-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


Harold Robert Astley

Photo of
Date of birth: 22nd July 1908
Place of birth: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Previous occupation: Cabinet Maker
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Service Number: J109902
Joined Hood: 7th January 1926
Left Hood: 1st September 1926







Biographical Information: Harold Robert Astley, known as Robert, joined the Royal Navy in 1924 at the age of 15 as a Boy Second Class. When he joined HMS Hood in early 1926 he had been advanced to Boy First Class, and whilst on board he was advanced further to Ordinary Seaman, having attained the age of 18. After Hood, Robert's next seagoing draft was to the aircraft carrier Eagle. It was while he was in Eagle at Malta that he tragically lost his life on 2 June 1927, sustaining fatal head injuries from a fall suffered when painting the ship's side. He is buried in Malta.


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)