Second World War (1939-1945)

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Second World War (1939-1945)

Second World War (1939-1945)

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Second World War (1939-1945)

169 People & Organisations results for Second World War (1939-1945)

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Graham, Hartley Brisco, 1911-1942

  • GB-2014-WSA-08104
  • Person
  • 1911-1942

Graham, Hartley Brisco, son of Hartley Graham, solicitor, of Penrith, Cumbria, and Alice Emma, d. of George Arthur Rivington of Penrith; b. 20 Jan. 1911; adm. Sept. 1924 (R); left July 1929; adm. a solicitor Jan. 1935; practised at Penrith; RA 1939-42 (Lieut.); d. of wounds (Libya) 1 June 1942.

Hartley Brisco Graham was born at Penrith, Cumberland on the 20th of January 1911 the younger son of Hartley Graham, a solicitor, and Alice Margaret Emma (nee Rimington) Graham of “The Larches”, Penrith in Cumberland. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith and at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from September 1924 to July 1929. He served as a Lance Corporal in the Officer Training Corps. On leaving school he qualified as a solicitor and worked in his father’s business at Penrith.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in the Territorial Army on the 24th of May 1939.
He was posted to 72 (Northumbrian) Field Regiment which embarked on board the SS Empress of Asia at Liverpool on the 21st of April 1941 for service in the Middle East. The Regiment landed at Port Tewfik in Egypt on the 23rd of June and by April 1942 they were based at Bir Geff in Libya as part of the 150th Infantry Brigade. On the 21st of April they handed over these positions and relocated to Rotunda Ualeb, between the Trigh El Abd and Trigh Capuzzo, which formed part of the British defences known as the Gazala Line. Their position was known as the Sidi Muftah Box.
On the 30th of May 1942, General Erwin Rommel, commanding officer of the Afrika Corps, made a personal reconnaissance of the area leading to the Sidi Muftah Box with a view to making a major attack on it the following day. Later in the day his men began clearing lanes on the eastern side of the protective British minefields in preparation for the attack. Once this was completed a column of German motorised infantry attacked and penetrated the British positions before being thrown back by the infantry supported by tanks.
On the morning the 31st of May 1942, General Rommel made a formal request to General Cecil William Haydon, officer commanding 150th Infantry Brigade, for the surrender of his garrison. This demand was met without a response. A short time later a heavy artillery bombardment preceded an attack by elements of the German 90th Light Division and the Italian Trieste Division on the British positions. They forced their way forward “against the toughest British resistance imaginable” in intense close quarter fighting before being forced back with heavy losses several hours after their attack had begun. An hour later the attack resumed with the Axis infantry being supported by tanks and with several breaks in the lines being made, all of which were closed after bitter fighting. In spite of the hard fighting by the defenders, by nightfall, when both sides drew back, the size of the Box had halved in size.
On the morning of the 1st of June 1942, the beleaguered defenders were heavily bombarded by artillery and by Junkers 87 “Stuka” dive bombers before massed German and Italian infantry and tanks renewed their assault. After very heavy, often hand to hand, fighting the Sidi Muftah Box fell in the early afternoon with the capture of more than 3,000 prisoners and the destruction or capture of 124 guns and 101 tanks and armoured cars. Rommel came forward to congratulate General Haydon on the magnificent way his troops had fought, only find that his opponent had been killed by shellfire earlier in the day. Hartley Graham was one of the many casualties from the three days of fighting.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Penrith and on the memorial at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith.
He is commemorated on the Alamein Memorial Column 31.

Graham-Little, Esmond Birch, 1915-1942

  • GB-2014-WSA-08122
  • Person
  • 1915-1942

Graham-Little, Esmond Birch, son of Sir Ernest Gordon Graham-Little MD MP and Sarah Helen, d. of Maurice Kendall; b. 9 Apr. 1915; adm. Sept. 1928 (B); left July 1933; Corpus Christi Coll. Camb., matric. 1933, BA 1936; called to the Bar (Gray's Inn) May 1938; RAFVR 1940-1 (FO); killed on active service 10 June 1942.

