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HMS Heron
HMS Acheron was an A-Class Fleet Destroyer, launched on 18th March 1930, built by John I Thornycroft at Woolston. Atteh outbreak of war she was undergoing repairs at Portsmouth and did not join the 18th Destroyer Flotilla based at Portsmouth for patrol and convoy defence in the English Channel until October. However further repairs were needed and on the 12th of December she was taken back into the dockyard. She was not deployed again until April of 1940 when she joined the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow for Convoy defence and screening duties in support of the landings in Norway.
She took part in Operation Alphabet, escorting Ark Royal in June and at the end of the month returned to Portsmouth to have 3inch high angle guns fitted. Soon after returning to duty in the English Channel she was damaged during a dive bomb attack 10 miles south of St Catherine's Point. Once again she returned to Portsmouth for repairs and whilst there was seriously damaged in an air raid, with two crew members being killed and another three injured.
Repairs were completed in December but she hit a mine off the Isle of Wight during post refit trails and sank quickly. 167 of the ship's crew and 25 Dockyard workers who were onboard for the trials were lost, only 19 survivors were rescued.
17th Apr 1940 Escort Duty
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Those known to have sailed in HMS Heron during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Brewin Frank. Able Sea. (d.17th December 1940)
- Brooks Harry O.. Stoker (d.17th December 1940)
- Crunden Ronald Allenby. Able Sea. (d.17th Dec 1940)
- Cutts Howard. Able Sea. (d.17th Dec 1940)
- Dobson Joseph. Able Sea. (d.17 Dec 1940)
- Doust Frederick James Thomas. Stoker 1st Class (d.17th Dec 1940)
- Flynn James Frances . Able Sea.
- Goldsmith John Victor Crusoe. Able Sea (d.17 Dec 1940)
- Hannabuss John Henry. Ord.Sea. (d.17th Dec 1940)
- Holness Hubert Henry Louis. Sub.Lt. (d.14th April 1943)
- Ireland Chapman. Sea.
- Kelly John Charles. PO Stwd (d.24th Aug 1940)
- Matthews Reginald William. Able Sea. (d.17th Dec 1940)
- Mclean Harold. Able Sea.
- Mcpherson Richard Davidson. Steward
- Owen Edna Grace.
- Parish J. N.W.. Sub.Lt. (d.17th May 1941)
- Parkes Ernest. AC2. (d.7th May 1945)
- Parnwell Francis. Stkr2. (d.17th Dec 1940)
- Perkins Christopher Harry. Able Sea. (d.17th Dec 1940)
- Pitcher Stanley George. Able Sea. (d.17th December 1940)
- Putman Silvester Joseph. PO. (d.17th Dec 1940)
- Riley Kemble Ernest Edward.
- Spratt Thomas Plimmer. Able Seaman (d.17 Dec 1940)
- Whitworth Tom. Able Sea. (d.17th Dec 1940)
- Worthington Alfred. Able Sea. (d.19th Dec 1940)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
Records of HMS Heron from other sources.
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Want to know more about HMS Heron? There are:2 items tagged HMS Heron available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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AC2. Ernest Parkes HMS Heron (d.7th May 1945) Ernest Parkes served as a Naval Airman 2nd Class. in the Royal Navy on H.M.S. Heron. He died aged 21 years. Son of Ernest and Hannah Parkes, husband of Ethel Parkes of Lower Gornal.
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Able Sea. James Frances Flynn HMS Indomitable James Flynn served three times on HMS Victory: 2/1/43 - 5/2/43, 19/8/43 - 10/9/43, and 27/11/45 - 30/6/46. He also served on HMS Indomitable, HMS Heron, and HMS Cumberland.
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Able Sea John Victor Crusoe "Jack" Goldsmith HMS Acheron (d.17 Dec 1940) Uncle Jack was my father's eldest brother.
He died just 11 days after his 31st birthday, leaving a widow and 5 children under the age of 8.
Although he died before I was born, he was always talked of fondly by all the family.
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Sub.Lt. Hubert Henry Louis Holness HMS Heron (d.14th April 1943) Hubert Holness was my 2nd cousin once removed and died aged 22, I think he deserves to be remembered.
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Ord.Sea. John Henry Hannabuss H.M.S. Acheron (d.17th Dec 1940) John Henry Hannabuss, Ordinary Seaman, died on HMS Acheron on 17th Dec 1940. My uncle I never met and brother to my father. John was 21 when he was lost.
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Steward Richard Davidson "Mac" Mcpherson Steward HMS Drake My Dad should be writing this as he was known to be the biggest story teller. I know very little about his service except what I am reading on his Certificate of Service.
He served the Royal Navy between April 1943 and August 1944 when he was discharged and although the writing is difficult to read it looks like he transferred to the Army. He would not speak about his service so no one knows exactly when he left the Army if in fact he did join.
His Naval Service is listed below.
- 1/4/1943 to 3/5/43 Royal Arthur training
- 4/5/43 to 21/6/43 Drake
- 22/6/43 to 9/8/43 Heron
- 10/8/43 to 16/8/43 Drake
- 17/8/43 to 30/9/43 Reads like Faust
- 1/10/43 to 23/2/44 Drake
- 24/2/44 to 5/7/44 Boscowan
- 6/7/44 to 19/7/44 Victory
- 20/7/44 to 24/8/44 Drake
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Edna Grace Owen Fleet Air Arm My mother was in the Fleet Air Arm. She served on HMS Merlin, HMS Spartiate in 1944, HMS Fledgling, HMS Heron as a specialist air mechanic and HMS Merlin in 1944-46 from where she was released in November 1946. She died in 2002.
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Able Sea. Frank Brewin HMS Acheron (d.17th December 1940) My uncle Frank Brewin was an able seaman aboard HMS Acheron. He was 21 years old when she went down in 1940. He had been transferred from the HMS Hood.
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Stkr2. Francis Parnwell HMS Acheron (d.17th Dec 1940) Francis Parnwell served on HMS Acheron, he was the son of Constance Emma Parnwell, his father, Francis H Parnwell, had died in 1938.
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Able Sea. Christopher Harry Perkins H.M.S. Acheron (d.17th Dec 1940) Christopher Harry Perkins P/SSX29931 served as an Able Seaman on H.M.S. Acheron. He was lost when the Ship was sunk on 17th December 1940. He was 21 years old. He grew up in Killamarsh in North East Derbyshire. Sadly, I know nothing of him but my mother, who was only a child at the time, grew up in the same village and has never forgotten him. I hope his parents found peace.
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Able Sea. Tom Whitworth HMS Acheron (d.17th Dec 1940) Tom Whitworth, gunnery Able Seaman, served aboard HMS Acheron. He is survived by his wife for 73 years and remembered every day. A regular sailor, pre-war serving in the China station. He feared he knew what was coming and married only a few short months before he died while on weekend leave.
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PO. Silvester Joseph Putman HMS Acheron (d.17th Dec 1940) Silvester Putman was my maternal grandfather, he was 32 when he died, leaving a pregnant wife, and a 20 month old daughter. My Nan never re-married.
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