Able
Seaman Thomas
Hall, lost
overboard from
HMS Veteran
in the
Atlantic, 12
November 1940
(Brian Atkinson,
click to
enlarge) |
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The
Casualty
Researches of
Don Kindell
From
the
Introduction written
in May 2009
for
his published
volumes
"Christopher
Page, Naval
Historical
Branch (MOD),
Portsmouth
(Captain, R.N.
Rtd)
"When
I took over as
Head of the
Naval
Historical
Branch of the
Royal Navy
nearly ten
years ago, I
was very
surprised to
learn that RN
casualties for
both World
Wars had not
been fully
documented.
Every casualty
search
entailed a
look through
some or all of
the documents
in the
National
Archive;
casualty lists
of the time,
some of which
were still
retained under
the Data
Protection
Act; a trawl
through the
data base of
the
Commonwealth
War Graves
Commission; or
research into
the various
War Memorial
books. Even
then, a
researcher
could not be
sure that he
had covered
every source.
I
quickly
discovered,
however, that
a US
researcher was
some way down
the track in
listing all RN
casualties,
staring with
World Wars One
and Two, but
moving on to
cover all RN
dead from 1914
virtually up
to the
present. In
this task he
was assisted
principally by
the
indefatigable,
greatly
missed, Arnold
Hague, and my
staff,
particularly
Mike McAloon.
The
painstaking
work and
attention to
detail of Don
and Arnold
have been
absolutely
crucial to the
eventual
fruition of
this major and
invaluable
record.
Don
Kindell’s
contribution
to Royal Navy
history has
been enormous
over a very
long period.
An American,
he became
fascinated by
the RN over 40
years ago and
has devoted a
large part of
his life to
this work. All
has been done
with
meticulous
attention to
detail and
accuracy. This
labour of love
had daunted
all others by
its sheer
scale. The
task involved
the detailed
investigation
of the records
of more than
120,000
individuals,
and has formed
an
authoritative
data base that
is daily of
invaluable use
by the Naval
Historical
Branch, the
Casualty
Section, and
Veterans’
Departments of
the Ministry
of Defence. It
also provides
a priceless
permanent
record for all
naval
researchers,
and is often
used by the
Imperial War
Museum and the
Commonwealth
War Graves
Commission.
I
would add that
Don Kindell’s
huge
achievement
is, however,
only part of a
much wider
contribution
to British
maritime
history that
includes a
comprehensive
catalogue of
naval events
and actions up
to the middle
of the Second
World War.
Work is
continuing to
complete this
huge
undertaking.
In addition,
he is in the
process of
compiling a
complete list
of RN
prisoners of
war for World
War Two.
This
astonishing
corpus of work
had been
achieved over
decades and is
material that
will have
lasting
benefits. All
of this was
undertaken
with
absolutely no
thought of
personal gain,
or expectation
of
recognition.
Indeed most of
the
substantial
financial
costs have
been borne by
himself. For
all his
self-effacement
and reticence,
he is known
and highly
respected
around the
world for his
knowledge and
application. I
am delighted
and honoured
to have been
asked to write
this short
Foreword to an
invaluable
source of
reference."