Esmond Birch “Bep” Graham-Little was born at Marylebone, London on the 9th of April 1915 the only son of Sir Ernest Gordon Graham-Little MD, FRCP, MRCS MP and Lady Sarah Helen (nee Kendall) Graham–Little of 19, Upper Wimpole Street, Marylebone and of 1, St George’s Gardens, Lynwood Road, Epsom in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Busby’s from September 1928 to July 1933. He was awarded the Goodenough Medal for Modern Languages in 1933. He matriculated for Corpus Christi College, Cambridge in 1933 where he read Engineering and graduated with a BA in 1936. He later trained as a barrister and was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in May 1938.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in May 1939 where he trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of Sergeant (754494) before being commissioned as a Pilot Officer on the 7th of September 1940. He was promoted to Flying Officer on the 7th of September 1941.
On the 10th of June 1942, Esmond Graham-Little took off from RAF Castle Camps in Mosquito NF Mk IIF DD603 with his observer, Warrant Officer Wilfrid Arthur Clement Walters, for a night flying exercise. The aircraft had been undertaking Air Indication exercises at around 10,000 feet and when the exercise was completed it turned and went into a shallow dive down through cloud towards the base. The cloud was 10/10ths with tops at between 4,000 and 6,000 feet. It was flying over Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex when it disintegrated in mid air and crashed at Bentfield Bury near Bishops Stortford at 5.05pm, killing both men.
The wreckage was spread over a large area with the aircrafts forward section and starboard engine both catching fire and burning out on the ground.
His funeral took place on the 13th of June 1942.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Grays Inn and on the memorial at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
He is buried at Saffron Walden Cemetery Compt 39, Grave 10.

Green, Anthony Lovering, 1919-1944

  • GB-2014-WSA-08174
  • Person
  • 1919-1944

Green, Anthony Lovering, son of Arthur Reginald Green FSAA, of Hampstead, and Gladys Eve­lyn, d. of John William Pryce of Chiswick; b. 17 Dec. 1919; adm. Sept. 1933 (H); left July 1936; articled to an accountant; RAOC 1940, transf. REME, later 1 Troop 5 Commando (Private); killed in action (Burma) 15 Mar. 1944.

Anthony Lovering Green was born at Caterham, Surrey on the 17th of December 1919 the younger son of Arthur Reginald Green FSAA, an incorporated accountant, and Gladys Evelyn (nee Pryce) Green of 959, Finchley Road, Golders Green in Middlesex. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Homeboarders from September 1933 and July 1936. On leaving school he was articled to a firm of accountants.
He enlisted in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in 1940 and transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers before being attached to No. 1 Troop, No. 5 Commando.
At 9.30am on the 14th of March 1944, Nos. 1 and 2 Troops, No. 5 Commando embarked on board landing craft at St Martin’s Island in Burma and landed at the mouth of the Ton Chaung at 11am where they formed a beachhead. A short time later they were followed by Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6 Troops who arrived with the equipment. At 11.20am Nos. 1 and 2 Troops moved inland where they advanced to Dodan where they arrived at 11.50am and linked up with the 81st West African Division reconnaissance team to form a defensive perimeter around the town to protect the men bringing up the heavy equipment from the beachhead. At 12.20pm the two Troops moved forward again to Kanyindan, arriving there ten minutes later, where they met more West African troops, and continued on to Alethangyaw where they had established Battalion Headquarters by 1.30pm. At 1.50pm they came under Japanese mortar fire from the surrounding hills. At 2.30pm a section of No. 1 Troop was sent out to patrol towards Maugtula and returned without making contact with the enemy. At 4pm the rest of No. 5 Commando arrived there and began digging in with No. 1 and No. 2 Troops moving to a new position known as Commando Beachhead at 4.30pm. Having established themselves in their new positions they came under mortar and 75mm artillery fire from Hill 211 at 8pm that night.
At 9.30am on the 15th of March 1944, a small group from No. 1 Troop was sent out to clear a village to the west of Commando Beachhead and at noon Nos. 1 and 3 Troops were pushed forward for an attack on Hill 211. A request for an air attack on the hill in support of their attack had been denied. Having arrived in front of the hill, No. 3 Troop began advancing towards the north east over open ground at 1.30pm. They moved through a wood and found themselves facing the enemy positions on the other side of it. No. 1 Troop joined them five minutes later and took up positions in front of them. They immediately came under heavy shell fire during which Anthony Green was killed. The two troops suffered further casualties of one other rank dying of wounds and fourteen more wounded. The wounded were evacuated at 4pm and the survivors withdrew back to their base at 5.30pm.
He is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial Face 19.

