-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.

Arthur Francis Pridham

Arthur Francis (Toby) Pridham was born on 3rd June 1886 in Honiton, Devon. He went to Honiton Grammar School (which became All Hallows School at Rousdon, Devon), then entered the navy as a cadet. He was one of the last boy entries to the old Britannia before the opening of the new Royal Naval College. In 1911, be married Miriam Vidal Lewis and had three daughters, Anne, Elisabeth and Joan.

His early service included time as a Midshipman in H.M.S. Jupiter. His Midshipman's Journal was presented to a later H.M.S. Jupiter in 1975 after his death.

Pridham became one of the Royal Navy's foremost gunnery experts and he attended the Long Course at H.M.S. Excellent, the gunnery school at Whale Island, Portsmouth to qualify as a gunnery Lieutenant.

1913 saw Pridham serving in H.M.S. Weymouth in which in 1915 he took part in the destruction of the German cruiser, Konigsberg up the Rufigi River, East Africa.

A year in H.M.S. Shannon in 1916 was followed by three years in H.M.S. Marlborough as First Lieutenant. In 1919, he was appointed temporary ADC to the Dowager Empress Marie of Russia during the evacuation of the Russian Royal Family and entourage from Yalta and Novo-Rossisk and during their journey into exile in Europe. He was given the Order of St. Stanislas from HM the Dowager Empress in respect of this service.

From 1920 to 1922 Pridham served in the Admiralty before returning to his old ship Marlborough, this time as Commander.

A further spell of three years at The Admiralty on the Plans Division in 1924 was followed by attendance at the The Imperial Defence College.

The late 1920s saw Pridham serving in cruisers before a third spell at the Admiralty in 1930. This was followed, in 1936 by his period in command of H.M.S. Hood as Flag Captain and Chief Staff Officer. It was during Pridham's time in command of Hood was visited by the Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia after when Italy had invaded Ethiopia. Hood also saw duty off Spain during the Spanish Civil War.

Promotion to Rear-Admiral in 1938 saw a return to the Admiralty as Assistant Controller followed by a year as Flag Officer, Humber.

In 1940, Pridham was appointed Vice President of the Ordnance Board and awarded a warded CB.

1941 - saw him futher promoted to Vice-Admiral and appointed President of the Ordnance Board.

Pridham retired in 1946 and was knighted KBE by King George VI. He was also a Commander of the United States Legion of Merit.

He wrote and had published a book covering the rescue of the Russian Royal Family entitled "The Close of a Dynasty". It included many historic photographs.

Whilst Commanding officer of H.M.S. Hood in Malta, his eldest daughter, Anne, was married to Lieutenant-Commander James Graham (Nat) Gould on 28th July 1937.

His wife, Miriam, as the last descendant of the Vidal family, launched the survey ship H.M.S. Vidal on 31st July 1951.

He died aged 88 on 27th January 1975 and, that summer, was buried at sea off Portland from H.M.S. Jupiter with the ashes of his wife, Miriam, who pre-deceased him in 1969, in the presence of his grandson, Lt. Commander David Gould and his grandson-in-law, Lt Commander John Dykes, First Lieutenant of H.M.S. Jupiter at that time.