Crest of the V&W Destroyer AssociationCrest of the V&W Destroyer AssociationHMS VORTIGERN






The Ship's Company - and some passengers
on 15 March 1942

The V & W Destroyer Association held a memorial service in the cemetery at at Lowestoft on 19 May 1996 and presented her wheel to the
Museum of the Royal Navy Patrol  Service (RNPS)

Bill Bradshaw was the only member of the V & W Destroyer Association who served in HMS Votigern and he probably attended the memorial service at Lowestoft on 19 May 1996 and may have bought at auction the steering wheel of Vortigern presented to he Museum of the RNPS in Sparrows Nest Park. He wrote a brief description of events when Vortigern was torpedoed and was one of 12 survivors out of the 159 men aboard. He mentioned some of his shipmates:

"I jumped in and managed to swim to the raft. I helped some of the others to get on. The oil fuel and the sea were so very cold. Quite a few died and slipped away. Our First Lieutenant was hanging on, but he too died and drifted away. Two others died on the raft, one named 'Sharky' Ward our L/S LTO also a three badge A.B. Sharky had only got married on his last leave. He came from Liverpool."

The RNPS also had in its collection a photograph of Thomas William Charles Tweedy (P/KX 77368) Stoker 1st Class whose body was not recovered and is marked as missing on  the list below.

Thomas William Charles Tweedy (P/KX 77368) Stoker 1st Class - "Missing"
"(Presumed) Discharged Dead" (DD) on his Service Certificate

Tweedie
The photograph was donated to the RNPS and most of what we know about Thomas William Charles Tweedy is from his Service Certificate which I downloaded from the National Archives.

Thomas Tweedy was born on 22 March 1906 and was 35 when he died. His service certificate gave his birthplace as Whitby, Tynemouth, but Whitby is in Yorkshire. Was he born in Whitby St, Tynemouth, or in nearby Whitley Bay? HMS Whitby was named HMS Whitley due to a clerical error. The Admiralty made mistakes!

Thomas Tweedy was a 20 year old miner when he"signed on" for 12 years on 10 November 1926 and became a stoker. He served in the "big ships" HMS Nelson, HMS Revenge, HMS Enterprise and HMS Effingham and left the Navy on 9 November 1938.

He was recalled from the Royal Fleet Reserve (RFR) on 15 June 1939 and joined HMS Vortigern.
Tweedie - Service Certificate

Obtaining Service Certificates

If you would like to know more about the wartime service of a family member on the list of men below you should first obtain a copy of his Service Certificate.

If he was born before 1910 there is a good chance that his record can be dowloaded online from the website of the National Archives.

To find out follow the simple instructions below.

Go to "Advanced Search" on the National Archives "Discovery" search engine by clicking on this link: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/advanced-search

Enter alongside "all of these words" his full name including forename and middle name if known.

Go to "search for or within references" and enter ADM (for Admiralty)

Click on  "SEARCH" bottom right

Select his name rom the list displayed and click for more details of the entry.

Check that the date of birth and his official serial  number (if you know it) are correct.

If there are too many entries to browse (for common names) limit by selecting from date groups

By registering and then "signing in" you can download for free instead of paying the standard £3.60 fee.

If he was born after 1910 and you fail to find his record on the National Archives website visit this page: http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/servicerecords.html





