Sidney Henry Danson
Pre-war, he a was a Merchant Navy Officer. In March 1919, he obtained his Merchant Seaman ticket No 210551 as an apprentice. Three and a half years later (11/8/1922), he was awarded a Master Mate's certificate at Plymouth. He had been appointed a certified wireless watcher for the British Postal Services in March 1921. In May 1923, Sidney was appointed 4th Mate on the Clan Line Steamers Ltd (Cayzer, Irvine & Co Ltd London) ship Clan Ogilvy. In 1926, he sailed as 2nd Officer from Buenos Aries aboard Royal Mail steamship Arianza. On December 12th the same year, Danson arrived as Ship's Officer in Liverpool on RMS Demerara. (Courtesy of Tim & Gail Chamberlin, Aslockton Remembers, p.21
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He was the son of Robert John and Miriam Evangeline Danson. In 1911. he was boarding with Alice Thompson and family at 29, Brook Avenue, Levenshulme, South Manchester.
Sidney and Muriel Evelyn Sands were married at Nottingham in 1936.
In 1939, he was a poultry farmer at Scarrington Lane, Aslockton living with his wife and mother . His first house was 'Lilac Cottage' on Cliff Hill Lane. He then bought a piece of land and built a bungalow made of cedar wood and gave it that name.
Away from his home, Sidney had installed the only battery operated poultry house in the locale. His wife continued to live there after his death but moved to Mona Road, West Bridgford to be closer to relatives. He left Muriel £913 5s 9d (Probate Records).
CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL 65, 3.
Sidney Danson was appointed Temporary Sub LIeutenant on July 22nd 1940 and promoted to Tempoary Lieutenant on October 22nd the same year.
HMS Avenger
HMS Avenger was a Royal Navy escort aircraft carrier during the Second World War. In 1939 she was laid down as the merchant ship Rio-Hudson at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company yard in Chester, Pennsylvania. Launched on 27 November 1940, she was converted to an escort carrierat the Staten Island (New York) shipyard and transferred under the lend lease agreement to the Royal Navy. She was commissioned on 2 March 1942.
Avenger's capacity allowed for a maximum of 15 aircraft. In September 1942, she took part in what was the largest and most successful Russian convoy (PQ18) to date. Upon her return home, after observing a number of design faults, Avenger's captain drew up recommendations for future escort carrier design. In November 1942 she took part in Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa, where she suffered engine problems.
HMS Avenger, HMS Biter, and HMS Victorious left Scapa for Greenock on 16 October 1942. Avenger still had the two Sea Hurricane squadrons on board, with two new aircraft armed with 20 mm cannon. Avenger was tasked with providing air cover for one of the convoys carrying the British assault force for Operation Torch. Once off North Africa she would join the covering force for the landings, with HMS Argus, three cruisers, and five destroyers.
On arrival on 8 November 1942, the Supermarine Seafires from Argus and Avenger's Sea Hurricanes provided air cover for the landings. Between 8–10 November Avenger flew 60 fighter missions. On 9 November, she had a near miss by a torpedo from a He 111, and from 10–12 November she was laid up with engine problems before sailing for Gibraltar.
HMS Avenger was torpedoed and sunk by U-155 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Adolf Piening on 15 November 1942, just west of Gibraltar. Struck by only one torpedo, she quickly sank. 516 men were lost including Danson, Supply Assistant Eric Mahl from Sherwood and Ordinary Seaman George Woods from Netherfield. Only twelve members of her crew were rescued. (Wikipedia)
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Photos of Sidney Henry Danson
Courtesy of Tim & Gail Chamberlin, Aslockton Remembers p.23
HMS Avenger's loss site
Courtesy of Tim & Gail Chamberlin, Aslockton Remembers p.27