Grosvenor, Randolph Lea, 1867-1940

  • GB-2014-WSA-08327
  • Person
  • 1867-1940

GROSVENOR, RANDOLPH LEA, eldest son of George Fox Grosvenor MD MRCS, Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London, and Eliza Frances, eldest dau. of Thomas Lea, London; b. 29 Jul 1867; adm. (G) 27 May 1880; left May 1884; Clare Coll. Cambridge, adm. 10 Oct 1805, matr. Mich. 1885; BA 1888; St. Mary’s Hospital; MRCS LRCP London 1896; practised in London; killed in air raid 14 Sep 1940.

Randolph Lea Grosvenor was born at Notting Hill, London on the 29th of July 1867 the eldest son of Dr George Fox Grosvenor MD and Eliza Frances (nee Lea) Grosvenor of 121, Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill in London. He was christened at the Church of St John the Evangelist, Notting Hill on the 2nd of November 1867. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from the 27th of May 1880 to May 1884. He matriculated for Clare College, Cambridge on the 10th of October 1885 where he achieved a BA in 1888 and a MA in 1926. He attended St Mary’s Hospital, Chelsea and achieved MRCS LRCP in 1896. He practised medicine at 75, Oakley Street, Chelsea.
On the 14th of September 1940 the Luftwaffe continued operations against London at was by now the height of the Battle of Britain. A number of separate raids, made up of small formations, crossed the south coast of England during the later afternoon flying at heights of between 17,000 and 20,000 feet. Although many were turned back by Royal Air Force fighters in a running battle, some got through and were able to drop their bombs on London.
Randolph Grosvenor had heeded the sound of the sirens as the enemy raiders approached the city and, having no air raid shelter in his own house, he and his brother Edward and their housekeeper, Mrs. Elizabeth Parke, walked to 5, Upper Cheyne Row, Chelsea. It was the home of Mrs. Mabel Price-Jones and her daughter where she had constructed a small air raid shelter in the basement which was strengthened with sandbags. At around 6.30pm a high explosive bomb struck the house and passed through all of its floors before exploding in the basement. All five of those sheltering there were killed instantly.
Those who died were: -
Randolph Lea Grosvenor
Edward Moberley Grosvenor
Elizabeth Sarah Parke
Mabel Edith Price-Jones
Eileen Price-Jones
His place of burial is not known.

Groves, Louis Grimble, 1921-1945

  • GB-2014-WSA-08343
  • Person
  • 1921-1945

Groves, Louis Grimble, son of Keith Grimble Groves, barrister-at-law, and Dorothy, d. of Louis Herbert Moore; b. 1 Apr. 1921; adm. Jan. 1935 (R); left Dec. 1938; Univ. of Glasgow; RAF in WW2 (Serg. Met. Air Observer); killed on operational duties 10 Sept. 1945.

Louis Grimble Groves was born at Chelsea, London on the 1st of April 1921 the only child of Major Keith Grimble Groves, a barrister at law, and Dorothy (nee Moore) Groves of 4, York House, Kensington in London, later of “The Varrey”, Kirk Maughold on the Isle of Man. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Rigaud’s from January 1935 to December 1938. He went on to the University of Liverpool where he was studying naval architecture when the war broke out.
He enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, trained in Canada and rose to the rank of Sergeant. On his return to the UK he was based at the Metrological Office at RAF Brawdy.
Louis Groves and his crew took off from RAF Brawdy on the 10th of September 1945 in Halifax B (Met) Mk III RG380 X9-N on an “Epicure” sortie, to gather information on the weather over the North Atlantic. On their return to base, they were diverted to RAF Weston Zoyland due to bad weather. There was fog over Weston Zoyland when they arrived there and the aircraft was seen to pass over the airfield but, due to radio interference, communications were poor and it turned away. The aircraft was flying at a height of 1,000 feet when it crashed in dense fog into an escarpment in the Quantock Hills above Crowcombe Hall, to the south west of Williton in Somerset at 7.54pm, killing all on board.
The crew was: -
Pilot Officer Keith Gordon Proverbs (Pilot)
Flying Officer John Joseph Frederick Hobden
Flying Officer Lindsay George McMillan
Flying Officer Patrick Alfred Bee
Warrant Officer Roy Donald Cartwright
Flight Sergeant Dennis Norman Everett
Sergeant Louis Grimble Groves (Metrological Observer)
Sergeant John Macilrick Bryce Gordon (Metrological Observer)
Flight Sergeant Robert William Vinton
His funeral took place on the 15th of September 1945.
A Correspondent wrote of him: - “Louis Grimble Groves was a fine young man, a fine sportsman and extremely popular with all who knew him. He spent all his holidays in the Isle of Man and his many friends here and elsewhere will deeply regret his untimely death.”
The L. G. Groves Award was established in his memory by his parents in September 1946. The award is made to recognise those who work to improve safety in the aviation industry. A memorial was placed at the crash site in 2016.
He is buried at St Maughold’s Church.

