-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.

Roger John Brownlow Keyes

Roger John Brownlow Keyes was born at Tundiani Fort, India on 4th October 1872, the second son of Major General Sir Charles Patton Keyes. He joined the Royal Navy on 15th July, 1885. His early service as a Midshipman and Sub-Lieutenant was on the Cape of Good Hope Station and East Indies before returning to the United Kingdom in 1891. He spent a month serving in the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert before his promotion to Lieutenant which came on 28th August, 1893. By 1900 he was promoted to Commander for commendable actions undertaken during the Chinese Boxer Rebellion. He was promoted to Captain in June 1905.

He served as the Naval Attache, Rome, Vienna, Athens, and Constantinople from 1905 to 1907. Following this, he served as Commodore in charge of Submarines (1910-1914). He subsequently played a notable part in the planning for the successful Battle of Heligoland Bight on 28 August 1914. In 1915, he served as Chief of Staff Eastern Mediterranean Squadron. Though the Dardanelles expedition was not successful, Keyes did outstanding work and was Mentioned in Despatches. He also received the C.M.G., D.S.O., and Commander Legion of Honour.

In April 1917, Keyes was promoted to Rear Admiral. He was subsequently appointed as the Admiralty's Director of Plans. It was here that he made his biggest impact during the First World War: He planned operations designed to limit and possibly cut-off German U-boat operations in the Strait of Dover. Under his direction, operations were prepared for blocking the entrances to Zeebrugge and Ostend. Keyes's forces successfully blocked both ports in April 1918. He received the K.C.B., K.C.V.O., Grand Cross Order of Leopold, Grand Officer Legion of Honour, Croix de Guerre, French and Belgian and American DSM for his actions.

Following the war, Keyes was made a baronet. In late 1919, he took command of the Battle Cruiser Squadron and in early 1920 became the first Admiral to fly his flag in H.M.S. Hood. He left Hood in 1921 to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff and a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty. He served in these roles until 1925, when he left to become Commander in Chief, Mediterranean Station. He was promoted to Admiral during this tour of duty.

In 1929, Keyes became Commander in Chief, Portsmouth Station. He held this position until 1931. During this timeframe, he had been promoted to Admiral of the Fleet (May 1930). He retired in 1935. In the meantime, he had become a Member of Parliament. He would hold his seat (conservative) from 1934 to 1943. During the early phases of World War 2, Keyes was highly critical of Prime Minister Chamberlain's lacklustre handling of the war.

In 1940, Keyes was replaced on the active list. He subsequently served as the Director of Combined Operations (until 1941). In January 1943 Keyes was elevated to the peerage and left Parliament. He died on 26 December 1945 at the age of 73.