Boldre Roll of Honour

Roll of Honour Verification of casualties Contents Background 3 Main findings and issues 4 Conclusions and recommendations 4 Boldre Roll of Honour Details of check performed 5 Details of Roll of Honour 5 Alias name used 6 Discrepancy in both surname and forename 7 Discrepancy in surname only 7 Discrepancy in forename only 8 Discrepancy in rank – Acting rank held 9 – 10 Discrepancy in rank – different rank shown 11 – 12 Discrepancy in rank – minor discrepancy in 13 rank description Discrepancy in service 14 ‘The Fleet’ December 1941 Details of check performed 15 Details of Roll of Honour 15 Alias name used 16 Discrepancy in both surname and forename 17 Discrepancy in surname only 17 Discrepancy in forename only 18 - 19 Discrepancy in rank – Acting rank held 20 - 22 Discrepancy in rank – different rank shown 23 – 25 Discrepancy in service 25 Non Hood casualties 25 Hood casualties not listed 26 - 29 Greenwood Roll of Honour Details of check performed 30 Details of Roll of Honour 30 Alias name used 31 Discrepancy in both surname and forename 32 Discrepancy in surname only 32 Discrepancy in forename only 33 - 34 Discrepancy in rank – Acting rank held 35 - 37 Discrepancy in rank – different rank shown 38 Discrepancy in service number 39 Discrepancy in service 39 Casualties as recorded in books 40 2 Background This document contains details of checks undertaken during April and May 2007 to verify the number and details of men lost with the ship and to compare the verified list with Roll of Honour previously made. Checks were undertaken by Paul Bevand and Frank Allen. Method used: Stage 1 was to verify that the existing details we had – as recorded on the Association’s web site at www.hmshood.com - were complete and correct. Data from the site was transcribed into a Microsoft Excel file as this would made it easy to rearrange the data in any way required to facilitate easy of subsequent checking. Having populated the Excel file we crossed checked it against: • The web site A to Z pages for casualties • The individual pages of each casualty • The Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s web site at www.cwgc.org These checks threw up a small number of discrepancies. Our Excel list and the Association’s web site were updated as required. Stage 2: having established a list which we could be 100% confident in we then began cross checks against existing alternative Rolls of Honour. The Rolls of Honour we checked are those which are seen as most accurate or most significant: • The Boldre Calligraphic Book of Remembrance – photographic images of the book were taken by Paul Bevand on 18 April 2007 and these were used in the cross checking. • The Casualty List published in ‘The Fleet’ in December 1941 – an old photocopy is held by Frank Allen and Peter Heys. This was used for cross checking. • The ‘Greenwood Roll of Honour’ a copy of which is held by several veterans in the Association. It is also believed that the Greenwood list may form the basis of the St Anne’s and St. George’s Rolls of Honour. A photocopy is held by Frank Allen and this was used for cross checking. Checks were performed by comparing a copy of the verified Association list against the copies of the lists as described above. A new worksheet was made in the Excel file for each list to be checked. The verified Association list was then copied into this new sheet and used as the starting point for checks. As a discrepancy was identified it was highlighted by changing the colour of the entry in the relevant cell(s) in the Excel file. The Association list had already been numbered (in strict alphabetical order) and numbers were recorded for the order of the list being checked as part of the checking process. At the completion of checks for each list all discrepancies were extracted into this summary document. 3 Main findings and issues 1. With the exception of ‘The Fleet’, all the Rolls of Honour list 1415 casualties. The Boldre Book of Remembrance also lists the three survivors giving a total list of 1418 which may be the origin of this particular figure. The verified Association list and Greenwood list both list 1415 men. 2. There is no standard way of ordering lists with all four lists choosing different ways. Details are to be found in the main section of this document. 3. The Fleet does not list any Royal Marines but does list a number of casualties not included in any of the other lists. These have been verified as not Hood casualties – mainly be work undertaken by Don Kindell in conjunction with Naval Historical Branch. 