-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
James Roland Belsham

Photo of
Date of birth: 18th June 1903
Place of birth: Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Parents: James and Kate Belsham
Wife: Minnie Belsham
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Able Seaman
Service Number: P/J 93900
Joined Hood: 10th September 1936 (Able Seaman)
Left Hood: 24th May 1941 (loss of ship) (Able Seaman)
Click here to print memorial poster




Biographical Information:

James was born on 18th June 1903 in Portsmouth, Hampshire to James and Kate Belsham. James's father had also served in the Royal Navy - joining in 1895 and ending his service in 1919 as a Chief Stoker. His 25 years inlcuded two - 1909 to 1911 as a Stoker Petty Officer in H.M.S. Dreadnought.

His father's service allowed James to attend The Royal Hospital School, Holbrook from March 1915 to November 1918 after which he entered the Navy and was trained at H.M.S.Ganges.

James had three sisters: Ivy (1902), Lilian (1905) and Kate (1911) and a brother Sydney (1908) as well as half sisters Olive (1914 and Phyllis (1917). He was the husband of Minnie Belsham, nee Blight, of Portskewett, Monmouthshire. The couple married in late 1926 in Portsmouth and had two daughters: Minniw (1928) and Betty (1929). James was 37 years old at the time of his loss.





History of ships served in and ratings held:


Date FromDate toShipRatingSource
28th November 191829th August 1919Ganges IIBoy 2nd ClassADM188/834
30th August 191915th September 1919Ganges IIBoy 1st ClassADM188/834
16th September 191918th June 1921LowestoftBoy 1st ClassADM188/834
19th June 192115th August 1921LowestoftOrdinary SeamanADM188/834
16th August 192129th June 1922Victory IOrdinary SeamanADM188/834
30th June 192211th May 1923Victory IAble SeamanADM188/834
12th May 19233rd October 1923ExcellentAble SeamanADM188/834
4th October 192314th September 1925BarhamAble SeamanADM188/834
15th September 192530th June 1926Iron DukeAble SeamanADM188/834
1st July 19269th July 1926Victory IAble SeamanADM188/834
10th July 192619th April 1927ExcellentAble SeamanADM188/834
20th April 192714th August 1927Victory IAble SeamanADM188/834
15th August 192731st December 1929NelsonAble SeamanADM188/834
1st January 19302nd January 1930Victory I -3Able SeamanADM363/373
3rd January 193023rd February 1930ExcellentAble SeamanADM363/373
24th February 193023rd May 1930Constance (Assistance)Able SeamanADM363/373
24th May 193017th June 1931LondonAble SeamanADM363/373
18th June 193117th August 1931ExcellentAble SeamanADM363/373
18th August 19316th September 1931ConcordAble SeamanADM363/373
7th September 193127th October 1931GreenwichAble SeamanADM363/373
28th October 19314th November 1931Victory IAble SeamanADM363/373
5th November 19317th November 1933WarspiteAble SeamanADM363/373
8th November 193322nd February 1934ExcellentAble SeamanADM363/373
23rd February 193425th July 1934Victory IAble SeamanADM363/373
26th July 19345th February 1936RevengeAble SeamanADM363/373
6th February 193629th July 1936ExcellentAble SeamanADM363/373
30th July 19369th September 1936Victory IAble SeamanADM363/373
10th September 193624th May 1941HoodAble SeamanADM363/373

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)





James's name is in Column 2 of Panel 47.





Detail of James's name.





Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
'Register of Deaths of Naval Ratings' (data extracted by Director of Naval Personnel (Disclosure Cell), Navy Command HQ, 2009)
Monty Callow, Alumni Relations Officer, The Royal Hospital School (information, November 2016)
James's daughters, Peggy Phillips and Betty Faux (photo, 2001)
Eileen Christie (Service record transcription), June 2020.
Derek Buckle (Buckle family from Portsmouth family tree, Ancestry), June 2020