Arthur William Reynolds
Place of birth: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England
Previous occupation: Paper mill hand.
Service: Royal Marines
Rank: Marine
Service Number: 215237
Joined Hood First time: 12th March 1931
Left Hood First time: 30th August 1933
Joined Hood Second time: 26th August 1939
Left Hood Second time: 16th June 1940
Biographical Information: Arthur William Reynolds, a native of Buckinghamshire, enlisted into the Royal Marine Artillery ('The Blue Marines') in London on 31st October 1916. The Great War (First World War) had just entered its third year, and Arthur was seventeen years old.
An early draft was to the battleship HMS Erin, in which Arthur was serving when she sortied in April 1918 in an unsuccessful attempt to intercept the German High Seas Fleet. After the end of hostilities, Arthur was still serving in Erin, and would have been at Rosyth to witness the arrival there, for internment, of the German fleet.
Arthur remained in the Service after the War, and on 22nd June 1923 was re-titled 'Marine' rather than 'Gunner' as the RMA amalgamated with the Royal Marines Light Infantry (RMLI) ('The Red Marines') to form the Royal Marines.
On 25 August 1925 Arthur married Hilda Prior of Emsworth, Hampshire. Together they had five children over the years.
Arthur served in Hood twice: first in the early 1930s and again in 1939-1940, shortly after he had reenlisted to complete further service as the clouds of war were gathering. Family members recall that he was closely involved in guarding Winston Churchill, in the Cabinet War Rooms and on trips abroad, during this additional time in service. In all, he served for 32 years.
Arthur kept himself busy right to the end of his life. Even in his late 80s he would get out of bed early, leave his house in Gerridge Street, Lambeth, London and make his way by bus to open a garage / car park reception off Fleet Street, some 90 minutes before the opening time. He would work until 1 p.m. before making his way home, often via the Devonshire pub.
Arthur loved Hood, and was devastated at the news of the loss of the ship and her men in 1941. He kept Hood's photo by his bed until he died on 25th November 1987, and that photo retains a treasured place in his family.
Additional Photographs
None at this time.
No known memorials
Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
'Register of Deaths of Naval Ratings' (data extracted by Director of Naval Personnel (Disclosure Cell), Navy Command HQ, 2009)
Mr Clive Reynolds (Arthur's grandson, and HMS Hood Association member) biographical information March 2023.