Trafford

Before the 2nd W.W. his parents held the posts of Steward & Stewardess on a
large luxury liner plying between the U.K. and the U.S.A.

It would appear that he was brought up (in part at least) by his Aunt who
lived at 56 Denmark St, Altrincham.   He attended St. Vincent's School,
Altrincham and later on at a school in South Shields, Co. Durham.

He had been in the RN for 7 years, since leaving school at 14 years of age.
  He had been torpedoed four times - in the Hood, Courageous and now the
Corvette Asphodel. 

At  0130 on March the 9th, the Corvette H.M.S. Asphodel, of Escort Group
B.4, while Escorting Convoy S.L. 150/M.K.S. 41, was torpedoed and sunk by
German U-boat, U. 575, about 390 miles W.N.W of Cape Finisterre.  H.M.S.
Asphodel was on the starboard bow of the convoy.  A radar contact had been
made at 0056, 100° two miles, and foxers were streamed, but did not
operate correctly.  No star shell was fired until 0120.  The torpedo struck
the ship aft when she was steaming at 15 knots at 3.500 yards range.  Five
survivors, including the First Lieutenant, out of a Crew of 97 were rescued
by H.M.S. Clover.  Other ships of the group, assisted by The Destroyers
H.M.S. Whitehall and H.M.S. Wrestler and the escort carrier H.M.S. Tracker,
hunted the U-boat without success.  H.M.S. Asphodel was commanded by
Lieutenant Michael Albert Halliday  R.N.Z.N.R. when she was sunk.