-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


Cyril Downes

Photo of
Date of birth: 20th September 1916.
Place of birth: Normanton, Yorkshire, England
Wife: Peggy Mountford
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Able Seaman
Joined Hood: About 1940
Left Hood: About 1941








Biographical Information: Cyril Downes was identified as one of the other sailors in a photo of Freddie Boston (q.v.).

Born in Normanton, West Yorkshire, Cyril spent around one year in Hood, being drafted off some time before her fateful final voyage. He was commissioned in 1941, and by 1943 was a Lieutenant RNVR.

Cyril was 'demobbed' from the Royal Navy in 1946. In civilian life he entered the banking profession, working in various locations all over the East Midlands and achieving promotion to bank manager. In 1978 he retired to Hove, Sussex.

Cyril Downes died on 7th November 2004, aged 88.


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)
Christopher Downes, son, biographical information and photo identification 2021