-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.

Chainbar divider


Frederick William Witchell

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Date of birth: 6 May 1898
Place of birth: Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Previous occupation: Coachbuilder (ironworks)
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Able Seaman
Service Number: Devonport Division J.26588
Joined Hood: 2nd January 1925
Left Hood: 4th January 1928







Biographical Information: Frederick Witchell joined the Royal Navy on 29 August 1913, at the age of 15, enlisting initially for 12 years. He served in Hood as an Able Seaman, and was discharged from the ship and the Royal Navy on medical grounds. He became a postman, but re-enlisted during the Second World War,and was one of three men who lost their lives when Her Majesty's Trawler (HMT) Kingston Sapphire was torpedoed by the Italian submarine Nani in position 36.11'N, 06.32'W, in the Atlantic twenty miles south of Cadiz, Spain, on 5 October 1940


Additional Photographs
None at this time.




Memorials
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)
Service Certificates provided by relative Judy Dunkley. UBoat Net website.