World War Two - Naval Question

[Songbirdy]

I recently found the names of my two uncles who were in the Royal Navy in the second World War, and died when their ships were sunk by the enemy, on a memorial on Plymouth Hoe. However, it does not tell me the ships that they were on when they died. All family members who would have been able to tell me this information are now dead. Where do I go to get the information?

[derekpara]

You will need their service numbers for a start as well as their rating, ie Able Seaman, Stoker Mechanic, etc. Their service records will then be available via the Public Records Office in Kew.

Good Luck.

[Jennykenny]

Your local library may let you have free access to service records, via Ancestry.co.uk.
Check with them first.
Bit of a nightmare doing it via Kew.
If nothing else they will be able to point you in the right direction.
Good luck.

[Jennykenny]

Try also to get a copy of their Military Service Record through Gov.uk.

[Peter Pedant]

I got my grandfather's army record from the Great War with just a name
same place
Royal Field Artillery which by 1918 had over 100 000 men in it
plus medals and when he collected them

[Songbirdy]

Thank you everyone for your answers. I will try your suggestions and let you know the outcome. Cheers.

[jno]

have you tried googling the names? Sometimes you may find someone's put details online.

[jno]

also, if you have any idea of the dates, you could start here

http://www.naval-history.net/WW2BritishLossesbyDate1.htm

[Songbirdy]

Thank you jno your answer gave me easy access to the information I required. My Uncles died on HMS Courageous and HMS Glorious, in the Second World War. My own dad survived the war and I had his naval record which I found in his belongings, so researching his naval history was easy. I donated a large photograph album, of his adventures whilst he served with the China Fleet before the war, to the Naval Museum in Devonport.

[jno]

you're welcome, I'm glad that worked.

[10ClarionSt]

Songbirdy, I hope Ab Editor won't mind me helping you with this but I am the secretary of an association known by the acronym GLARAC. We remember all our relatives lost on HM Ships Glorious, Ardent and Acasta on June 8th 1940. We hold a memorial service every year in St. Nicholas' Church, in HMS Drake, Devonport, Plymouth. However, there must a mistake in your post as you say he died on HMS Courageous AND HMS Glorious. My uncle died on the Glorious, hence my connection. We have over 550 members. If you Google WW2 Service Records, you will find a government address where you can apply for his service record. The Naval Memorial on Plymouth Hoe will not give you his service number or the ship that he died on. It just shows his name, rank and the year he died, plus the area, which, if on Glorious will be the North Atlantic. We have lots of information on our web site. Just Google the word "GLARAC", and you should find us. If you make contact, we can help. I have just had a memorial plaque cast in bronze that remembers the three ships. This will be located in the Belvedere Gardens, just below Plymouth Hoe but we have yet to arrange for it to be put there. we are in contact with Plymouth City Council at the moment to arrange this. Please let me know if I can help further.

[10ClarionSt]

Incidentally, our memorial service this year will be held on Sunday, June 3rd. We try to hold the service as near as possible to the date that the ships were lost.

[Songbirdy]

10 Clarion Street I will google GLARAC

[10ClarionSt]

Good. It will be nice if you contact us. Looking forward to that.