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Contents
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INDEX
OF CASUALTIES by
NAME and by DATE
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pre-World
War 1
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Submarines
and Submarine
Depot Ships by
Date
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WORLD
WAR 1, 1914-18
Badges
of Rank for
Officers, Men
and Boys
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by NAME
Abbey-Anwar,
Apperley-Azzopardi,
Baba-Blyton,
Boag-Bythway,
Cabble-Clynes,
Coady-Cuzner,
Da
Costa-Dyter,
Eachus-Eyres,
Facer-Fysh,
Gabbat-Glynn,
Goad-Gyllenship,
Habgood-Heyworth,
Hibberd-Hyssett,
Ibbetson-Jutsum,
Kadwell-Kyte,
Labram-Leyland,
Lia-Lyttle,
Mabberley-Mazonowicz,
McAdam-Mizen,
Moar-Mytton,
Nadin-Nyhan,
Oades-Oyston,
Pace-Peyman,
Phair-Pynn,
Quail-Quy,
Raby-Rixton,
Roach-Ryman,
Sabberton-Shyer
- Sibbald-Smyth-Osbourne,
Snaden-Szulezewski, Taaffe-Thyer,
Tibbey-Tytler,
Uden-Vyvyan,
Wackett-Weyman,
Whaite-Wysthoff,
Xerri-Zeithing
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by DATE & SHIP/UNIT - Month-by-Month
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INTER-WAR,
1918-1939
return
to inter-war,
1918-1939
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by NAME
Abbas-Byron,
Cadagan-Eyres,
Fahey-Izzard,
Jackett-Myers,
Nancarrow-Ryder,
Sabiston-Zammit
by
DATE &
SHIP/UNIT -
Year-by-Year
post-Armistice
1918 - 1919
- 1920
- 1921
- 1922
- 1923
- 1924
- 1925
- 1926
- 1927
- 1928
- 1929
- 1930
- 1931
- 1932
- 1933
- 1934
- 1935
- 1936
- 1937
- 1938
- 1939
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WORLD
WAR 2, 1939-1945
Ranks,
Professions
& Badges
of Rank
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by
NAME
Aall-Azzopardi,
Baatstoe-Bearder,
Beardmore-Boddington,
Boddy-Brougham,
Broughton-Byworth,
Cabban-Chutter,
Ciappara-Cooney,
Cooper-Czeruy,
Dabb-Dickens,
Dickenson-Dyson,
Eachus-Ezard,
Faal-Fyvie,
Gaal-Goodlip,
Goodman-Gyss,
Haag-Hawkridge,
Hawksby-Hollands,
Hollett-Hyslop,
Iago-Justice,
Kai-Kyte,
La
Barre-Lewington,
Lewis-Lyver,
M
Nasu-Matten,
Matthew-Mills,
Millson-Myram,
Na-Nye,
Oakden-Ozon,
Pace-Pettitt,
Pettman-Pywell,
Qadir-Quy,
Rabbitt-Roach,
Roan-Ryrie,
Sa’at-Simm,
Simmance-Spiller,
Spillett-Szymalski,
Taafe-Thorley,
Thorn-Tyte,
Udai-Vyner,
Wackett-
Webster, Wedderburn-Williams,
Williamson-Wythes,
Xerri-Zurek
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return
to World War
2, 1939-1945
or:
Links
to Main World
War 2 Pages:
-
Royal Navy
Organisation
-
Casualties
- killed,
died, missing
-
1,000 Warship
Service
Histories
-
Convoy Escort
Movements
-
Battles, Major
Warship Losses
-
Naval &
Military
Campaigns
-
Navies Daily,
1939-42
-
Admiralty War
Diaries |
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by DATE & SHIP/UNIT - Month-by-Month
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POST-WAR,
1945-2008
Commonwealth
casualties are
included for a
number of
years after
the end of
World War 2
return
to post-war,
1945 on
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by
NAME
Abbott-Byron,
Caddick-EytonJones,
Facer-Ivey,
Jack-Myers,
Nagle-Ryves,
Sackville-Zanelli
by DATE & SHIP/UNIT
- Year-by-Year
India
- Malaya -
Palestine -
China - Cold
War - Korea -
Canal Zone -
Kenya - Aden/Radfan
- Cyprus
1945
- 1946
- 1947
- 1948
- 1949
- 1950
- 1951
- 1952
- 1953
- 1954
- 1955
Malaya
- Aden/Radfan
- Cyprus
-
Borneo/Indonesia
- Vietnam -
Northern
Ireland - Oman
Dhofar
- Falklands -
Kuwait/First
Gulf War -
Bosnia - Kosova
- Sierra Leone
- Afghanistan
- Iraq
1956-59
- 1960-62
- 1963-65
- 1966-69
- 1970-75
- 1976-79
- 1980-89
- 1990-99
- 2000-present
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ROYAL
NAVY CASUALTIES -
MONTHLY and YEARLY
TOTALS
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Jan
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Feb
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Mar
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Apr
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May
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Jun
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Jul
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Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
