Hi Experts, I am really confused and need your help please. I am researching Harry WOOD, who died age 20 years "On War Service" in Tripoli on the 20th June 1942 on HMS "Nile," but I have found out that was a Shore base and I read that it was used for Special Ops. etc. However according to the info I have found, HMS "Nile" was from September 1942 and in Alexandria. So where was HMS "Nile" before that, or was Harry on another Shore Base or Ship. Telegraphist WOOD, HARRY Service Number D/JX 159074 Died 20/06/1942 Aged 20 H.M.S. Nile Royal Navy Son of Henry and Minnie Wood, of Shotton, Flintshire. Any help gratefully received, Kind regards, Mavis Williams
It's possible that this is the HMS Nile referred to, especially as Harry Wood was a Telegraphist. If he was flying with FAA he could have been shot down or involved in air accident (only guessing at the moment), which could account for him having no grave. HMS Nile 11, an RN Lodger Section at RAF Aboukir. Aboukir Tim
1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION 5 Gloucester Avenue , Hawarden R.D., Flintshire NAME DOB OCCUPATION Henry Wood 27 Feb 1887 Electric Crane Driver In Sheet Mill Heavy Worker Minnie Wood 28 Mar 1889 House Duties Unpaid Ronald Wood 08 May 1869 Finishing Department Steel Rolling Mills Heavy Worker Dorothy Youd (Wood) 24 May 1921 Aircraft Assembler Works Norman Wood 12 Jun 1928 At School Sorry, this record is officially closed.
Doesn't help much but from Don Kindell's RN Casualties of WW2: WOOD, Harry, Telegraphist, D/JX 159074, Nile, 20 June 1942, killed. Tim Edit: I've just checked CWGC site and two others of HMS Nile died the same day and both communicators. PO Telegraphist J W Lamport Telegraphist J Latham Tim Edit again! I've now found two more casualties for HMS Nile on same day: Lt (S) B C Young RNVR Lt L P Douglas RCNVR Checking against Don Kindell's list. Whilst Wood and the others above are notated with 'killed', the entry for Lt Young says '(Nile from Tobruk, O/P), killed' where O/P means 'On Passage'. How significant this may be I don't yet know. Tim
Found another possible connection. Lt L P Douglas whilst listed on CWGC as HMS Nile also appears as a casualty on HDML (ML1039) as Missing Presumed Killed. ML1039 was captured at Tobruk by Germans/Italians on 20/06/42. Is this all a coincidence or is there a connection? HMS HDML 1039 (ML 1039) of the Royal Navy - British Harbour Defence Motor Launch of the HDML class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net Tim
UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960 Name: Harry Wood Event: Death Birth Date: 30 Aug 1922 Birth Place: Hawarden, Flint. Death Date: 20 Jun 1942 Death Age: 19 This states he died at Torbruk, so wherever HMS Nile was it was only his accounting point. He/they could have been attached to anything, anywhere I note that he was killed on 20th June 1942 which is the day before the surrender of Allied forces there TD
Royal Naval vessels lost on 20th June 1942 - Torbruk LCM, Landing Craft Mechanised (30-37 tons) – able to carry one 16t-40t tank or 60-100 troops No.110, 113, 145, 146, 148 (total 5), lost during fall of Tobruk, June 20, 1942 Landing craft personnel (Large) LCP(L) (8-11 tons) No.64, lost during fall of Tobruk, June 20, 1942 Landing craft support (Medium) (MkI) LCS(M) (9-11 tons) – LCA with 4in smoke mortar No.4, 6, 15, 18, 19, 22 (total 6), lost during fall of Tobruk, June 20, 1942 LCA, Landing Craft Assault – able to carry 35 troops No.193, lost during fall of Tobruk, June 20, 1942 Landing craft tank (MkII) LCT (450 tons) – able to carry 3-40t or 7-20t tanks No.119, 150 (total 2), lost at Tobruk, June 20, 1942 I would guess he was killed whilst serving on one of the above TD Added: Actually there were quite a number of vessels lost that day, too many to show here with clarity
Thanks so much Tim and TD, it seems there is more to the story if more people were killed. Much appreciated. Kind regards, Mavis
