We Remember . . . .

H.M.S. Hood was the last battle cruiser built for the Royal Navy and was commissioned in 1920.

In May 1941, Hood and the battleship Prince of Wales were ordered to intercept the German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, which were en route to the Atlantic.

On 24th May 1941, early in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, Hood was struck by several German shells, exploded, and sank within 3 minutes.  1415 men lost their lives.  Three of her crew survived.

We know the names of some former Scouts and Leaders who were lost with the ship.

• Signal Boy John McCormac, 3rd Kingsbury Group.
• Able Seaman Geoffrey James William Mould, Deep Sea Rover Scout.
• Ordinary Seaman Edgar William Frank Mullins, Deep Sea Scout Adventurer.
• Leading Steward Edward Charles Plimbley, 12th City of Stoke-on-Trent Group.
• Engine Room Artificer 4th Class Dennis Charles Ben Print, 2nd Aylesbury Group.
• Plumber 3rd Class Hector Robert Rae, 1st Freshwater Group.
• Able Seaman Leonard Rawlinson, 5th Littlehampton Group.
• Signal Boy Peter Ernest Alfred Reddall, 1st Ingatestone Group.
• Ordinary Signalman Henry Francis Daniel Richardson, 40th St Pancras Group.
• Boy 1st Class Benjamin George Rigby, Deep Sea Rover Scout.
• Stoker 1st Class Frederick John Scattergood, Gosford Street Baptist Church Troop, Coventry.
• Ordinary Seaman Jack Scott, 4th Worksop Group.
• Able Seaman Thomas Ronald Slater, 2nd Newburn Group.
• Ordinary Seaman John Charles Smith, 101st North London (St Saviour’s, Crouch Hill) Group.
• Ordinary Seaman Joseph William Steele, Thwaites Group, Millom, Cumberland.
• Able Seaman Thomas Stewart, 34th Belfast Group.
• Midshipman (S) Geoffrey Dumas Byron Vacher, Fernden School Group, Haslemere.
• Ordinary Signalman George Tavendale Walker, 14th City of Aberdeen Group.
• Able Seaman Reginald George Waterhouse, Deep-Sea Rover Scout.
• Able Seaman Eric Charles Wilcocks, 57th Croydon.
• Marine Jack Edward Wishart, 1st South Moor (St George's) Group.
• Signalman John Oliver Young, 3rd Parkstone Group.