-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


Frank Stanley Sewell

Photo of
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Able Seaman
Joined Hood: 4th December 1936 (Boy 1st Class)
Left Hood: 24th March 1938 (Able Seaman)











Biographical Information: Frank joined the Navy at H.M.S. Ganges as a Boy, aged 15, on 5 March 1934. He joined Hood as a Boy 1st Class on 12th December 1936. His service in Hood was in the Mediterranean. He left her on 24th March 1938 having, by that date, progressed to Able Seaman. Although during his time in Hood Frank was part of a Pop Pom crew, he later specialised in Torpedoes. Frank was married in 1941. He retired from the Royal Navy in 1959 as a Chief Eectrician and died in 2012 aged 93.



History of ships served in and ratings held:


Date FromDate toShipRatingSource
5th March 193412th January 1935GangesBoy 2nd ClassService Record
13th January 193521st February 1935GangesBoy 1st ClassService Record
22nd February 19351st April 1935PembrokeBoy 1st ClassService Record
2nd April 193525th July 1935ValiantBoy 1st ClassService Record
26th July 193518th January 1936RamilliesBoy 1st ClassService Record
19th January 19365th March 1936PembrokeBoy 1st ClassService Record
6th March 193611th December 1936ValiantBoy 1st ClassService Record
12th December 19365th January 1937HoodBoy 1st ClassService Record
6th January 19377th March 1938HoodOrdinary SeamanService Record
8th March 193824th March 1938HoodAble SeamanService Record
25th March 193816th June 1938PembrokeAble SeamanService Record
17th June 193815th September 1938VernonAble SeamanService Record
16th September 193824th September 1938PembrokeAble SeamanService Record
25th September 19384th September 1940ResolutionAble SeamanService Record
5th September 194010th October 1940PembrokeActing Leading Seaman (Temporary)Service Record
11th October 194013th December 1940VernonActing Leading Seaman (Temporary)Service Record
14th December 194018th January 1941PembrokeActing Leading Seaman (Temporary)Service Record
19th January 19417th February 1941St. Christopher (M A/S B 22)Acting Leading Seaman (Temporary)Service Record
8th February 194121st May 1941HornetActing Leading Seaman (Temporary)Service Record
22nd May 194114th August 1941Wasp (M A/S B 23)Acting Leading Seaman (Temporary)Service Record
15th August 194114th August 1942Wasp (M A/S B 23)Acing Petty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
15th August 19428th March 1943Wasp (M A/S B 23)Petty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
9th March 19439th March 1943HornetPetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
10th March 19432nd August 1943St. Christopher (MGB 664)Petty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
3rd August 19434th February 1944Cicala (MTB 664)Petty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
5th February 194416th March 1944PembrokePetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
17th March 19445th October 1944MarlboroughPetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
6th October 19446th March 1945PembrokePetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
7th March 194528th April 1945Golden HindPetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
29th April 194527th October 1945Tyne (Quadrant)Petty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
28th October 194519th November 1945Golden HindPetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
20th November 194529th July 1946ImplacablePetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
30th July 194612th September 1946PembrokePetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
13th September 19463rd January 1947VernonPetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
4th January 194714th January 1947MarlboroughPetty Officer (Temporary)Service Record
15th January 19476th March 1947MarlboroughElectricianService Record
7th March 19473rd May 1947DefianceElectricianService Record
4th May 194710th May 1947CollingwoodElectricianService Record
11th May 194721st April 1949PembrokeElectricianService Record
22nd April 194927th July 1949TriumphElectricianService Record
28th July 194931st May 1951PhoebeElectricianService Record
1st June 195118th October 1951Mars (Zebra)ElectricianService Record
19th October 195122nd May 1952CollingwoodElectricianService Record
23rd May 195215th September 1952PembrokeElectricianService Record
16th September 19527th January 1953Delight (Pembroke II)ElectricianService Record
8th January 195313th November 1953Delight (Pembroke II)Chief ElectricianService Record
14th November 195331st March 1954Delight (Phoenicia)Chief ElectricianService Record
1st April 19542nd September 1954DelightChief ElectricianService Record
3rd September 19541st June 1956Mediterranean Division Reserve FleetChief ElectricianService Record
2nd June 19568th August 1956PembrokeChief ElectricianService Record
9th August 19565th June 1957Bramle (Pembroke II)Chief ElectricianService Record
6th June 19575th January 1959PembrokeChief ElectricianService Record


Additional Photos



Frank on joining H.M.S. Ganges as a Boy.




The swimming bath at H.M.S. Ganges




Muster at H.M.S. Ganges




The mast at H.M.S. Ganges




Frank during his time in H.M.S. Valiant




A trip to the pyramids whilst serving in H.M.S. Valiant




1937: Frank formed part of the PomPom gun crew in Hood.




Relaxing on the decks of Hood whilst the ship was at Split.




On Hood at Malta, 1937.




On Hood at Malta, 1937.




Narvik 1940 whilst serving in H.M.S Resolution.




Frank's wedding in 1941




Frank in 1941 wearing a "full set".




550




Celebrating Christmas 1945 in H.M.S Implacable.




Frank in Athens in 1954, as a Chief Petty Officer



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)
Frank's grandson, Brett Cleall (Service record and photographs), March 2021