Got it. Disregard my Post 2. HMS Nile was the name given to the naval base at Alexandria from April 1939 to June 1946. List of Royal Navy shore establishments - Wikipedia Tim
Hi Mavis I was googling stuff (as you do) and I came across this website and your post. I am curious as to why you are researching Harry Wood's War Records? I hope the following is of help: Harry Wood was my uncle. His 'baby brother' was my father, Brian Wood born in 1938. My late father once told me a story how when he was a little boy, he remebered a sailor in full navy uniform arriving at the family home in Shotton. (N. Wales). The man was there to inform Harry's parents that Harry had died in service. Apparantly the sailor in question was one of his shipmates, and the ship they were on, had been hit and was sinking rapidly. The crew abandoned ship and were swimming in the sea. Soon after, an Italian aircraft flew over and strafed the survivors in the water. Harry was one of the unfortunate ones who were killed but his mate survived and retold the events to Harry's parents. I believe Harry Wood also served on another warship (as a telegraphist) called the HMS Valiant. (which I believe was a Battle Cruiser). I have a picture somewhere of him. Hope that helps Kind regards Mr S Wood
Hello Stanley, Thanks so much for getting in touch, I am a researcher for flintshirewarmemorials.com and have researched the WW1 men on Deeside, so I am now researching WW2. I am trying to tell the story of each man, so they won't be forgotten. I cannot put WW2 men on the website, as it is being upgraded, I believe. I can send you the notes I have made for Harry, and 1 document - re his death. Can you contact me privately and I will give you my email address and then if you want I can send you my notes, but thanks you so much for this insight into the family and the day that Harry's family got the terrible news. Can I have your permission to add it to Harry's page when it is written and published on the web please. Kindest regards, Mavis
HMS Valiant was actually a Queen Elizabeth class battleship Stanley, completed during WW1, and much modified subsequently. She was mined in Alexandria harbour, along with her eponymous sistership, by the famous Decima Flottiglia MAS on 19 December 1941. She survived the attack but was obliged to leave for South Africa for repairs, joining the Eastern Fleet in April 1942. Harry may have been put ashore following the mining, accounting for his transfer to HMS Nile’s establishment. His service record should clarify this. It is understandable that to anyone in the water that they could sincerely believe that they were the target of the strafing aircraft, but I suggest that it is more likely that it was attempting to finish-off the now evacuated vessel, which may in any case not have been apparent to the pilot, or to attack its companions, which is of course no consolation.
Thank you so much Roberto for telling us about HMS Valiant and what happened and the probable scenario of how Harry came to be on HMS Nile, it helps clarify and hopefully help any descendants know more about Harry and what he and others on those ships endured. I am very grateful. Kindest regards, Mavis
This Italian aerial view of the aftermath of the attack popped-up on twitter. 1. HMS Queen Elizabeth 2. HMS Valiant
Thank you so much for this after all this time, I didn't think anyone would see the post. Much appreciated. Mavis
Hi, He was probably attached to the RN Staff at Tobruk, and as mentioned above, then lost onboard one of the vessels sunk during the evacuation. Six HMS Nile casualties, including two other Telegraphist's, around this date. HMS Nile LAMPORT, John W, Petty Officer Telegraphist, P/JX 142024, killed 20/6/41 LATHAM, Jack, Telegraphist, C/SSX 29881, missing 20/6/41 SPITERI, Alfred, Steward, E/LX 22825, missing [listed on 22/6/42] SMITH, Frank M, Captain, RNR, DOW 21/6/42 WOOD, Harry, Telegraphist, D/JX 159074, killed 20/6/41 YOUNG, Brian C, Paymaster Lieutenant, RNVR, (Nile), killed [Listed as onboard HMSAS Parktown on 21/6/42] Regards, Steve
