Frederick Eaves

Rank:CorporalNumber:PLY/X 1153
Ship/Rgn/Sqn No:Royal Marines
Name of Rgt or Ship:H.M.S. Glorious
Died:09/06/1940Age:23
How Died:Killed at Sea
Country of burial:Lost at Sea
Cemetery or Memorial:Plymouth Naval Memorial
Town Memorial:Not Listed
Extra Information:
Born during the September quarter 1916 in the Chorlton R.D. - ref: 8c/1455,
the son of Frederick & Sarah Emma Eaves (nee Evans).

His father, Frederick died 08/10/1937 aged 49 years.

1939 National Registration - 38 Lorne Grove, Urmston.   Sarah E. Eaves -
Widow - born: 14th January 1890 - occ: Unpaid Domestic Duties.   There is
also one redacted record at this address under the 100 year rule -
presumably it is Frederick's record.

Commemorated with a separate vase on the private family gravestone in
Urmston Cemetery.

H.M.S. Glorious was an aircraft carrier built in 1916 and captained by
Captain Guy D'Oyly-Hughes RN.

Whilst heading back to the UK, on the 8th June 1940, H.M.S. "Glorious" was
sunk in the Norwegian Sea, south west of Narvick, in position - 68.45 N -
04.30 E,  by gunfire from the German battlecruisers "Scharnhorst" and
"Gneisenau".

She was steaming at 17 knots, but had no aircraft on patrol around the
ship.  When the German battlecruisers were sighted to the north-west,
orders were given to ready the Swordfish aircraft for a strike, but none
were flown off.   In almost perfect weather conditions, the Scharnhorst
opened fire first at 16.01 hrs, followed by her escort.   Despite laying a
smoke screen, Glorious was hit in the forward upper hanger, which left a
massive hole in the flight deck and started a severe fire.   The bridge was
hit at around 17.00 hrs and an 11 inch shell hit aft at around 17.15 hrs.  
Armed with only sixteen 4.7 inch guns, "Glorious" was hopelessly out
ranged.   The order to abandon ship was given at 17.20 hrs and at 17.40 hrs
she rolled over to starboard and sank.

76 officers, 1,086 ratings, together with 41 RAF personnel were lost.   43
officers and 35 ratings were picked up the Norwegian trawler Svalbard II
and became POWs.

The military collapse of the Low Countries & Northern France necessitated
the abandonment of the Norwegian campaign.   The evacuation of 27,000 men
was carried out during the first week of June, almost without loss.   The
questionable use of an aircraft carrier to evacuate 17 RAF fighters (of
which 10 were obsolete biplanes) and a lapse of her captain's tactical
awareness led to the loss of this carrier and her two screening destroyers
- Ardent and Acasta.


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