Charles Victor James Leaford

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Name Charles Victor James Leaford Born 1917 Romford, Essex Gender Male War 1939-1942 Mediterranean Charles was a Stoker 1st Class on the RN HMS Arethusa. The ship left Alexandria to form part of an escort for a convoy to Malta. 450 miles from port she was torpedoed by a low flying enemy aircraft. The explosion and fire took 156 lives out of 500 men on board and injured many more. Arethusa was the only casualty of Operation Stoneage and the convoy made it to Malta, effectively ending the seige there. Charles was buried at sea and has a memorial at Chatham, Kent. Buried Nov 1942 At sea Died 18 Nov 1942 On board HMS Arethusa Person ID I3297 Fidgen Last Modified 20 Jan 2014
Father Robert William Leaford, b. 1890, Romford, Essex , d. 1949, Ilford, Essex
Mother Sarah J Wiseman, b. 21 Jun 1891, Maldon, Essex , d. 1974, Havering, London
Married 1910 Romford, Essex Family ID F1119 Group Sheet
Family Paulina Moir Rothwell, b. Barking, Essex Married Sep 1941 Ilford, Essex Last Modified 20 Jan 2014 Family ID F1171 Group Sheet
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Photos HMS Arethusa with hull breach
Documents Tricia's Relatives Who Gave Their Lives in WW1 and WW2
Leaford and Prater casualties.