Stickland, John Robert Antony, son of George Cuthbert Stickland, Egyptian Education Service, and Kathleen Mary, d. of J. A. Fossick of Gloucester; b. 17 June 1921; adm. Sept. 1934 (H); left July 1939; Cadet RN 1939, Sub-Lieut. RNVR June 1942, Lieut. Dec. 1943; killed in action Mar. 1944 in the loss of HMS Gould.
John Robert Antony Stickland was born at Fulham, London on the 17th of June 1921 the only son of George Cuthbert Stickland, Egyptian Education Service, and Kathleen Mary (nee Fossick) Stickland of “Sydenham”, Lewdown in Devon. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1934 to July 1939. He was a member of the Photographic Society and was elected as Secretary of the Natural History Society in 1938.
On leaving school he entered the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as a Special Entry Cadet on the 1st of September 1939 and was appointed as a Midshipman on the 31st of October 1940. He was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in June 1942 and was promoted to Lieutenant in December 1943. He was posted to the frigate HMS Gould (K476).
On the 29th of February 1944, HMS Gould, under the command of Lieutenant Daniel William Ungoed RN, was on convoy escort duty when she was one of four frigates which located the U Boat U-358, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Rolf Manke, when some 450 miles to the north, north east of the Azores. In a series of attacks on the U Boat, which lasted throughout the night, the four ships dropped a total of 104 depth charges. The next day two of the frigates left for Gibraltar leaving HMS Gould and the frigate HMS Affleck (K362) to continue the pursuit of the enemy submarine. After 38 hours underwater and having been under continuous depth charge attacks, U-358 was forced to the surface at 7.20pm where she managed to fire a G7e “Gnat” torpedo from her rear tube which struck HMS Gould in the aft motor room at 7.21pm. The explosion broke her in two, with the stern section sinking very quickly. The forward section capsized and sank twenty five minutes later following a heavy list to starboard. Seven officers and one hundred and sixteen ratings were killed in the attack.
HMS Affleck closed with the U Boat at full speed and with all guns firing, scoring hits on the conning tower and on the hull of the enemy submarine. She then attacked with depth charges at close range and, after an explosion which broke the back of the U Boat, it sank at 7.39pm with only one survivor from its crew being picked up and taken prisoner. The frigate then rescued three officers and thirty two ratings from HMS Gould before taking them to Gibraltar. One rating died from his wounds during the journey and was buried at sea the following day.
His parents received the following telegram: - “From Admiralty. Deeply regret to inform you that your son Lieutenant J.R.A. Stickland RNVR has been reported missing presumed killed on active service. Letter follows shortly.”
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Lewdown.
He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial Panel 92, Column 3.