Gwilt, Charles Evelyn, 1858-1940

  • GB-2014-WSA-08382
  • Person
  • 1858-1940

GWILT, CHARLES EVELYN, eldest son of Charles Gwilt, Icklingham, Suffolk, solicitor, and Frances, dau. of Edward Thompson; b. 12 Oct 1858; adm. 23 Sep 1871 (G); left Aug 1875; adm. solicitor Apr 1882; practised in London; m. 15 Jun 1904 Florence Fraser, youngest dau. of George Pimm, Wandsworth, Surrey, miller; d. 25 Oct 1940.

Charles Evelyn Gwilt was born at Chelsea, London on the 12th of October 1858 the eldest son of Charles Gwilt, a solicitor, and Frances (nee Thompson) Gwilt of 18, Markham Street, Chelsea and of Ickenham in Suffolk. He was christened at the Church of St Mary’s Le Strand on the 4th of December 1859.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from the 23rd of September 1871 to August 1875. He qualified as a solicitor in April 1882 and practiced in London. He was initiated as a Freemason and as a member of the Old Westminster’s Lodge on the 1st of February 1893. He was married at St Luke’s Church, Battersea on the 15th of June 1904 to Florence Fraser (nee Pimm) and they lived at 39, Dryburgh Road Putney and later at 42, Park Hill Road, Wallington in Surrey. He was killed when his house was hit by a bomb during an air raid.
His place of burial is not known.

Halsall, David Richard, 1920-1942

  • GB-2014-WSA-08516
  • Person
  • 1920-1942

Halsall, David Richard, son of Leslie Albiston Halsall, East India merchant, of Bombay, and Gwynedd May, d. of William Llewellyn Preece; b. 30 Oct. 1920; adm. Sept. 1934 (KS); left Dec. 1938; RMA Woolwich; RE 1940-2 (Lieut.); killed in a bomb disposal accident (Middle East) Sept. 1942.

David Richard Halsall was born at Bombay, India on the 30th of October 1920 the only child of Leslie Albiston Halsall, an East India merchant, and Gwynedd May (nee Preece) Halsall of Bombay, later of “Gwyn”, Rances Lane, Wokingham in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School, where he was admitted as a King’s Scholar, from September 1934 to December 1938. He was a member of the Photographic Society and won its First Prize in 1938.
He left school early when he accepted a place at the Royal Military College, Woolwich from where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on the 18th of February 1940. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 18th of August 1941. He worked in bomb disposal in the UK but by January 1942 he had been posted to the 4th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers in the Middle East.
He was killed in a bomb disposal accident in Egypt.
He is buried at El Alamein War Cemetery Plot XXVII, Row G, Grave 6.

Halse-Hearne, William Edward, 1917-1944

  • GB-2014-WSA-08518
  • Person
  • 1917-1944

Halse-Hearne, William Edward, son of William Frederick Halse-Hearne, RN stores officer, and Esther, d. of James Alexander Crofton; b. 22 July 1917; adm. Apr. 1931 (A), (B) Jan. 1933; left Dec. 1933; Drummond's Bank; 2nd Lieut. Wilts Regt 1943, transf. Commandos (Capt.); m. 18 June 1940 Margaret Horner; d. of wounds (Burma) Nov. 1944.

