Fred was born in London 1893 and entered the Royal Navy as Boy Second Cl*** on 25th March 1909 at HMS Ganges, Shotley, Suffolk. By December 1909 he became Boy 1st Cl***. His official service number was Chatham J4115. He continued his training at HMS Impregnable, Devonport and on HMS Leviathan also back at his s**** base HMS Pembroke before embarking on HMS Inflexible (battleship). He became a fully qualified Ordinary Seaman in 1911 and Able Seaman in 1912 and was awarded a Good Conduct Badge in 1914. He then served on HMS Blenheim, HMS Lancaster, HMS Waveney and p***ed to Leading Seaman in 1916. On 18 January 1917 he joined HMS Laforey an L-cl*** destroyer attached to the Dover Patrol. She escorted troop ships across the Straits of Dover and brought back the wounded. On a return trip from France on 23 March 1917 a large explosion occurred mid-ship, Laforey broke in two and sank. Only 18 of the 77 aboard survived. Sadly my Uncle Fred was not one of them. He was 23 years of age.

SUSAN PEYMAN-STROUD