NAME
Rate or Rank
Official Number
Fate
GORDONHENRYALLENABP/JX 219292MISSING
THOMAS ALVESSTOKER POP/K 59736MISSING
PETERLE MESURIERANDREWS/LTRNRMISSING
LESLIEWILLIAMANDREWSO/CODERP/JX 220449MISSING
ROBERTLEWISAULDODP/JX 322905MISSING
GEORGE AYRESTOKER1CP/KX 98008MISSING
JOHNHENRYBALMERABP/SSX 25712MISSING
JOHNFREDERICKBARBERABP/J 101533DOW
PERCY BENNETTSTOKER2CP/KX 121708MISSING
FREDERICKNORMANBIGGSABP/SSX 17372MISSING
SIDNEYLEWISBINDERMANSURGEON LTRNVRMISSING
HAROLD BINNINGTONL/SEAMANP/JX 148574SURVIVOR
HAROLDANDERSONBLACKHALLS/LTRNVRMISSING
FRANKHERBERTBLUNDELLPOP/JX 129088KILLED
GILBERTLOUISBOSCHINABD/JX 191756MISSING
WILLIAM BRADSHAWABP/JX 234531SURVIVOR
LEONARDRUSSELLBRICKLEYCOOK (O)P/MX 66219MISSING
SIDNEYGEORGEBROMFIELDABP/SSX 17938MISSING
JOHNALBERTBROOMABP/JX 206648MISSING
JOHNLLEWELLYNBROWNL/SEAMANP/J 35303MISSING
SIDNEYFRANKBRYANTERA4CP/MX 59313MISSING
WILLIAMEDWARDBURCHELLPO STEWARDP/L 11996SURVIVOR
WILLIAM BURKESTOKER1CP/JX 220898MISSING
SYDNEYJAMES HENRYBUSSABP/JX 192307MISSING
ARTHURJAMESCAPLENSTOKER1CP/KX 115234MISSING
WILLIAMTAYLORCARLINABP/CD/X 2921MISSING
WALTER CHELSONODP/JX 297381MISSING
ALWYN CLARIDGETELEGRAPHISTP/JX 161685MISSING
ARTHURHERBERT CHARLESCLARKODP/JX 278762MISSING
RICHARDFRASERCLARKWO ENGINEERRNSURVIVOR
LESLIEHAROLDCOATESABP/JX 195397MISSING
RALPHRIDLEYCOLLINGSSIGNALMANP/SSX 29499MISSING
CHRISTOPHERDOUGLAS CHARLESCROUCHERABP/SSX 23562MISSING
CHRISTOPHERHUGH FRANCISDALBIACMIDSHIPMANRNRWIA
GEORGETEASDALEDAVIDSONERA4CP/MX 63098MISSING
DONALDPHILIP SAMUELDAVIESSIGNALMANP/JX 151534MISSING
ROBERT DAWSONL/STOKERP/KX 93282MISSING
WILLIAMROBERTDEACONPOP/J 99797MISSING
GEORGE DUNCANODP/JX 261016MISSING
GERALDJAMESELFORDL/STOKERP/KX 90482MISSING
ERICTHOMASENGLANDODP/JX 274155MISSING
THOMASJOHNFAIREYSUPPLY ASSTP/MX 82847SURVIVOR
HARRY FARROWABP/JX 217280KILLED
JOHN FLYNNABP/SSX 15989KILLED
ALEXANDER FOXL/SEAMANP/J 85383MISSING
JOHNTHOMASFROSTABP/JX 217293MISSING
MAURICE GARDINERABD/SSX 33792MISSING
WALTERSYDNEYGARRADSTOKER2CP/KX 121533MISSING
EDGARTHOMASGEORGESTOKER POP/KX 85467MISSING
ROBERTWILLIAMGERMAINABP/JX 192314MISSING
EDWARDDIAMONDGIBBONSSTOKER POP/KX 81479MISSING
JAMES GILMOURS/LTRNVRKILLED
BENJAMINARTHURGIRLINGABP/JX 217613MISSING
JOHNWILLIAMGLENDINNINGABP/JX 211953MISSING
EDWARDJOSEPHGOBLEABP/JX 166090MISSING
JOHNHENRYGOODALLSTOKER1CP/KX 106311MISSING
THOMAS GORMANABP/CD/X 2866MISSING
LEONARDWILLIAMGRACEABP/JX 130673KILLED