William Edward Halse-Hearne was born in North London on the 22nd of July 1917 the only son of William Frederick Halse-Hearne RN, a naval stores officer, and Esther (nee Crofton) Halse-Hearne of 17, King’s Road, Wimbledon in Surrey. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from April 1931 and up Busby’s from January 1933 to December 1933.
He joined the staff of Drummonds Bank in London in 1934 where he worked as a clerk. He enlisted in the Honourable Artillery Company in 1938 where he served with B Battery and he was mobilised for war service in September 1939.
He was married in Surrey on the 18th of June 1940 to Margaret Gertrude (nee Horner).
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Wiltshire Regiment on the 4th of June 1943 and was later attached to No. 1 Commando where he was appointed to the command of No. 4 Troop.
In November 1944, No 1 Commando was based at Teknaf in the Maungdaw Hills of Burma from where they were carrying out patrols against Japanese troops in the area. On the 11th of November 1944, No. 4 Troop, No. 1 Commando was briefed for a patrol to investigate a report of the presence of Japanese troops in the area of the village of Ywathitke. The patrol was to consist of eighteen other ranks, commanded by William Halse-Hearne, accompanied by Lieutenant Paterson and by an Intelligence Officer. It was to take a route on the outward journey of Nurutlapara –Chiradan West - Ywathitke to Thavengonbaung and return by the same route. The patrol set out at midday and was due to return at 6pm.
They advanced down the main road to a river crossing where they received updated information that enemy troops were in Thavengonbaung and in a another village to the north of it. On receiving this information they split into two groups, one under Lieutenant Paterson and the other under William Halse-Hearne, with one advancing towards through the villages towards Thavengonbaung and the other continuing down the main track where the two groups were to rendezvous. Both groups reached the rendezvous point without incident where they were informed by a native boy that the Japanese were in the village where they were commandeering millet from the locals. They continued their advance towards the village in open order with C Section, under Lieutenant Paterson, on the left and with D Section, under William Halse-Hearne, on the right. They reached the south end of the village where they found the approach to it was across 100 yards of scrub with a further 100 yards of forward slope and then 800 yards of open paddy fields beyond. Having covered the 200 yards to the village they came under fire from an enemy light machine gun and from rifle fire from their right and from snipers on their left. The two sections took cover but William Halse-Hearne had been wounded and was lying on the open ground. He was brought in by his men under heavy fire who were then forced to fall back when they were brought under 2 inch mortar fire. C Section also withdrew having kileld three enemy snipers. William Halse-Hearne was carried to Thavengonbaung and then taken on an improvised stretcher to Chiradan West. He died from his wounds during the journey when the party was approximately a mile from Thavengonbaung.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at the Royal Bank of Scotland branch at 36, Andrew Square, Edinburgh
He is buried at Taukkyan War Cemetery Plot 3, Row G, Grave 4.

Hare, John Edward, 1919-1942

  • GB-2014-WSA-08674
  • Person
  • 1919-1942

Hare, John Edward, son of Lieut.-Col. John Hare OBE RAMC FRCS, ENT specialist, and Kathleen Dora, d. of Edward Rowe of Cape Town; b. 30 Dec. 1919; adm. Sept. 1933 (A); left July 1938; Univ. of London; MN radio officer in WW2; d. 1942 of exposure after his ship was torpedoed.

John Edward Hare was born at Simonstown, South Africa on the 30th of December 1919 the eldest son of Lieutenant Colonel John Hare OBE FRCS, Royal Army Medical Corps, and Kathleen Dora (nee Rowe) Hare of 22, Elm Park Gardens, Chelsea in London, later of “Ormidale”, Clevedon in Somerset. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1933 to July 1938. He was a noted pianist while he was at school. He went on to the University of London.
In March 1941, the 3,767 ton cargo steamer SS Umona, under the command of Master Frederick Arthur Baden Peckham, set sail from Durban bound for London carrying a cargo of 1,549 tons of maize, 50 tons of pulses and 47 tons of jam. She was also carrying 14 passengers, of which 7 were sailors who had survived pervious sinkings. She called at Walvis Bay on the 20th of March before setting sail alone for Freetown in Sierra Leone where she was to join a convoy.
At 11.01pm on the 30th of March 1941, the SS Umona was sailing some 90 nautical miles to the southwest of Freetown when she was struck underneath the aft mast on the port side by a G7e “Gnat” torpedo which had been fired by the U Boat U-124, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Schultz. She was hit by a second torpedo two minutes later and sank six minutes after that. During that time John Hare, the radio officer on duty at the time, stayed at his post transmitting distress messages before jumping into the sea. Only one lifeboat of the six on board, had managed to launch before she sank. The lifeboat was commanded by Fourth Officer Edwin Clarke who was captured when U-124 surfaced and took him on board before submerging again. He was never seen again. John Hare managed to pull himself on board a small life raft which was also carrying a badly wounded naval gunner, E.G. Elliot RN and a passenger, Frank Brothers. After drifting for four days they spotted a U Boat on the surface which they managed to signal to by using the reflection of a tobacco tin. The submarine came alongside and gave them fresh water before sailing away. The next day the weather worsened and John Hare died from exposure during the afternoon. The two remaining men were picked up by the cargo ship SS Lorca on the 12th of April and were landed at Freetown. Three other survivors had been picked up by the destroyer HMS Foxhound (H69) on the 7th of April but the other 101 passengers and crew had perished when the ship had gone down.
His date of death is given as the date of the sinking of the ship but a number of other sources record that he died on board the life raft a few days later.
He was posthumously awarded the King’s Commendation for Brave Conduct, which was announced by St James’s Palace on the 28th of April 1942.
He is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, Panel 113.

