Halcyon Class Minesweepers HMS Hussar
Family & Friends
 
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W F H Lind
R J Anthony
Family & Friends

 

 

Since the launch of this website in April 2006 there has been a steady number of e-mails from relatives of crew members and, indeed, former members of the crews of the Halcyons themselves. Details have been included here of those contacts relating to HMS Hussar, although e-mail addresses are excluded for privacy and to avoid spam messages. Please contact me if you would like to contact anyone listed here.

 

Crew Member Contact Relationship Information
R J Anthony Nigel Anthony Grandson Thanks for giving me the opportunity after all these years to tell someone of this great man's life.

Click here to see full story

Frank Walker Zoe Bradshaw Niece For many years my family have been under the
impression that my mum's uncle went down on the HMS Hood until I mentioned to my mum that the Hood went down in 1941 and my grandma had letters from him in 1944 from the HMS Hussar and he was lost at sea in August 1944 which ties in with the Hussar's dates.  If you have any information on the Hussar and what actually happened I would greatly appreciate it.

[Info given to Zoe confirming Frank did die on Hussar]

That's fantastic ... so he did go down with the Hussar at last the mystery is solved.

Thanks very much for your help. Just want to congratulate you on your website it is fantastic and more information that we could have wished for.  Those poor men and what they must have suffered.

WGF Sandell Eileen Carpenter Daughter As a daughter of one of the crew of HMS Hussar (AB William George Frederick Sandell) who was lost on that dreadful day in August 1944, I can offer nothing but praise to you Bill for the preparation of this site. I have been spellbound for a couple of hours reading all that you have collated.  If anyone from the
Hussar has any crew photos, I would of course be delighted to receive a copy.  I am also going to collate some details of my own father's service with the Halcyons to add to the site as soon as I can, and I look forward to reading other comments.  CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BILL.  Eileen Carpenter nee Sandell
Cecil Baden Hamilton Mead Dawn Mead-MacGregor Daughter I am trying to find out about my father who served on HMS Hussar from 15 Jun 1939 to 13 Jul 1940.  He did something heroic at that time, though what I do not know.  The incident was on a newsreel at that time.  If you know of anyone who is still alive who served on HMS Hussar I would love to be able to get in touch with them to see if they knew my father.  My father was not killed during the war he spend most of his time after that on shore duty stationed at St. Merryn on Cornwall.
Cornelius Conway Paula Braby Niece I wish to update the details of my uncle Cornelius Conway as follows.  Cornelius was 19yrs old and the son of Michael and Sarah Conway of Liverpool.

The details of just how Cornelius died have just come to light and I'm trying to find out as much information as I can in order to paint a picture.  Your website is a great help because  I now know there is a memorial out there with his name on it.

The 'friendly fire' section makes for a  truly sad read.   Such an avoidable tragedy that hardly bears thinking about...yet we must.
Denis Bert Morriss Richard K Morriss Son My late father - Denis Bert Morriss (nicknamed Red), then a Petty Officer from Walsall, was one of the survivors of the Hussar after the friendly fire incident. He had previously served on HMS Onslow and was on board during the 'Hipper' attack.

He didn't speak about the horror of the war much - and my mother is adamant he had been sunk once before being on Hussar (which he never told me about) though I have not been able to check out the details of which ship.  He served mainly on the Atlantic and Russian convoys after joining up in 1941 aged 18. 

After the Hussar was sunk I do know that he held up his best friend in the water for a long time only to find out that he had been killed by the shrapnel when the rescue boat arrived.  He himself suffered all the rest of his life from cramps caused by shrapnel in his legs.

Like the other survivors he was told to shut up and was quickly transferred to Australia travelling there on HMS Ranee, one of the MAC carriers.  He spend the rest of the war there, was offered a commission in the RAN but turned it down and returned home.

He trained in catering and in 1952 became the catering manager at Alton Towers, where we lived until 1970. He died in Spain in 1996, aged 73, and despite being fit all his life, the doctors thought that the blood clot he died of was directly related to his war wounds all those years later.

I am naturally biased, but he was a fine man, much loved - but I know he never forgot the events of that day in June 1944 or the loss of his mates.
Trevor James Davies Steve Moult Great Nephew Trevor James Davies stoker 1st class D/JX 107333 age 27 son of William & Matha Davies of  Hafod Swansea.

Trevor was my Great uncle, it is known in the family that Trevor was lost at sea and his name is on Plymouth panel 89 column 3 but the details of his loss was not known until now. My father serving in HMS Goodson A Captain Class Frigate said he was the last in the family to see Trevor alive just before June 5 1944.  I have attached a photo of Trevor, and Trevor with a shipmate name unknown may have been in HMS Hussar.

RE William Joseph Merrigan Leading seaman D/JX285658  Plymouth panel 89 column 3 on board HMS Hussar was also from Hafod Swansea but further information at this time.

 I hope this information is of use, if I obtain any other information I will forward to you.

 Thank you S. Moult.

George Ellis Andrew Foster. Grandson My name is  I am the grandson of Chief Petty Officer George Richard Ellis serial number SSX 27550(although I am not sure of his rank at the time of the sinking of the Hussar).
 
I was very close to my grandfather and he told me many stories of his time at sea although I was 13 when he died and am now 38, so they have become
lacking in exact detail.
 
I remember him telling me about the friendly fire incident and I'm sure that it was whilst he was in the water following the damage to HMS Hussar that a
young 17 year old rating died in his arms. This man was the first thing he thought about at the 11th hour of the 11th day every year since. He would have a glass of Rum he would quietly relive this experience.
 
Would it be possible to let me know if he was amongst the crew on that day.
 
He joined The Royal Navy in 1938 and saw much service. Prior to her death, my grandmother and I claimed his medals (as he thought that only conscripted men deserved them).
 
He has 1939-45 star
Atlantic star with bar
Africa star with bar
War medal 1939-45
 
And also qualified for the Russian convoys medal and Malta star. However these weren't awarded posthumously.
 
His area of expertise would of been Asdics.
 
Is there any way that I can find his complete service records?
 
I know he served on:
HMS Delight
HMS Anthony
HMS Hussar
A Canadian aircraft carrier (which was torpedoed, but not sunk)
 
I have a feeling that he may have been sunk twice.
 
I would be much appreciated if you could point me in the right direction, as
I am extremely keen to plot his full Naval service history.

Andrew Foster (Grandson) July 2008

Robert Cawker Joy Whieldon  
I have to thank you for compiling the history of the HMS Hussar. It is amazing, and saddening, to read of the ship that my Great Uncle served on.
 
I noticed you are missing his family details however.
 
 
Robert Cawker is my grandmother's brother. My grandmother's name was Viola, mothers name Catherine and my name Joy.
 
Robert Richard's parents were Richard and Violet, and I understand that the family was situated in Swansea in South Wales, Glamorgan.
 
Hope this helps you with some information about the crew.
 
Joy Wheildon. August 2008
       

 

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This site was last updated 17 Januar 2012