Harold Arthur Hambleton
Place of birth: Brighton, Sussex, England
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Service Number: JC 144502
Joined Hood: September 1936
Left Hood: June 1939
Biographical Information: Harold Arthur Hambleton grew up in Henfield, a small village in West Sussex, 12 miles north of Brighton. His Dad was the baker. Harold lost his mother to diphtheria when he was aged 8, so lived thereafter with one or other of his three elder sisters. Leaving the village school at age 14, Harold became an errand boy.
At the age of just 15, Harold joined the Royal Navy at HMS St Vincent on 8th April 1935, as a Boy Second Class, and was subsequently advanced to Boy First Class. During his time as a Boy, he served in the World War I vintage battleship HMS Royal Sovereign.
Harold joined HMS Hood on 8th September 1936, and served onboard until mid 1939. He turned 18 during his time onboard, so making the transition from Boy to Ordinary Seaman.
Harold's time in Hood was at an early stage of what turned out to be a long and successful naval career. As a torpedo specialist, he spent some time in his alma mater, the training establishment HMS Vernon, but also saw substantial sea time in World War II, notably doing vital duty in convoy defence in the Battle of the Atlantic, serving in the highly successful Flotilla Leader HMS Keppel (based in HMS Ferret, Londonderry.) He was serving in Keppel when rated Acting Leading Seaman. Later, in 1943, he was drafted as a Leading Seaman to the minesweeper HMS Qualicum, in which he undertook the very hazardous duty of sweeping the waters off Normandy in advance of the D Day landings. Such were the risks of this work that it had to be done at night.
After the War, Harold remained in the Royal Navy. Even though the War was over, the menace of mines remained, so he continued the hazardous minesweeping work in the North Sea, this time in HMS Rothesay. He earned a bar to his General Service medal for this work.
In the late 1940s Harold moved to the Electrical Branch, changing from Leading Seaman to Acting Leading Electrician. He was serving in the aircraft carrier HMS Bulwark when rated PO Electrician (POEL). His involvement in war theatres continued in the 1950s - he was present in the Suez conflict in the destroyer HMS Barrosa and so earned another GSM - this time with Queen Elizabeth's image on it rather than that of King George VI.
In 1957 Harold earned the distinction of promotion to Chief Petty Officer Electrician (CPOEL). As is the norm, Harold left the RN on the day before his 40th birthday - 2nd of January 1960. Although he then continued his service as a reservist in Brighton and Hove, his regular service had not yet ended: in response to a manpower shortage, he re-enlisted in 1963 as a POEL, and served no fewer than three tours afloat in HMS Protector in the Falklands and the Antarctic - service which he loved.
Harold Arthur Hambleton's exemplary uniformed career lasted nearly 33 years, man and boy. He continued as a maintenance electrician in civilian life, moving to his native Henfield and finally retiring, on redundancy, at the age of 63. Harold was rightly proud of his RN service, and recalled his time in HMS Hood with particular pride and fondness.
Harold 'crossed the bar' on 13th May 1998.
Additional Photos |
 Harold (to the immediate right of the officer) in basic training. |
 Harold in the training establishment HMS St Vincent. |
 Harold as a Petty Officer. |
 As the oldest rating on board, stirring the Christmas pudding in HMS Protector. |
 Electrical branch, HMS Protector. |
 Harold in 1983. |
No known memorials
Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
'Register of Deaths of Naval Ratings' (data extracted by Director of Naval Personnel (Disclosure Cell), Navy Command HQ, 2009)
Moya Jackson, his daughter (ex Wren 1967-69 Service No.123960)