-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


Albert Edward Darch

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Date of birth: 4 April 1895
Place of birth: Tynemouth, Northumberland, England
Previous occupation: Not known
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Able Seaman
Service Number: J10163
Joined Hood: Before 27th November 1923 (Empire Cruise)
Left Hood: After 28th September 1924 (Empire Cruise)







Biographical Information: Albert Edward Darch was born in Seaton Sluice, just north of Tynemouth, Northumberland to John Sidney Darch and Elizabeth Jane Darch. Albert's father was ex-navy/coastguard/customs. Albert joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 27 October 1910 at the age of 15, and signed on for 12 years' 'man's time' on his 18th birthday, 4 April 1913. He served in the 'C' Class cruiser HMS Cleopatra during much of World War I, and so had a very eventful war. His time in Hood coincided with the 'Empire Cruise' of 1923-4. This was Albert's last sea time, and he left the Royal Navy on 3 April 1925, the day before his 30th birthday.

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
The EmpirService certificate supplied by Mr Alfred Cook