-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


John Alfred Charles May

Photo of
Date of birth: 8th February 1892
Place of birth: Barnstaple, Devonshire, England
Previous occupation: School
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Chief Writer
Service Number: 239807
Joined Hood: 13th June 1922 (Chief Writer)
Left Hood: 20th November 1923 (Chief Writer)







Biographical Information: No further biographical information is held.



History of ships served in and ratings held:


Date FromDate toShipRatingSource
11th October 190730th April 1908ImpregnableBoy 2nd ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
1st May 190816th November 1908ImpregnableBoy 1st ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
17th November 190828th December 1908CressyBoy 1st ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
29th December 19087th February 1909Royal ArthurBoy 1st ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
8th February 190919th February 1909VividBoy 1st ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
20th February 19098th March 1909DonegalBoy 1st ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
9th March 19097th February 1910AboukirBoy 1st ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
8th February 19107th March 1911AboukirOrdinary SeamanADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
8th March 19113rd April 1911AboukirAble SeamanADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
4th April 191110th December 1911Vivid IAble SeamanADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
11th December 19117th February 1912Vivid IWriter 3rd ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
8th February 191210th May 1912LeviathanWriter 3rd ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
11th May 191230th June 1913Vivid IWriter 3rd ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
1st July 19139th December 1915ForesightWriter 3rd ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
10th December 19155th January 1918ForesightWriter 2nd ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
6th January 191812th September 1918Vivid IWriter 2nd ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
13th September 191830th June 1919Vivid IWriter 1st ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
1st July 191931st March 1922Vivid IIIWriter 1st ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
1st April 192212th June 1922Vivid IIIWriter 1st ClassADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
13th June 192220th November 1923Vivid IIChief WriterADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
13th June 192220th November 1923HoodChief WriterADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
21st November 19233rd January 1924ImpregnableChief WriterADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
4th January 19241st August 1928ImpregnableChief Petty Officer WriterADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
2nd August 19283rd September 1928Vivid IIChief Petty Officer WriterADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
4th September 192823rd March 1931EmeraldChief Petty Officer WriterADM188/426
via WW1 Lives at Sea
24th March 19316th February 1932Vivid II-VChief Petty Officer WriterADM363/410
7th February 193227th September 1938Shore pensionedChief Petty Officer WriterADM363/410
28th September 193819th October 1938Drake I (Mobilised)Chief Petty Officer WriterADM363/410
20th October 193825th July 1939DemobilisedChief Petty Officer WriterADM363/410
26th July 193930th September 1940Drake IIChief Petty Officer WriterADM363/410
1st October 194011th October 1941RaleighChief Petty Officer WriterADM363/410
12th October 1941Promoted to Temporary Acting Warrant WriterTemporary Acting Warrant WriterADM363/410

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)
ADM188/426 via WW1 Lives at Sea