-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


William Frederick Eales

Photo of
Date of birth: 8th November 1919
Place of birth: Knaphill, Woking, Surrey, England
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Stoker 1st Class
Service Number: P/KX92982
Joined Hood: 16th July 1938 (Stoker 2nd Class)
Left Hood: 16th March 1941 (Stoker 1st Class)








Biographical Information: William Frederick Eales entered the Royal Navy on 24th January 1938, as the clouds of war were gathering in Europe. Aged 18, he was considerably older than most entrants, and already an adult in the eyes of the Service. He had been a builder's labourer before enlisting.

William's service in Hood first came to our attention thanks to a newspaper article on the subject of the award of the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 1945. This medal was awarded as a result of William's skills and courage in fighting a fire onboard the merchant vessel SS Lucia C in the harbour at Bari, Italy, in April 1945.

The newspaper article specifically mentions William's Hood service and the fact that he was present at the Battle of Mers el Kebir in July 1940. It also states that he was drafted off the ship just a few weeks before her sinking.

Subsequent investigative work by William Eales' family unearthed his RN service record, which confirmed his Hood service, and its dates - as above. His draft in Hood was a lengthy one - exactly 32 months.

William Eales served in the RN right through World War II and beyond, finally leaving the Service in 1950, at the end of his 12-year engagement.



Additional Photos



Award letter for British Empire Medal.




Newspaper article on award of BEM, which mentions William Eales' previous service in HMS Hood.




William Eales on the fo'c'sle of HMS Birmingham, light cruiser.



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)
John Eales (son) - biographical information and photographic documentary evidence of Hood service November 2020.