Results 1 to 3 of 3
  1. #1

    Default HMS Curacoa - Claude Neville Wright

    Dear All

    Please can anyone help with my 3 queries below.

    Claude Neville Wright
    DOB: 11/04/1915
    DOD: 02/10/1942 - Died at Sea
    Service Number: C/JX 134508
    Rank: Sailmaker

    1. Claude is Remembered with Honour on the Chatham Naval Memorial so does this mean his body was not found.

    2. Also, on the Forces website it lists 2 Campaign Medals, 1939 - 1945 Star and War Medal 1939 - 1945. Does this mean Claude would have received these medals or is it just a possibility.

    3. Does anyone know where else I might be able to find some service records for Claude.

    Please excuse my ignorance and any help will be much appreciated.

    Claude is not an ancestor of mine but the Granddad of a friend of mine.

    Kind regards

    Jan

  2. #2
    Super Moderator - Completely bonkers and will never change.
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    England
    Posts
    9,622

    Default

    1. Claude was on H.M.S. Curacoa which was accidentally sunk so I would assume that he drowned and his body was not found.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Curacoa_(D41)
    Says men who died after rescue and bodies that were recovered were buried either at Chatham or in Arisaig, Inverness.

    His death was probably reported in a local newspaper of the time. The newspaper may be online at the British Newspaper Archive or Findmypast. Otherwise the local library is usually the go-to place for local newspapers.

    On the CWGC website, at the bottom of the page re the Chatham Naval Memoerial, it says
    After the First World War, an appropriate way had to be found of commemorating those members of the Royal Navy who had no known grave, the majority of deaths having occurred at sea where no permanent memorial could be provided.
    and then goes on to say that after WW2 names from that war were added.

    2. Not an expert re medals, so I'm passing on that one.

    3. Service records for personnel who served after 1921 are still held by the Ministry of Defence. You (as in, next of kin) can apply for them, at a cost of £30, but there is currently a long wait.
    Further details can be found here
    https://www.british-genealogy.com/fo...-WW2-amp-after
    Royal Navy records can now also be ordered online.
    https://www.british-genealogy.com/fo...l-Navy-records

    However, prior to 1972 naval personnel were given their records when they left the service and only minimum details were retained. Scroll down to 'After WW2'
    https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/tutorials
    (Incidentally, if you scroll slowly enough, here's some stuff about medals.)
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  3. #3

    Default

    Hi Pam
    Thank you very much for this information.
    Kind regards
    Jan

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Select a file: