My granddad, Arthur Parker or Pop as I always called him, was in the Royal Navy during the WW2. He was a Stoker 1st Class, serving on HMS Excellent.
Pop lived at Rowley House in Deptford, London before the War with his wife Ellen, nee Lloyd, and their young daughter Jean Ellen who was born September 1936 at Church Street, Deptford.
I have naval rating railway tickets, paid by the Admiralty, third class of course. Pop had leave from 14 December 1945 to 17 December 1945. I suspect this was to visit my father who was born at the end of November 1945.
On Pop's Trade Certificate it states his character was very good during his service and everything else including duties were satisfactory. Signed by the captain of HMS Excellent.
I have a photograph of all HMS Excellent crew from this period. Pop is standing in the back row, fifth in from the left. His best friend, Joe Williams, is also in the photo, second in from the right standing by a man with glasses. Arthur's son called him Uncle Joe although no relative I'm sure. Such was the close friend's relationship.
Pop needed his friends as during the war his young daughter Jean had been evacuated out of war torn London and the Blitz. Especially as the docks were close to their home and was being bombed constantly.
Jean was four years old evacuated to Penygraig in the Rhondda, Wales. While staying here Jean had scarlet fever and sadly died in the Isolation Hospital, Ystrad, Wales 31st January 1941. Arthur the informant on her death certificate. Unfortunately, due to the war her body could not be transported back to London and Deptford for burial.
She was interred at 3.15pm Valentine's Day 1941 with the widow of the neighbour of her address in Penygraig, Wales. So Jean lay in the arms of Elizabeth Llewelyn who had been buried there in 1936. Later her husband Thomas Llewelyn would be buried in the same grave.
My grandfather, Arthur, needed his friends like Joe after the war for support I'm sure for both himself and his wife Ellen. There were many horrors of war, what he saw, witnessed at home and at sea.
I'm proud of all the people who suffered or gave their lives for our freedom. RIP.
