-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.

Francis (Frank) Ellis

Following basic training, Frank was drafted to HMS Hood as his first ship. He kept a fine photographic record of his time on board and also preserved other memorabilia from his Hood time. For example, the photograph below shows Frank's 'Station Card' from HMS Hood. It shows his rate, his 'part of ship' for ship cleaning purposes (Quarterdeck in his case) and his watch (second part.) It also lists his mess (30 Mess) where he was accommodated. A rating's station card had to be left with the quartermaster on the ship's gangway when he went ashore. It would be reclaimed on the rating's return on board. This gave a reliable record of which ratings were aboard at any one time - and who was 'adrift' when leave expired!.

Frank was drafted off Hood in 1938, and during World War II he had more 'big ship' time, serving aboard the battleships HMS Nelson and HMS Howe. Other wartime drafts were to the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Wolfe (a converted liner) and the tiny Flower class corvette HMS Kingcup. Kingcup and her sister ships were the backbone of convoy defence in the battle of the Atlantic.

Advanced successively to Leading and Petty Officer rates during the War, Frank Ellis was later promoted to Chief Petty Officer as a 'Chief Elec'. He left the Royal Navy in 1963.

Additional Photos

Frank Ellis' station card (RN Form 247a)

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