Harston, Michael George Sirdefield, 1920-1943

  • GB-2014-WSA-08816
  • Person
  • 1920-1943

Harston, Michael George Sirdefield, son of Maj. Sir Ernest Sirdefield Harston CBE, Chairman Brit. Commonwealth Ex-Service League, and Ruth Barbara, d. of Sir George Shirtcliffe KBE, of Wellington, NZ; b. l 2Jan. 1920; adm. Sept. 1932 (A); left July 1938; Peterhouse, Camb., matric. 1938; RNVR 1940-3 (Lieut.), lost in HMS Beverley (Atlantic) 11 Apr. 1943.

Michael George Sirdefield Harston was born at Wellington, New Zealand on the 12th of January 1920 the only son of Major Ernest Sirdefield Harston CBE, Chairman of the British and Commonwealth Ex Service League, and Ruth Barbara (nee Shirtcliffe) Harston of 12, Wyndham Place in London W1. He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Ashburnham from September 1932 to July 1938 and was a distinguished athlete while he was at the school. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps where he achieved Certificate A in November 1936 and was promoted to Corporal in September 1937. He matriculated for Peterhouse College, Cambridge in 1938 but did not graduate as he left the College for military service.
Following the outbreak of war he enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant on the 12th of January 1940. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 12th of July 1942. He was posted to the destroyer HMS Beverley (D64), under the command of Lieutenant Commander Rodney Athelstan Price RN.
On the 4th of February 1943, HMS Beverley and the destroyer HMS Vimy (D33) were escorting Convoy SC118 on route to Londonderry, when they attacked the U Boat U-187, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Ralph Münnich. They sank her with depth charges and t The U Boat sank with the loss of nine men from her crew of fifty four; her Captain was among the dead.
At 6pm on the 1st of April 1943, HMS Beverley was sailing off Rankin Island, County Antrim when she joined the convoy ON-176, which consisted of forty one merchant ships. She was to act as one of its escorts on its journey to Canada and on to the United States. At 10.10pm on the 9th of April, she was seriously damaged in a collision with the British steam merchant SS Cairnvalona while in fog. She was holed in the forward starboard side and took station at the rear of the convoy while the damage was being repaired.
At 5.49am on the morning of the 11th of April 1943, the German submarine U-188, under the command of Korvettenkapitän Siegfried Ludden, fired a torpedo at the convoy, which was to the southwest of Iceland at the time. He observed a hit on a tanker after 1 minute 34 seconds, which finally sank 45 minutes later with a broken back. At 5.50am, two more torpedoes were fired at the convoy and after 1 minute 58 seconds and 2 minutes 11 seconds hits on two ships were heard. At 5.52am two more torpedoes were fired which, after 1 minute 58 seconds, hit a fourth ship which began to settle by the bow. However, Allied records later indicated that only HMS Beverley was actually hit, between the forward and aft boiler rooms. The explosion on board the destroyer was followed by a complete power failure and a severe lurch to port, after which the ship sank by the stern about a minute later at the position of 52º19'N, 40º28'W. As she slipped beneath the surface there was a large underwater explosion. She was lost with one hundred and fifty one of her crew from a ship's complement of one hundred and fifty five officers and men. Michael Harston was among the dead. Although seven of her crew were picked up over the next hour, three of these were either already dead, or died a short time later.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Peterhouse College, Cambridge.
He is commemorated on the Portsmouth naval Memorial Panel 81, Column 1.

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