George Herbert Marsden
He was a bus conductor in 1939.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
He was the son of George Herbert and Elizabeth Marsden. George Marsden and Ethel Yeatman were married at Nottingham in 1936. They had three children - Pauline, George and Patricia - and lived at 7, Enoch Terrace, St Ann's, Nottingham.
HMS Biter
HMS Biter was a Royal Navy escort carrier during the Second World War. She was laid down as a merchant ship at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company yard at Chester, Pennsylvania. Laid down on 28 December 1939, she was converted to an escort carrier and commissioned in the Royal Navy on 6 May 1942. She was returned to the United States in 1945 and subsequently lent to France.
On 10 May, Swordfish aircraft from Biter responded to a sighting of a U-boat on the surface dropping two depth charges but was hit by anti-aircraft fire from the submarine. A second Swordfish had taken off to assist but could not find the U-boat or the convoy in the bad weather and was forced to ditch beside a straggling merchant ship.
On 11 May, a Swordfish engaged another U-boat on the surface which initially fought back with her guns but was eventually forced to dive. The next morning, the patrolling Swordfish reported a U-boat sighting and was never heard from again.
It is presumed that Marsden and Sub Lieutenants Richard Lee and Vincent Wiits formed the lost HMS Biter crew. Swordfish were flown by three men - pilot, observer and gunner/wireless operator and it is probable that non-commissioned Marsden was the gunner.
It was because of these last engagements that aircraft were ordered to fly in pairs, they were forbidden to fight it out with surfaced submarines and only to attack if it was diving. (Wikipedia)
Unknown
HMS Biter in March 1943
Courtesy of Wikipedia