-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


Byron Eden

Photo of
Date of birth: 24th June 1905
Place of birth: Plymouth, Devon, England
Previous occupation: Printer's assistant.
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Service Number: D/J101619
Joined Hood: 23rd May 1922 (Boy First Class)
Left Hood: 5th January 1925 (Ordinary Seaman)







Biographical Information: Byron Eden joined the Royal Navy in the training ship HMS Impregnable on 14th March 1921 as a Boy Second Class aged fifteen. He joined HMS Hood, his first seagoing ship, as a Boy First Class, and was advanced to Ordinary Seaman (having reached the age of eighteen) while serving in Hood. Bryon served aboard her during the Empire Cruise. of 1923-1924.

In later years, Byron was advanced to the rate of Petty Officer, and became something of a 'big ship' specialist: he served, at various times, in the battleships Royal Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth and Rodney, and in the battlecruisers Renown and Repulse. He survived the sinking of Repulse in December 1941 but was later captured by the Japanese when they overran the Singapore naval base HMS Sultan just two months later, on 15th February 1942.

Byron Eden died in captivity in June 1945 - his service documents conclude with the ominous initials 'DD' - discharged dead.


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)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
His grandson Graham Eden
The Empire Cruise by VC Scott O'Connor