260875 Sigmn. William David Frank Slowley Royal Navy HMS Rigorous from:Bristol William Slowley was my father. I have looked up his war record as part of my family history interest. He never spoke much about the war, I guess because he had moved on since demob in 1945. He was a good father, and after he left the Navy he worked hard as a printer (at home, part time) and as a signalman at Avonmouth docks until his death in 1962.
He was very bright and won a scholarship to grammar school, but because his mother (widowed when he was 9) couldn't afford the uniform he was not able to go, instead he joined the Navy and served in both World Wars (he served on HMS Rigorous during WW1).
He knew Morse code like it was his natural language, built single valve radios for me as a child, etc. I now guess the Navy saw his intelligence and talent and think he was part of the secret communications system, especially when he served on HMS Rodney (which was involved in sinking the Bismarck) in WW2.
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