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HMS Galatea
HMS Galatea was an Arethusa-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering Co., with the keel being laid down on the 2nd of June 1933. She was launched on the 9th of August 1934, and commissioned on the 14th of August 1935.HMS Galatea was under the command of Captain E.W.B. Sim as a unit of the 15th Cruiser Squadron. In late 1941 Force B was returning to Alexandria from an unsuccessful search for Italian convoys going to Benghazi. On the night of 14th December 1941 Galatea was attacked by German dive bombers; the attacks persisted for about seven hours. Just before midnight, when north west of Alexandria, Galatea became a target for U-557 which hit her with two torpedoes in quick succession. The cruiser turned over and sank in three minutes. 469 men were killed. Captain Sim with 21 of his officers and 447 ratings. About 100 survivors were picked up by the destroyers Griffin and Hotspur.
8th Sep 1939 On the Move
18th Sep 1939 Patrol
10th Feb 1940 Enemy Vessels
4th Mar 1940 Duties
7th Apr 1940 Patrol
9th Apr 1940 Sweep
11th Apr 1940 Fuel
17th Apr 1940 Escort Duty
18th Apr 1940 Landings
18th Apr 1940 Troops
21st Apr 1940 On the Move
22nd Apr 1940 On the Move
29th Apr 1940 On the Move
30th Apr 1940 Evacuation
1st May 1940 On the Move
7th May 1940 Transfer
24th May 1940 Bombardment
26th May 1940 Patrol
1st Jun 1940 Patrol
17th Jun 1940 Evacuation
Jul 1940 Patrol Duty
Aug 1940 Patrol Duty
25th Aug 1940 Search
1st Sep 1940 Into Port
6th Sep 1940 Mine
Oct 1940 Repairs
Nov 1940 Repairs
Dec 1940 Repairs
9th Jan 1941 Return to Duty
Feb 1941 Patrols
19th Mar 1941 Escort
6th Apr 1941 Escort
19th Apr 1941 Orders
22nd Apr 1941 On the Move
24th Apr 1941 Search
31st Apr 1941 Into Port
29th Jun 1941 On the Move
Jul 1941 Defence
Aug 1941 Defence
29th Aug 1941 Into Port
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Those known to have sailed in HMS Galatea during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Barlow Harold. L/Sea.
- Chinner Richard. Marine (d.15th Dec 1941)
- Clarke Frederick Charles. PO.Stoker. (d.15th Dec 1941)
- Craft Walter George. Able Sea. (d.15th December 1941)
- Davidson Alexander. Marine (d.15th December 1941)
- Rosbottom Edward. Stkr.
- Swann Alexander Holland.
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 Galatea from other sources.
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Want to know more about HMS Galatea? There are:96 items tagged HMS Galatea 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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Marine Richard Chinner HMS Galatea (d.15th Dec 1941) Richard Chinner served with the Royal Marines during WW2 and was
killed in action on the 15th December 1941, aged 18. He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial in Plymouth.
He was the son of Samuel James Chinner and Florence Ellen Chinner, of St. Just, Cornwall.
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Alexander Holland Swann HMS Galatea My father, Alexander Swann, on realising the ship had been hit, made his way up the gangways and stepped into the sea as she was sinking. He was picked up by an American ship after several hours.
He had swallowed and inhaled a fair amount of diesel fuel while in the water so was taken to a nearby hospital before being invalided back to the UK.
In 1954 he had extensive surgery at Haslar Hospital to remove ulcers that had failed to heal, due to the affects of the fuel. After he had recovered, he continued to serve in the Royal Navy until he retired in 1968.
He died in 2007 aged 92.
I'm afraid all his possessions went down with the Galatea so I have no photographs of his from that period. Only ones taken later in the war and afterwards.
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L/Sea. Harold Barlow HMS Galatea Harold Barlow joined the Royal Navy as a Boy in 1933 and served on the following ships during WW2, HMS Drake, HMS Nile, HMS Pembroke, HMS Galatea and HMS Highflyer.
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Stkr. Edward Rosbottom HMS Galatea My father, Edward Rosbottom, was on the HMS Galatea which was torpedoed at midnight. It was pitch black and he also had one of the sailors on his back whilst swimming as the boy could not swim.
He was a survivor and lived until 1974.
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Marine Alexander Davidson HMS Galatea Royal Marines (d.15th December 1941) I am trying to locate anyone who may have a friend or relatives who served on HMS Galatea. My great uncle, Alexander Davidson from Aberdeen, served on this ship and died when it was sunk on 15th December 1941.
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PO.Stoker. Frederick Charles Clarke HMS Galatea (d.15th Dec 1941) Born and raised in Spon Lane, Acting Stoker P.O. Frederick Charles Clarke was believed to be the only local man on board HMS Galatea. The Roll of Honour as published in The Times newspaper on February 12th 1942 records him as Missing Presumed Killed Clarke F.C. A/STO P.O. (Ty) Lives lost: 22 Officers, 394 R.N. Ratings, 50 Royal Marines and 4 N.A.F.F.I. (total 470).
After the First World War an appropriate way was needed to commemorate members of the Royal Navy who had lost their lives but had no known grave. As most men died at sea and a permanent memorial had to be sited on land, the three manning ports in Great Britain (Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth) were selected. After WW2 the memorials were extended to include the naval dead of this war also and it is here that Frederick Charles Clarke is commemorated.
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Able Sea. Walter George Craft HMS Galatea (d.15th December 1941) I lost my grandfather, Walter George Craft, during WWII. He was on HMS Galatea.
Update
HMS Galatea was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat U557 off Alexandria, Egypt. About 100 survivors were picked up by two British destroyers. Sadly, 23 officers and 447 ratings were killed.
About two days later, U557 was rammed and sunk by the Italian torpedo boat "Orione" and lost with all hands.
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