-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
Sidney Victor Morley

Photo of
Date of birth: 4th November 1901
Place of birth: Brighton, Sussex, England
Wife: Doris Morley
Previous occupation: Farm Labourer
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Chief Petty Officer
Service Number: P/J 93170
Joined Hood: 8th August 1936
Left Hood: 24th May 1941 (loss of ship) (Chief Petty Officer)
Click here to print memorial poster




Biographical Information:

Ganges starting on 13th September 1918. Whilst there, he reached the rating of Boy 1st Class. He was subsequently served in the ships shown in his service history below.

Sydney specialised in 15" gunnery. He was also active in the Royal Tournament teams whilst at H.M.S. Excellent, Whale Island both as a participant in 1926 as a Leading Seaman and then in charge when promoted as Petty Officer. He was one of Hood's longest resident senior ratings as was regarded very highly. As stated in the Portsmouth Evening News in May 1941, he "was a tower of strength - nothing daunted him and he had that happy knack of always thinking ahead of the clock. He was an inspiring example to the young seamen in the ship and to the service to which he belonged."

Sydney was 38 years old at the time of his loss.





History of ships served in and ratings held:


Date FromDate toShipRatingSource
13th September 191820th March 1919GangesBoy 2nd ClassADM188/833
21st March 191918th May 1919GangesBoy 1st ClassADM188/833
19th May 191922nd May 1919Victory IIBoy 1st ClassADM188/833
23rd May 191924th October 1919King George VBoy 1st ClassADM188/833
25th October 19193rd November 1919Royal SovereignBoy 1st ClassADM188/833
4th November 191927th January 1921Royal SovereignOrdinary SeamanADM188/833
28th January 19213rd March 1921Victory IOrdinary SeamanADM188/833
4th March 192118th March 1921Victory IAble SeamanADM188/833
19th March 192131st December 1921Victory III (Truant)Able SeamanADM188/833
1st January 192221st August 1922Victory II (Truant)Able SeamanADM188/833
22nd August 192214th September 1924Columbine (Spencer)Able SeamanADM188/833
15th September 192416th January 1925Victory IAble SeamanADM188/833
17th January 19259th September 1925ExcellentAble SeamanADM188/833
10th September 19251st September 1926ExcellentLeading SeamanADM188/833
2nd September 192627th February 1929RenownLeading SeamanADM188/833
28th February 192913th May 1929RenownActing Petty OfficerADM363/390
14th May 19293rd October 1929Victory I - IActing Petty OfficerADM363/390
4th October 192927th February 1930ExcellentActing Petty OfficerADM363/390
28th February 193030th October 1931ExcellentPetty OfficerADM363/390
31st October 193113th July 1934RevengePetty OfficerADM363/390
14th July 193423rd August 1934Victory IPetty OfficerADM363/390
24th August 19347th September 1936ExcellentPetty OfficerADM363/390
8th September 193624th May 1941HoodPetty OfficerADM363/390

Additional Photographs
None at this time.




Chichester Cathedral War Memorial, Chichester, Sussex, England

No photographs are available of this memorial




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)





Sidney's name is in Column 1 of Panel 46.





Detail of Sidney'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)
Portsmouth Evening News, May 1941
Sidney's son, Les Morley (photo & information, May 2005)