Ernest Francis West
Memorial: Easter Compton Methodist Church
Regiment: Royal Navy
Medals: War Medal 1939–1945
Rank and number: Leading Stoker
Parents: Harry and Elizabeth Ann West
Marital status: Married
Home address: Cwm, Monmouthshire
Pre-war occupation: Sailor
Date of birth: 26/01/1907
Place of birth: Almondsbury
Date of death: 18/10/1940
Buried/Commemorated at: No known burial site but commemorated on Plymouth Naval Memorial and Easter Compton Memorial
Age: 33
Further information:
H.M. Submarine H.49. Royal Navy.
Ernest was the son of a brick factory labourer. He worked as a bus conductor, then signed up to the Royal Navy in 1926 for 12 years. He was described as 5' 8 & 3/4" with dark brown hair and brown eyes and a scar to the side of his right eye. He married Iris May Smith at the beginning of 1933 and was called up on the outbreak of war.
Ernest died when submarine H49 in which he was serving, was sunk by depth charges from German patrol craft of the 5th Anti-Submarine Flotilla off Texel, the Netherlands. There was only one survivor out of a crew of 22, rescued by German trawlers.
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/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/