WILLIAMRENNIEGREENL/STOKERP/KX 76254SURVIVOR
JOHNANDREWGREENWELLODP/JX 252147MISSING
ARTHURLEONARDGRIFFITHSABP/J 52600MISSING
LEONARDGEORGEGWYNNSTOKER1CP/KX 97415MISSING
FREDERICK HALLODD/JX 239740MISSING
RONALDCECILHALLL/STOKERP/K 62498MISSING
JOHNWILLIAMHARRISERA4CP/MX 61998MISSING
LEONARDWILLIAMHENBURYCHIEF STOKERP/K 21778MISSING
JAMES HEYWORTHABP/JX 166151MISSING
STANLEYDENNISHOLLISABP/SSX 22394SURVIVOR
JOHNVINCENTHOLSERL/TELEGRAPHISTP/SSX 30191MISSING
KENNETHROLANDHOOKODP/JX 29872MISSING
JACK HORRYYEOMAN OF THE SIGNALSP/JX 135826MISSING
FREDERICKERNESTHORTONODP/JX 278821MISSING
RONALDSTANLEYHOWLETTLCMDR CORNKILLED
WILLIAMERICIRELANDABP/JX 212167MISSING
JOHNSPENCERJOHNSONSTOKER1CP/KX 75835MISSING
JOHN JOHNSONABP/JX 184757MISSING
LESLEYALLANJOHNSONL/STEWARDP/L 7576MISSING
GEORGE JOHNSTONO/SIGNALMANP/JX 226247MISSING
JACKHAROLDJONESABP/JX 184284KILLED
WILLIAMHAROLD GEORGEJONESLTRNMISSING
WILFREDBERNARDKINGWIREMANP/MX 71?40SURVIVOR
SIDNEY KNIGHTCOOK (S)P/MX 54806MISSING
VICTOR LANGFORDORDNANCE MECHANICP/MX 89470MISSING
ERNESTVICTORLAWRENCEABP/JX 192319MISSING
ROBERTEDWARDLEEABP/JX 192334MISSING
JAMESROBERTLEIGHABP/JX 192320KILLED
JAMES LIDDLECANTEEN MANAGERNAAFIMISSING
DUNCAN MACDIARMIDODP/JX 286924MISSING
DUNCANARTHURMACFARLANEABP/CD/X 3070MISSING
DONALD MACLEODSEAMANP/X 19152/AKILLED
HARRY MARSHALLABP/SS 8277MISSING
WILLIAMPERCYMARTINABP/JX 184015MISSING
HORACE MAYNARDODP/JX 298761MISSING
THOMAS MCCAFFERYTELEGRAPHISTP/SSX 25729MISSING
PATRICKEDWARDMCGRATHSTOKER2CP/KX 114405MISSING
ERNEST MCINNESCERAP/M 30203MISSING
EDWARD MEADABP/JX 189585MISSING
DANIELJEFFREYMELLINGABP/JX 169585MISSING
RICHARDDODDSMILBURNERA3CP/X 2922 EAMISSING
JAMESCREEVYMILLERABP/SSX 21273MISSING
SIDNEYHERBERTMILLSODD/JX 206142MISSING
AUGUSTINEWILLIAMMITCHELLSTEWARDP/LX 27341MISSING
EDWARDWILLIAMMORRISSBAP/MX 84410MISSING
JOHN MUIRABP/SSX 32368KILLED
JOSEPHALBERTNAPPERSTOKER1CP/SS 124369MISSING
JOHNGORDONNEWINGO/TELEGRAPHISTP/JX 205789MISSING
FREDERICKTHOMASNORTHEASTABP/J 91533MISSING
ROBERTCORNELIUSNUTTL/WIREMANP/MX 72102KILLED
WILLIAMPETEROLDFIELDL/SEAMANP/J 12587MISSING
GEORGEWILLIAMOLIVEODP/JX 236393MISSING
WILLIAMBENJAMINORCHARDABP/JX 169588MISSING
HERBERTGEORGE MERVYNOSBORNEODP/JX 252843MISSING
WILLIAMJAMESOSMANSTOKER POP/KX 85551MISSING
RONALDFREDERICKPALMERL/SEAMANP/JX 178799MISSING
JOHN PARKINSONABP/JX 140752MISSING
NORMAN PEETL/SUPPLY ASSISTANTP/MX 67574MISSING
