Les was born in Deptford south east London on 31st December 1912. His father Spencer was a Stoker Petty Officer in the Royal Navy. When Les was two his mother died in childbirth and I believe he was sent to live with relatives and often went hungry. Spencer subsequently remarried and went on to have another two boys. When Spencer left the navy in 1924 he owned a general merchants shop in New Cross. One of the tasks that Les helped his dad with was to go to the knackers yard at Blackwell and pick up horse meat that they then cut up, put on wooden skewers, and sold for cat and dog food in the shop! At fourteen Les was enrolled at the Royal Hospital School , a trust for former naval personnel children and dependents, based in Greenwich ( Now The National Maritime Museum). He spent a year and a half there until his move to HMS Ganges naval training school where an old saying was "If you didn't go to Ganges or St.Vincents you weren't tough you only smelt strong". It was a very hard introduction to life in the Royal Navy but served many sailors well, especially POW's and serving personnel during the war. The blue section below tells the origins of HMS Ganges.The Ganges training establishment at Shotley began in 1905 and when it ceased in 1976, 150,000 recruits had passed through the gates. There is a museum at Shotley, Suffolk where information can be obtained at https://www.hmsgangesmuseum.com/

The Royal Hospital School was relocated at Holbrook, near Shotley, Suffolk in the 1930's.Leslie's son Terence and one grandson attended the school here and in the Chapel there is an engraved sconce in memory of Les

ROYAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL TO HMS GANGES FOR NAVAL TRAINING / HMS GANGES

HMS GANGES POSSIBLY 1928-29

I have created this site in memory of my father Leslie Ernest Levett and for his family and descendents. Special thanks to the members of the World Naval Ships Forum whose help and information have made this site possible. If you have a problem with any of the content or have any comments or further information please email : sailormanrecalls@gmail.com