William Thomas Briton Deacon
Memorial: Marshfield - High Street
Regiment: Royal Navy
Medals: 1939–45 Star, War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Able Seaman D/JX 227709
Parents: George James Deacon and Louisa Priscilla Deacon
Home address: 4 High Street, Marshfield, Glos
Pre-war occupation: Gardener
Date of birth: 1915
Date of death: 10/12/1941
Buried/Commemorated at: Commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial (Panel 46, Column 3)
Age: 26
Further information:
The son of a Welsh miner, William had an older brother Robert George and a younger step-sister Gwendoline. The family moved to Marshfield where William’s father died when William was aged 13.
The HMS Repulse was a Renown-class 15in gun Battlecruiser. Together with HMS Prince of Wales and four destroyers it formed Force Z which set out from Singapore on the evening of 8th December to intercept a reported Japanese invasion force. While returning to Singapore, Repulse and Prince of Wales were attacked by Japanese high-level bombers and torpedo planes. After receiving heavy underwater damage, the Repulse sank rapidly - William was one of 436 individuals who perished.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
http://www.glosgen.co.uk/warmem/marshfieldwm.htm
https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4065.html