-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.

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Edward Charles George Couch

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Date of birth: 20th August 1894
Place of birth: Devonport, Devon, England
Previous occupation: Grocer's assistant
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Petty Officer
Service Number: J.8551
Joined Hood First time: 22nd June 1922 (Leading Seaman)
Left Hood First time: 6th January 1926 (Petty Officer)
Joined Hood Second time: 16th October 1926 (Petty Officer)
Left Hood Second time: 29th April 1927 (Petty Officer)





Biographical Information: Edward Couch had two brothers who served in the Royal Navy: Joseph Samuel Couch and Percy Mullice Couch. . Percy served in Hood simultaneously with Edward. Both participated onboard in the Empire Cruise. of 1923-4.

Edward reached the rate of Petty Officer, and it is believed that he left the RN on 19th August 1934, the day before his 40th birthday, while holding that rate. He re-entered the Service, as a pensioner Petty Officer, on 19th September that year.


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)
The Empire Cruise by VC Scott O'Connor
Melanie Bryan (information July 2023.)