William Alfred Dove
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
He wa the son of Alfred and Mabel Dove and the husband of Doreen Dove of Old Basford Nottingham
HMS Erebus
HMS Erebus was launched on 19 June 1916 and served in both world wars. In the early World War Two years, Erebus served with the Eastern Fleet and the Mediterranean Fleet, where she was used to run supplies to besieged Tobruk and bombard enemy concentrations. She was present on April 10th 1942 at Trincomalee during the Japanese attack on the harbour there, receiving a near-miss hit from Japanese aircraft. Dove and three other men were lost aboard Erebus during this action. They were Able Seaman Theodore Dunning from Sussex, Leading Signalman Ralph Wilkinson from County Durham and Leading Stoker George Juff from Norwich who died three days later.
In 1943, Erebus was damaged while bombarding Sicily during the Allied invasion of Sicily. Erebus was used for coastal bombardment during the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944, firing at the batteries at Barfleur and La Pernelle. She suffered one 15-inch gun destroyed due to a premature explosion of a high explosive round in the bore.
On 10 August 1944, she was used against the defenders of the harbour at Le Havre. She was damaged by the battery at Clos des Ronces and was out of action for some time. In November 1944, she supported Operation Infatuate, the amphibious assault on Walcheren, Netherlands.
She was scrapped in July 1946. It is believed that one of Erebus' 15-inch guns was used to equip Vanguard, the Royal Navy's last battleship. (Wikipedia & CWGC Debt of Honour Register)
This man was mistakenly added to the Arnold and Daybrook Great War memorial.
No photos