-H.M.S. Hood Crew Information-
H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour
Memorials to Men Lost in the sinking

We will remember them
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In Remembrance of
Selwyn John Power Warrand

Photo of
Date of birth: 6th February 1904
Place of birth: Kensington, London, England
Parents: Major Hugh Munro Warrand and Beatrice Maude Lucas Lucas-Tooth
Wife: Frena Lingen Crace
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Commander (N)
Joined Hood: 13th March 1940
Left Hood: 24th May 1941 (loss of ship) (Commander)
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Biographical Information:

John, as he was known to his family and friends, was born in Kensington, London on 6th February 1904 to Scottish Major Hugh Munro Warrand and Beatrice Maude Lucas Lucas-Tooth. He had two siblings, Hugh and Beatrice.

He married Frena Lingen Crace in March 1933 and together they had three children, Amanda, James and Joanna Warrand.

John is known to have been trained at H.M.S. Conway between 1917 and 1918. He entered the Royal Navy as a Midshipman in January 1922. His initial training took place at H.M.S. Marlborough and the R.N. College, Greenwich. He held the rank of Acting Sub-Lieutenant during his time at the R.N. College.

John was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant in January 1926. He was subsequently assigned to the cruiser H.M.S. Lowestoft for a brief period. In June 1926, after leaving Lowestoft, he was promoted to Lieutenant. The following year would see him serve briefly aboard the destroyer H.M.S. Vansittart (April 1927 - June 1928).

From April to August 1929 he attended the long navigation course at H.M. Navigation School, H.M.S. Dryad, Portsmouth. Following completion of the course, he was assigned as a navigator aboard the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Furious. His next assignment came in July 1930, when he was assigned to the sloop H.M.S. Veronica. He remained with Veronica until September 1932. He attended the navigation school at H.M.S. Dryad again in May-June 1933.

November 1933 saw him serving as the Navigating Officer of the cruiser H.M.S. Neptune. He served in this capacity until January 1934. In February of that year, he transferred to the cruiser H.M.S. Devonshire. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in June of 1934. He served as Devonshire's Navigating Officer until February 1937.

After leaving Devonshire, John was assigned to the battleship H.M.S. Rodney. He stayed with Rodney until September 1939. His final assignment came in March 1940 when he was transferred to the battle cruiser H.M.S. Hood.

By early 1941, he was serving as an Acting Commander and as the ship's navigator and Squadron Navigation Officer, Battle Cruiser Squadron. He was serving in this role when the Hood sank on 24th May 1941. John sacrificed his own life to allow Signalman Ted Briggs to escape the sinking Hood.





Additional Photos



John during his time in H.M.S. Devonshire




John's signature, taken from one of Hood's 1941 log books






Conway Chapel, Birkenhead Priory, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England

Photos of the 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)





Selwyn's name is in Column 1 of Panel 45.





Detail of Selwyn'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)
Navy Lists (courtesy of J.N. Houterman)
His children, James and Joanna Warrand (photo & information, July 2001)
Ann Halliday (Devonshire photo, May 2004)
Geoffrey Haskins (information, September 2007)
Dave Bell (information, September 2013)
The National Archives (ADM 196/149)