4. The lists vary in the data that they record: Service Home Surname Forenames Service Rank Age Memorial Parents Wife No Town Association Where Where Where Where Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Available Available Available Available Boldre Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No No No Greenwood Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No The Fleet Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No No No No 5. Whilst undertaking this research contact has been made with the Royal Navy with a view to: a. verifying the casualties with their records b. verifying the names of men who left the ship shortly before she was lost c. verifying (again) men listed in ‘The Fleet’ as non Hood casualties The Royal Navy has agreed to undertake this work but the outcome may not be known for some months. Conclusion and recommendations 1. 1415 should be officially accepted by the Association as the number of casualties of the loss of the ship. 2. The Association should work towards as detailed as dataset as it is possible to obtain through surviving records – filling gaps in ages, home towns etc. 3. Once all data has been gathered and verified, the Association should produce an official Roll of Honour 4. That this official Roll of Honour should be offered to Boldre Church, St Anne’s Church and St. George’s church in addition to those which they already hold. 5. The Association should consider publication of the verified Roll of Honour, possibly making use of photographs of casualties where these are held. Paul Bevand and Frank Allen May 2007 4 Boldre Roll of Honour Details of check performed Date: April 2007 Checked by: Paul Bevand Fields checked: Surname, Forenames, Rank / rating, service. Details of Roll of Honour Format: Large bound calligraphic list retained at Boldre Church, Hampshire Date created: Unknown Source data: Unknown Dedication: “H.M.S. Hood and her Gallant Company” Structure The Roll of Honour is laid out in the following order: • Officers in order of rank and seniority • Rating by branch, rating and alphabetical order based on surname • Royal Marines by rank / rating and then alphabetical order based on surname • Survivors Names are listed in the format SURNAME, FIRST CHRISTIAN NAME, SUBSEQUENT INITIALS. Total names listed: 1415 plus 3 survivors General observations and issues • The Boldre Roll of Honour lists the same men as the Association list. Differences arise with names used but the list is substantially the same men. • Officers surnames are shown including their service and other post-nominal letters. • Acting ranks and ratings are shown, leading to a number of discrepancies with the Association list. • Alias names have been used, though in some cases the individual’s real name has been noted. 5 Individual discrepancies between H.M.S. Hood Association Roll of Honour and Boldre Roll of Honour Alias name used 9 cases Assn No Boldre Surname Boldre Assn Assn Comments Boldre Forenames Surname Forenames 121 844 Aston John Blondel Andre Boldre list annotated ‘French Rating. French name not known.’ Andre Blondel was a Frenchman serving with the Royal Navy. 496 206 Benton Leonard Goulstine Leonard No annotation of Boldre list. Leonard Goulstine was a Jewish serviceman serving with the Royal Navy. Reason for assumption of alias not known. 1023 974 Beresford Kenneth Radley Kenneth No annotation of Boldre list. Reason for assumption of alias not known. 312 297 Harrison Christian D'abry De L'Arves Robert C. No annotation of Boldre list. Robert D'abry De L'Arves was a Frenchman serving with the Royal Navy. 1031 298 Hastings Joseph Rannou Joseph Annotated ‘Frenchman serving with the RN. French name Joseph Rannou.’ Joseph Rannou was a Frenchman serving with the Royal Navy. 861 678 Nicholson Andrew Minard Andre Boldre list annotated ‘Frenchman. French name not known.’ Andre Minard was a Frenchman serving with the Royal Navy. 1181 780 Smith-Withers Stephen J. Smith-Withers Stephen J. No annotation of Boldre list. Reason for shortening of name unknown. 1240 846 Taylor Michael Tamarelle Marius Boldre list annotated ‘French Rating. French name Maruis Tamarelle.’ Marius Tamarelle was a Frenchman serving with the Royal Navy. 612 1377 Watson Robert W.G. Howie Robert W.G. No annotation of Boldre list. Reason for assumption of alias not known. 6 Discrepancy in both surname and forename(s) 5 cases Assn Boldre Boldre Assn Boldre Assn Rank Boldre No Surname Surname Forenames Forenames 311 91 Czeruy Czerny S Stanislaw 1283 93 Zmuda-Trzebiatowski Trzebiatowski-Zmuda L Leon Midshipman 100 708 Law-Bell Bell Ronald T. Ronald T.L. Variation of ‘Law’. Boldre list has this as the first part of a hyphenated surname. The Association list and CWGC list this as a second Christian name. Parents are Charles Henry Law Bell and Laura Law Bell. ‘Law’ appears here again but is not hyphenated. 1196 838 Clair-Tracy St. Clair-Tracy Albert E.

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