261307 ERA. Stanley Francis Finch MID.Royal Navy HMS Stanley from:Devonport (d.19th December 1941) Stanley Finch was born in Senglea, Malta, in 1897, while his father was posted to the RN Dockyard there, from their home base in Devonport.
During WW1 he was apprenticed as a Fitter in Rogers Ship Builders in Cremyll, near Devonport, following which in April 1918 he joined the RN, for 12 years, during which he spent time both at sea (in HMS Tiger, HMS Columbine and HMS Frobisher) and in shore establishments, notably Vivid 11 in Devonport.
In 1929 he signed on for a further 12 years, then in April 1940 for a further 3, firstly as a Chief Engine Room Artificer, then from July 1940 as Acting Warrant Engineer.
He served protecting Atlantic convoys in the Destroyer HMS Stanley, until she was sunk by torpedo on 19th of December 1941. Stanley Finch was one of 10 officers, out of 125 crew who died. There were 29 survivors. He is remembered on the huge war memorial on Plymouth Hoe.
Sadly, Stanley was one of 3 brothers who all died within a 4 year period. His elder brother Leonard died while employed in Portsmouth dockyard in 1943, and the eldest brother William Finch MBE died in 1945 while en route to the Yalta conference as part of Churchill's team.
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