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This data is related to World War 2
Air Mechanic 2nd Class

Jack Grimmer

Service number P/FX 75428
Military unit HMS Glorious Royal Navy
Address 56 Nursery Street, Mansfield.
Date of birth 21 Apr 1919
Date of death 08 Jun 1940 (21 years old)
Place of birth Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Employment, education or hobbies Unknown
Family history

Son of John and Gladys May Grimmer, of 56 Nursery Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
Siblings: Sidney (1915), Muriel (1922), Gladys (1923), Derrick (1925), Granville (1926), Edward (1930-32) Frank (1931), and Robert (1934).

Military history

HMS Glorious, an aircraft carrier.
On the 8th June 1940 the Glorious, HMS Ardent and HMS Acosta (destroyer escorts) were sunk while returning home from Norway by the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. In total 1519 men were lost from the 3 ships. It is not known why the Glorious had only 2 escort ships and why she wasn't with the main convoy.
The salvo from the Scharnhorst hit the forward flight deck in the upper hanger starting a large fire. The hshell destroyed 2 Swordfish aircraft being prepared for flight, (as an aircraft mechnic Jack may have been working on these planes). The Scharnhorst carried on the attack leaving the Glorious disabled and sinking. 1207 men died in the sinking, only 38 survived.
The Royal Navy were not aware that she had been sunk until the German's announced it on the radio.

Extra information

Remembered on the Lee-On-Solent Memorial, bay 1 panel 5.

Photographs

No photos