-H.M.S. Hood Crew Information-
H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour
Memorials to Men Lost in the sinking

We will remember them
Chainbar divider

In Remembrance of
Tom Hanwell

Photo of
Date of birth: 21st March 1901
Place of birth: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Wife: Elsie Hanwell
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Chief Stoker
Service Number: SS122379, P/K 64275
Joined Hood: 8th September 1936 (Chief Stoker)
Left Hood: 24th May 1941 (loss of ship) (Chief Stoker)
Click here to print memorial poster





Biographical Information:

Tom was born in June 1903 in Stocksbridge, Sheffield, Yorkshire. He was the youngest son of eleven children born to John and Sarah Hanwell.

Tom was patriotic and during the First World War, wanted to due his part for King and Country. He was slightly too young to join however, so he borrowed his brother Jack's birth certificate. This false birthdate (21 March 1901) was entered into his service record. He went on to servin various ships to include H.M.S. Windsor, H.M.S. Curacoa, H.M.S. Alresford and H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth. He joined his final ship, Hood circa 1936.

Tom served throughout the war and into the late 1930s. He was due to retire when World War Two commenced. Sometime during his career, he met and married his wife Elsie, a French woman. They had no children. They are known to have lived in Malta and later in London. Elsie had relocated to Manchester Road, Old Haywoods, Deepcar, Sheffield to be with Tom's family after the start of the War. Elsie relocated to London after Tom's death and she never remarried.

Tom was 40 years old at the time of his loss.





History of ships served in and ratings held:


Date FromDate toShipRatingSource
4th July 19193rd November 1919VictoryActing Stoker 1st ClassADM188/1128
4th November 191927th October 1920Queen ElizabethActing Stoker 1st ClassADM188/1128
28th October 192012th May 1924Queen ElizabethStoker 1st ClassADM188/1128
13th May 19242nd September 1924Victory IIStoker 1st ClassADM188/1128
3rd September 192413th November 1925Vernon (Derwent)Stoker 1st ClassADM188/1128
14th November 19254th December 1925VernonStoker 1st ClassADM188/1128
5th December 19253rd March 1926FisgardStoker 1st ClassADM188/1128
4th March 19264th March 1926FisgardActing Leading StokerADM188/1128
5th March 192631st March 1926FisgardActing Stoker Petty OfficerADM188/1128
1st April 192626th April 1926Victory IIActing Stoker Petty OfficerADM188/1128
27th April 19264th March 1927Egmont II (Worcester)Acting Stoker Petty OfficerADM188/1128
5th March 192730th June 1928Egmont II (Worcester)Stoker Petty OfficerADM188/1128
1st July 192820th August 1928Victory II (Worcester)Stoker Petty OfficerADM188/1128
21st August 192828th September 1928VictoryStoker Petty OfficerADM188/1128
29th September 192810th July 1929ChampionStoker Petty OfficerADM188/1128
11th July 19293rd September 1929Pembroke II - IV (Cuarcoa)Stoker Petty OfficerADM363/78
4th September 192915th March 1932CuracoaStoker Petty OfficerADM363/78
16th March 193220th May 1932Victory IIStoker Petty OfficerADM363/78
21st May 19328th December 1932ConcordStoker Petty OfficerADM363/78
9th December 193225th January 1933Victory IIStoker Petty OfficerADM363/78
26th January 19333rd May 1933Effingham (Saladin)Stoker Petty OfficerADM363/78
4th May 193317th February 1935Victory II (Windsor)Stoker Petty OfficerADM363/78
18th February 193519th May 1935Victory II (Windsor)Chief StokerADM363/78
20th May 193521st May 1935Victory II ([Illegible])Chief StokerADM363/78
22nd May 193514th June 1935Victory IIChief StokerADM363/78
15th June 19357th September 1936Dryad (Alresford)Chief StokerADM363/78
8th September 193624th May 1941HoodChief StokerADM363/78

Additional Photographs
None at this time.




Hood Chapel, Church of St. John the Baptist, Boldre, Hampshire, England

Photos of the memorial










Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Southsea, Hampshire, England

Photos of the memorial



The part of the memorial in which the Hood casualty names can be found.
(Panels 45 to 61)





Tom's name is in Column 3 of Panel 53.





Detail of Tom's name.






Stocksbridge Clock Tower War Memorial, Stocksbridge, Yorkshire, England

Photos of the memorial









Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
'Register of Deaths of Naval Ratings' (data extracted by Director of Naval Personnel (Disclosure Cell), Navy Command HQ, 2009)
The National Archives (ADM 188/1128)
His great-great niece, Sally Webster (photo & information, Oct 2007)
Michael Parker (information, May 2010)