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

We will remember them
Chainbar divider

In Remembrance of
William Dennis Canty

Photo of
Date of birth: 6th October 1905
Place of birth: Battersea, London, England
Parents: Edward and Mary Ann Canty
Wife: Denise Canty
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Yeoman of Signals
Service Number: P/J 100264
Joined Hood First time: 10th January 1940 (Acting Yeoman of Signals)
Left Hood First time: rd March 1940 (Acting Yeoman of Signals)
Joined Hood Second time: 1th August 1940 (Acting Yeoman of Signals)
Left Hood Second time: 24th May 1941 (loss of ship) (Yeoman of Signals)
Click here to print memorial poster


Biographical Information:

William was born on 6th October 1905 to parents Edward and Mary Ann Canty of Battersea, London.

William entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 6th January 1921. Prior to entering the service he had been a magnetic repairer. His initial training took place in H.M.S. Impregnable and H.M.S. Ganges. William entered the Signals branch on joining H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth on 4th September 1922. He would spend his entire working life in the Navy and served in a variety of ships.

William had two period of service in Hood. Having joined her on 10th January 1940 he transferred to H.M.S. Renown in March that year, rejoining Hood in August. This appears to have coindided with Hood initially spending some time in dockyard hand during the pring of 1940 before she was sent to join Force H in the Mediterranean in June.

William was the husband of Connie Canty, father of Denise Canty. He was 35 years old at the time of his loss.





History of ships served in and ratings held:


Date FromDate toShipRatingSource
6th January 192126th May 1921ImpregnableBoy 2nd ClassADM188/847
27th May 192111th September 1921GangesBoy 2nd ClassADM188/847
12th September 19213rd September 1922GangesBoy 1st ClassADM188/847
4th September 19225th October 1923Queen ElizabethSignal BoyADM188/847
6th October 192313th August 1924Queen ElizabethOrdinary SignalmanADM188/847
14th August 192426th August 1924RevengeOrdinary SignalmanADM188/847
27th August 192418th September 1924Victory IOrdinary SignalmanADM188/847
19th September 19244th January 1925Victory ISignalmanADM188/847
5th January 192511th November 1926Lucia (Adamant)SignalmanADM188/847
12th November 192614th August 1927Victory ISignalmanADM188/847
15th August 192726th April 1929NelsonSignalmanADM188/847
27th April 192910th July 1929Victory 1-2SignalmanADM363/379
11th July 19293rd September 1929Pemnroke 2-4 (Curacoa)SignalmanADM363/379
4th September 19296th March 1931CuracoaSignalmanADM363/379
7th March 193130th June 1931Victory 2-4 (Active)SignalmanADM363/379
1st July 19318th March 1932Egmont 2-2 (Active)SignalmanADM363/379
9th March 193226th August 1932Victory ISignalmanADM363/379
27th August 193230th September 1932Vindictive (Centurion)SignalmanADM363/379
1st October 193217th October 1932Effingham (Centurion)SignalmanADM363/379
18th October 19323rd February 1933Victory ISignalmanADM363/379
4th February 193330th June 1933Boscowen (Colne)SignalmanADM363/379
1st July 193331st August 1933Boscowen (Colne)Acting Leading SignalmanADM363/379
1st September 19336th October 1933Victory IActing Leading SignalmanADM363/379
7th October 193330th June 1934Victory 2 (Crusader)Acting Leading SignalmanADM363/379
1st July 193431st August 1934Victory 2 (Crusader)Leading SignalmanADM363/379
1st September 193414th September 1934Victory ILeading SignalmanADM363/379
15th September 193420th January 1935Dolphin (SC)Leading SignalmanADM363/379
21st January 193524th November 1935Titania (Starfish)Leading SignalmanADM363/379
25th November 19359th September 1936DolphinLeading SignalmanADM363/379
10th September 193631st December 1936Medway (SC)Leading SignalmanADM363/379
1st January 193730th September 1937Medway(?Otis?)Leading SignalmanADM363/379
1st October 193731st December 1937Medway (SC)Leading SignalmanADM363/379
1st January 193829th November 1938Medway(Regulus)Leading SignalmanADM363/379
7th March 193813th September 1939Titania (L37)Leading SignalmanADM363/379
30th November 19386th March 1938DolphinLeading SignalmanADM363/379
14th September 193930th September 1939Titania (L37)Acting Yeoman of SignalsADM363/379
1st October 193910th November 1939DolphinActing Yeoman of SignalsADM363/379
11th November 19399th January 1940Victory IActing Yeoman of SignalsADM363/379
10th January 19403rd March 1940HoodActing Yeoman of SignalsADM363/379
4th March 194010th August 1940RenownActing Yeoman of SignalsADM363/379
11th August 194013th September 1940HoodActing Yeoman of SignalsADM363/379
14th September 194024th May 1941HoodYeoman of SignalsADM363/379


Additional Photos









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)





William's name is in Column 1 of Panel 52.





Detail of William'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)
William's nephew, Dennis Canty (photo & information, 2001)
The National Archives (ADM 188/847)
Paul Knowles (photo), November 2020