H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information

In Remembrance of
Mark Hunter Parnell Freeman

Date of birth: August 1924
Place of birth: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Parents: Charles Stephen Yorke and Elsie Freeman
Service: Royal Naval Reserve
Rank: Midshipman
Joined Hood: 29th April 1941
Left Hood: 24th May 1941 (loss of ship) (Temprorary Probationary Midshipman R.N.R.)
Click here to print memorial poster

Biographical Information:

Mark was born in late July or early August 1924, possibly in Sheffield, the son of Charles and Elsie Freeman. He appears to have spent at least some of his very early years in Australia or New Zealand and is recorded as having arrived back in Southampton with his mother on the Aberdeen Line Ship Demosthenes on 27th August 1926. His father later emigrated to New Zealand.

Mark was trained at H.M.S. Conway from 1938 to 1940. He was subsequently trained at H.M.S. King Alfred in early 1941.

Mark, at age 16, was among the youngest men aboard the ship at the time of his loss. He was posthumously awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Atlantic Star and the War Medal 1939-1945.

Additional Photos

Conway Chapel, Birkenhead Priory, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England

Photos of the memorial

Hood Chapel, Church of St. John the Baptist, Boldre, Hampshire, England

Photos of the memorial

Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Southsea, Hampshire, England

Photos of the memorial

The part of the memorial in which the Hood casualty names can be found.
(Panels 45 to 61)

Mark's name is in Column 1 of Panel 60.

Detail of Mark's name.

Sources
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
'Register of Deaths of Naval Ratings' (data extracted by Director of Naval Personnel (Disclosure Cell), Navy Command HQ, 2009)
Geoffrey Haskins (information & photo, September 2007)
His cousin, Diana Jefferson (information & photo, January 2016)