This collection contains copies of photos/postcards taken or collected by Royal Marine James Roland Higginson. "Jim" as he was known, served in Hood from March 1937 to May 1939. The following photos are all from 1937 and 1938, when Hood was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet. There are a wide variety of shots of the ship, her crew plus other ships and various ports of call. These photos and a number of the descriptions are courtesy of Jim's son, Jim Higginson. We have added our own descriptions for some photos.

These photos may not be downloaded and reproduced or republished elsewhere without the Higginson family's express permission.

Above- Jim (second from right) and some mates aboard Hood

Above- The Cossacks doing their stuff. The seamen give us this name as they say that the only thing that we have not got in our kit is a horse.

Above- Jim (second from left) and fellow Marines aboard Hood.

Above- Marines posing inside one of Hood's boats. Jim is third from the left.

Above- Hood's aft pom pom is fitted atop its newly installed bandstand, Malta, November-December 1937

Above- 0.5" Machine Gun platform being installed in November-December 1937

Above- Hood in drydock at Malta, November-December 1937

Above- High and dry in the floating dock. There are only two floating docks in the world that will hold us - this one and the one at Singapore.

Above- The paper bloke. His papers are three weeks old. He speaks broad Scottish as he
was taught by the Seaforth Highlanders when they were in camp here a year or two ago.

Above- Painting ship. The men are touching-up the AP507C lght grey.

Above- Paravanes being hoisted aboard. These are the things that destroy mines.

Above- 5.5" shells stored for instant readiness

Above- Hood oiling a destroyer at high speed. This shows who are the seamen, as one slip and the pipe is broken.

Above- A view from the roof of the After Concentrating Position. Hood is towing a gunnery target. The shell splashes are from H.M.S. Repulse.