he was killed. He served in HMS Ark Royal, HMS Royal Sovereign, HMS Pembroke, HMS Chatham, HMS Repulse, HMS Renown, HMS Ramillies, HMS Valiant, HMS Pegasus, HMS Ajax and HMS Havock.
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Joseph Charles Sanson HMS Nelson My dad, Joe Sanson was on Nelson, Valiant, Endevour, Rodney these were just a few, he boxed for the navy served in Scotland, Malta and in dry dock in Simon Town SA.
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ERA4. John Alexander Mowat HMS Dorsetshire Alec Mowat served on the Dorsetshire 12th July 1941 - 5th April 1942 as an ERA4. He survived and was picked up in Durban South Africa by the 'Valiant' working on board until the 30th September 1943.
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Rear Admiral Claud Barrington Barry DSO HMS Queen ELizabeth My father joined the navy as a cadet in 1904.Becoming a Submariner in 1914 he commanded various submarines in the war including C14.D4 and R12 Between the wars he commanded two J boatslent to RANthen K22,K26 ,Thames and Medway,attended Staff college and was Chief of Staff to Flag Officer Submarines 1939 saw him as NA to 2nd Sea Lord and then commanding HMS Queen Elizabeth and Then Valiant As a Rear Admiral was Flag Officer Submarines 1943-44 and then Naval Secretary followed by Director of Dockyards He died on the 27th Dec 1951 4 days before Retirement. His final Rank was Admiral
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