大象传媒

Fred was a modest and shy person who had always wanted to join the Navy. He joined the training ship HMS Vincent at Chatham on his 16th birthday in 1930.
In 1937 he joined HMS Ajax for a Friendship voyage that lasted for more than 2 years. This tour took them around the coast of South America and through the Panama Canal. They joined with the Achilles and the Exeter knowing that there was a German pocket battleship (Graf Spee)in the vicinity.
Fred was a telegraphist on board at the time and was constantly on duty. During the battle the radio mast was destroyed and while still under fire Fred reconnected communications and was awarded the Bronze Oak leaf. King George V1 presented the Oak leaf to him and others in January 1940.
Fred was disappointed to be taken off of the Ajax but the Navy had other plans for him. In late April, he led a team of men to Norway to set up radio stations for communication between the Norwegians and the British. The Germans invaded Norway on the 9th May and there was such disruption that there was no one to man the station near Oslo.
HMS Cumberland came to the rescue of Fred and others and it took 3 days to reach the UK during which time they were attacked 39 times.
During the capture of the French fleet, Fred led a boarding party to take over a French warship.
Fred then went to work on a merchant vessel, the Mendip, which was being fitted with armour for service.
On their first voyage out of South Shields, a single plane bombed them and the ship sank within 10 minutes. The plane was brought down too.
In about 1942/3 he took part in mine laying in the North Sea.
Fred was awarded the DSO after the war and became a tutor at Sheffield Naval College and also in London.
His last postion in the Navy was as Chief Radio Supervisor at the Admiralty.
Fred took early retirement at 59 due to ill health and died a year later.

In Canada, in the town of Ajax, all the streets are named after the sailors who took part in the battle of the River Plate. Chatfield Road is a beautiful tree lined street of approximately 100 houses.
Recently, a tree has been planted in Fred's honour in that road.
That's my brother!

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