-H.M.S. Hood Crew Information-
H.M.S. Crew List

It is estimated that as many as 18,000 men served aboard the 'Mighty Hood' during the operational portion of her 21 year career. Unfortunately, there is no surviving official single listing of ALL men who served in her. Here you will find our attempt at creating such a listing. We are using the few, fragmentary crew lists known to exist, Navy Lists, various official reports, public records, and most importantly of all, inputs from the families of former crew.

Chainbar divider


Leonard Holsworth

Photo of
Date of birth: 22nd March 1906
Place of birth: Sunderland, County Durham, England
Parents: Harry and Margaret Holsworth
Wife: Edith Holsworth
Previous occupation: Blacksmith's striker
Service: Royal Marines
Rank: Marine
Service Number: Ply 22143
Joined Hood First time: 6th May 1925 (Marine)
Left Hood First time: 1st September 1926 (Marine)
Joined Hood Second time: 21st September 1926 (Marine)
Left Hood Second time: 6th December 1926 (Marine)



Biographical Information:

This short biography was written by Leonard's niece Maureen.

Leonard was born in Sunderland, County Durham 22rd March 1906.

He was the youngest of the four children of Harry and Margaret Holsworth of Hartington Street, Sunderland, Co.Durham. Leonard's sister, Maureen's mother, had attended a local Colliery school and Maureen thinks that it is likely that Leonard went to the same school. This was not the school in the area they lived in but it was the school that the children of the Colliery overseers children went to as it was near Monkwearmouth Colliery. Leonard's father was an agent for Royal Liver Insurance, Ocean Fire and Accident, Permutit Water Softeners, British Billboards and was also a Special Constable. These jobs were all held simultaniously.

Leonard started an apprenticeship as Blacksmith but can't have finished as he was only 17 and a half when he joined the Marines on 30th August 1923.

Maureen says that her mother said that Leonard would never accept any promotion as he didn't want to leave his friends. He was a very friendly chap and liked joking about, he had auburn coloured hair.

He married a Welsh girl Edith Violet Miles on 17th June 1936.

Leonard died, at age 34, when H.M.S. Glorious was sunk on 08 June 1940 by the German warships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.





History of ships served in and ratings held:


Date FromDate toShipRatingSource
30th August 19232nd June 1924Chatham DivisionMarineADM159/172
3rd June 19245th May 1925Plymouth DivisionMarineADM159/172
6th May 19251st September 1926HoodMarineADM159/172
2nd September 192620th September 1926Plymouth DivisionMarineADM159/172
21st September 19266th December 1926HoodMarineADM159/172
7th December 192625th May 1927Plymouth DivisionMarineADM159/172
26th May 192712th February 1929ValiantMarineADM159/172
13th February 19296th May 1930Queen ElizabethMarineADM159/172
7th May 193015th September 1930Plymouth DivisionMarineADM159/172
16th September 193024th July 1933DorsetshireMarineADM159/172
25th July 193316th July 1934Plymouth DivisionMarineADM159/172
17th July 193429th July 1936CapetownMarineADM159/172
30th July 193611th September 1936Plymouth DivisionMarineADM159/172
12th September 193631st May 1937Royal SovereignMarineADM159/172
1st June 19372nd December 1937RevengeMarineADM159/172
3rd December 19373rd January 1938Plymouth DivisionMarineADM159/172
4th January 19389th June 1940GloriousMarineADM159/172


Additional Photos



Leonard in his dress uniform.




Leonard on what looks like a gun mounting.




Leonard relaxing with a few mates. This photo is labeled "Group, Boat Deck aft." This is actually taken from abreast the mainmast on the starboard side, looking forward



Memorials
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)