PO. Percy John Elms
Royal Navy HMS Penelope
from:Titchfield, Hampshire
Percy John Elms was my grandfather. He was one of the survivors of the sinking of HMS Penelope. My mum, Ann Long, Percy's daughter, wrote the following:
A Memory of My Dad
Percy was serving in the Navy when I was born, a dedicated sailor he became a petty officer at the age of 21 years, which was quite an accomplishment in those days. He served on several ships as a gunnery officer. Whilst serving aboard HMS Penelope ('pepper pot'), he was unfortunate enough to suffer a torpedo hit which ultimately sank the vessel, he was in the water for some four hours whilst awaiting rescue, during this time he experienced watching a fellow young sailor drown because he was unable to keep afloat, this most distressing trauma never left his memory throughout his life and he would relay to his children how at this point when eventually rescued he began to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. He helped his shipmates when they had been rescued, when he saw there was no more he could do he got blind drunk, and was in this state when Senior Officers were inquiring as to who had been instrumental, in helping, therefore his efforts were never rewarded. But in our eyes he was a War Hero.
Written by Ann Long
