-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
Walden John Biggenden

Photo of
Date of birth: 11th April 1891
Place of birth: Sandwich, Kent, England
Parents: John and Alice Biggenden
Wife: Olive Biggenden
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Chief Stoker
Service Number: P/KX 88862
Joined Hood: Unknown
Left Hood: 24th May 1941 (loss of ship)
Click here to print memorial poster




Biographical Information:

Walden was born on 11th April 1891 in Sandwich, Kent to parents John and Alice Biggenden. He is known to have had a brother. He grew up in Easington where he worked on a farm before joining the Navy circa 1914/1915.

He was the husband of Olive Biggenden, of 35 Bristol Road - Wold Road, Hull. He was 50 years old at the time of his loss.





History of ships served in and rate held:


Date FromDate toShipRatingSource
3rd March 191431st July 1914Victory IIStoker 2nd ClassADM188/911
1st August 191417th December 1914Attentive II (Alfridi)Stoker 2nd ClassADM188/911
18th December 191419th October 1915Attentive II (Alfridi)Stoker 1st ClassADM188/911
20th October 19154th February 1916Victory IIStoker 1st ClassADM188/911
5th February 191630th September 1917Vernon (Desperate)Stoker 1st ClassADM188/911
1st October 191711th November 1917Hecla (Scourge)Stoker 1st ClassADM188/911
12th November 191714th May 1918Hecla (Scourge)Acting Leading StokerADM188/911
15th May 191824th May 1918Apollo (Scourge)Acting Leading StokerADM188/911
25th May 191828th June 1918Apollo (Scourge)Leading StokerADM188/911
29th June 191828th August 1918Victory IILeading StokerADM188/911
29th August 19185th February 1919?Ophelia?Leading StokerADM188/911
6th February 191930th June 1919Egmont (?Ophelia?)Leading StokerADM188/911
1st July 191931st December 1919Egmont (Ceanothus)Leading StokerADM188/911
1st January 192018th March 1920CeanothusLeading StokerADM188/911
19th March 192014th June 1920Victory IILeading StokerADM188/911
15th June 192011th November 1921Dido (Ready)Leading StokerADM188/911
7th August 192111th November 1921FisgardLeading StokerADM188/911
12th November 192131st January 1922Victory IILeading StokerADM188/911
1st February 192231st December 1922Diligence (Sparrowhawk)Leading StokerADM188/911
1st January 192310th February 1923Diligence Leading StokerADM188/911
11th February 192323rd July 1923Diligence (Sparrowhawk)Leading StokerADM188/911
24th July 192320th September 1923Victory II (Sparrowhawk)Leading StokerADM188/911
21st September 19236th August 1924Victory II (Sparrowhawk)Leading StokerADM188/911
7th August 192420th September 1924Queen ElizabethLeading StokerADM188/911
21st September 192422nd September 1924Victory IILeading StokerADM188/911
23rd September 19241st January 1925AssistanceLeading StokerADM188/911
2nd January 19251st January 1926AssistanceActing Stoker Petty OfficerADM188/911
2nd January 192613th October 1926AssistanceStoker Petty OfficerADM188/911
14th October 19267th December 1926Victory IIStoker Petty OfficerADM188/911
8th December 19264th November 1927ColumbineStoker Petty OfficerADM188/911
5th November 192731st December 1927Victory IIStoker Petty OfficerADM188/911
1st January 192817th June 1929CentaurStoker Petty OfficerADM188/911
18th June 192921st May 1936RepulseADM188/911
22nd May 1936UnknownUnrecordedChief StokerADM363/39
Unknown24th May 1941HoodChief Stoker


Additional Photos









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)





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





Detail of Walden'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)
David Watson (photo, 2001)
Mary Mckeown (photo & information derived from the "Hull Daily Mail", September 2013)
ADM 101/565
The National Archives (ADM 188/911)
Service record (ADM188/911 and ADM363/39) The National Archives / Ancestry
Eileen Christie (transcription of service record), June 2020