STEPHEN PENFOLDSTOKER1CP/KX 114310MISSING
DENNISWILLIAMPEOPLEABP/J 16609MISSING
CHARLESEDWARDPIKEABP/JX 192324MISSING
PATRICKALEXANDER BINGHAMPOWELLLT XORNKILLED
ALFREDEDWINPOWISABP/SSX 21714MISSING
DONALDTHOMAS ALFREDROBERTSODP/JX 298763MISSING
EVANTHOMASROBERTSSTOKER1CP/K 66382MISSING
RONALDWALTERROBERTSPOP/J 47004MISSING
FREDERICKVICTORROBINSONABP/JX 169590MISSING
PATRICK ROBINSONODP/JX 272893MISSING
CHARLESHENRYROYDENABP/JX 169592MISSING
WILLIAM SELLERSABP/SSX 31715MISSING
WILLIAM SHEPPARDPO TELEGRAPHISTP/JX 137677MISSING
JOHNLAMIESINCLAIRABP/JX 192399MISSING
JOHNTREVORSINCLAIRTELEGRAPHISTP/J 69355MISSING
HENRY SMITHABP/JX 178198KILLED
STANLEY SMITHABP/SSX 24925MISSING
GORDONBARRETTSTEERCODERP/JX 174792MISSING
JOHNLINDSAYSTEWARTABP/JX 192401KILLED
WILLIAMHENRYTARRANTL/SEAMANP/J 19647MISSING
CHARLESWILLIAM AUGUSTUSTEMPLEABP/SSX 33766MISSING
WILLIAMMAKEPEACETHACKERAYPOP/J 111772MISSING
WILLIAMJOHN ALEXANDERTHOMSONABP/JX 169340MISSING
RONALDLESLIETHORNSTOKER1CP/KX 114869MISSING
WILLIAMHAMILTONTOWELLSTOKER2CP/KX 227727MISSING
HARRY TRAVERSSTOKER POP/K 15261MISSING
WILLIAM TURVEYODP/JX 322145MISSING
THOMASWILLIAM CHARLESTWEEDYSTOKER1CP/KX 77368MISSING
FREDERICKWILLIAMUNWINSTOKER1CP/SS 121788MISSING
FRANCISJOSEPHVALLELYABP/JX 212026MISSING
ERIC WALKERSTOKER2CP/KX 115621MISSING
LESLIE WARDL/SEAMANP/SSX 19733DOW
ALBERTGEORGE JOHN HENDERSONWATSONWO GUNNERRNWIA
JOHN WATSONABP/JX 169334KILLED
DAVIDALEXANDERWATTL/STOKERP/KX 82886MISSING
ARTHURERNESTWEBBCHIEF PETTY OFFICERP/J 59378MISSING
LUTHER WIGFIELDL/STOKERP/KX 86433MISSING
FRANKCHARLESWILKESODP/JX 298762MISSING
HARRY WILKSABP/JX 192335MISSING
ERNESTHENRYWILSONABP/J 99204MISSING
GEORGEALFREDWOODSPO COOK (S)P/MX 49004MISSING
EDWARDWILLIAM TURNERWYNNSTOKER POP/KX 78521MISSING
FREDERICKCHARLESYETTONODD/JX 284960MISSING


This list of the 159 men aboard HMS Vortigern when she sunk was compiled by Ian McLeod from official Admiralty records held by the National Archives at Kew.



If you want to find out more about the wartime service of a member of your family who served on HMS Vortigern you should first obtain a copy of their service record
To find out how follow this link: http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/servicerecords.html


If you have stories or photographs of HMS Vortigern you would like to contribute to the web site please contact Bill Forster



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