Navy
Several of the Old Boys lost their lives when the ships they were serving on, the HMS Glorius and the HMS Galataea, sank. Here are their stories.
The HMS Glorious was a British, Courageous-class battlecruiser escoted by two Acasta-class destroyers, Acasta and Ardent. It was the second of the three Courageous-class battlecruisers that were built for the royal navy in the first world war. According to enquiries, HMS Glorious only left the safety of her convoy for fuel, her escorts only being there for her protection.
On the way through the Norwegian Sea, she was spotted by German battlecruisers at about 15:46 on the 8th of June 1940. Glorious did not alter course or change speed, despite her awareness of the Germans. For an unknown reason there was no combat air patrol ready, nobody in her crows nest nor any aircraft ready on the deck for quick takeoff.
The Germans switched their fire to Glorious at 16:32. A second shell hit the homing beacon and killed the captain and most of the personnel stationed there. After a while of shooting, they hit Glorious in the engine room allowing her to slow and commence a circle back to the port. The Germans closed in on her and fired continuously until she finally sank at 17:20 at approximately at 68°38′N 03°50′E, with only 43 survivors. Ardent managed one hit on a German ship but was sank by the second at 17:25. Acasta was sunk shortly after, and nearby. The total killed or missing, was 1,207 from Glorious, 160 from Acasta and 152 from Ardent, a total of 1,519.
Some of the boys from the memorial even served on this ship, not all of them died on it, however. Eric Evan Williams was a Leading Telegraphist from Llanbradach, Glamorgan and is buried at the Plymouth Naval Memorial. Lawrence Williams also served on HMS Glorious. his rank was Able Seaman and he is also buried in the Plymouth Naval Memorial, alongside his crew member Eric. Perhaps they knew each other?
HMS Galatea was a submarine battleship hybrid brave enough to face the seven seas in the second world war. Galatea joined the Mediterranean fleet on commissioning except the period between March and September in 1938, when it acted as a flagship. The ship was built in Greencock, Scotland by Scotts Ship Building and Engineering co and the keel was laid on the 2nd of June, 1933. She was launched on the 9th of August, 1934 and then commissioned on the 14 of August the same year. She was active during the Spanish Civil War in 1938, but then ordered home on the outbreak of the second world war. She would mainly be used to bring down the Axis Supply.
But soon, disaster would strike. On the 15th of December, 1940, the ship was torpedoed before midnight by the German submarine, U - 557 of Alexandria in Egypt. This caused the loss of 470 crew members. Only 100 survivors remained and were picked up by the destroyers Griffin and Hotspur. But less than 48 hours later the U-557 which sank the ship was destroyed by the Italian torpedo boat, Orione and sank with all hands.
She was under the command of Captain E.W.B Sim as part of the 15th Cruiser Squadron. Over her time of service, she received many battle honours.
One of our own old boys served on HMS Galatea. Albert John Williams. Like the two others who served on HMS Glorious, he was buried at the Plymouth Naval Cemetery. He was working in the engine room while the ship sank, and was unable to get out. He had also worked his way up to being a Petty Officer. Sadly, he was one of the ones killed that day, but we will not forget him.