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Total
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prewar
1939
|
19
|
15
|
26
|
23
|
12
|
113
|
23
|
21
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
252
|
WORLD WAR 2
|
1939
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
643
|
931
|
373
|
380
|
2327
|
1940
|
416
|
376
|
115
|
771
|
670
|
2476
|
655
|
563
|
650
|
689
|
822
|
787
|
8981
|
1941
|
693
|
687
|
618
|
1249
|
3780
|
667
|
421
|
564
|
356
|
715
|
2292
|
3102
|
15114
|
1942
|
1102
|
1288
|
2081
|
1358
|
752
|
830
|
513
|
960
|
1074
|
1053
|
2269
|
1711
|
14991
|
1943
|
585
|
782
|
1225
|
686
|
382
|
252
|
522
|
564
|
970
|
1398
|
603
|
603
|
8572
|
1944
|
746
|
1308
|
892
|
399
|
444
|
1650
|
835
|
1247
|
344
|
463
|
985
|
644
|
9957
|
1945
|
657
|
608
|
676
|
687
|
374
|
238
|
353
|
252
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-
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-
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-
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-
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3845
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Total
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includes
Royal Marines
and DEMS
(Note: average of 885 lives each month; 3 highest months in bold) |
63787
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postwar
1945
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
145
|
167
|
129
|
149
|
590
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Background
by
Don Kindell, Ohio, USA
This
data base of Royal
Navy personnel
killed
or died began
in the same way as
my naval events
chronology, as a
very specific,
narrow
project. The
known and
published
Admiralty
Communiqués
detailed the
names, ranks or
ratings and ship
of larger HM ships
sunk during the
war.
However, my
interest was to
expand my 1940
Norwegian campaign
information which
included many
smaller
ships.
Through David
Brown of the Naval
Historical Branch
and naval
researcher Arnold
Hague, we decided
to use the
Admiralty
Miscellaneous
Communiqués which
listed names of
those killed or
died in smaller
ships that were
sunk and in all
ships that were
damaged.
Through the war,
76 of these
Miscellaneous
Communiqués were
issued, which also
gave the same
information on
wounded and
prisoners of war,
but this latter
material is for
another project.
The
primary concern of
the original
computer database,
which in its
entirety
originally covered
1914 to 1982,
was to
collect together
the Naval
personnel into a
form where they
could be studied
by date, ship, or
person's
name. Much
of the information
is contained in
the Commonwealth
War Graves
Commission
site, but in a
form accessible
only by the
person's name or
by a search of cemeteries.
However,
there is
independent and
updated
information, not
contained in CWGC,
which has been
obtained from the
death ledgers
prepared by the
Admiralty for
officers and
ratings.
The
lists now include
over 125,000
names, presented
both in
alphabetical order
and by date and
ship/unit
No
longer do I have
to search for
those officers and
men killed in the
bombing of HMS
PELICAN in April
1940, nor do you.
Please note:
1.
If a casualty
was seen by
witnesses to
have died or
been killed, he
or she is
described as
such. If the
person was never
seen again, they
are described as
Missing Presumed
Killed (MPK) in
wartime or
Missing Presumed
Dead (MPD) in
peacetime.
2. Although
officers and men
of the Royal Fleet
Auxiliary are not
members of the
Royal Navy, they
are being add to
the lists.
3.
For enquiries
about access to
and working with
the original
database files,
please contact
dkindell1@woh.rr.com.
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Note on Sources
by Gordon Smith
I
was recently asked about the
accuracy of the research on
www.naval-history.net
by a representative of an
online encyclopaedia as some
of their editors felt unable
to quote Naval-History.Net
as a reliable source.
Excerpts
from my reply follow:
"...... there
is a difference
between a site like
yours which has tens of
thousands of
contributors, few of
whom will be known by
the editors, and sites
like Naval-History.Net
with few contributors,
but who have built-up
some sort of reputation
over the years for using
reliable sources and for
their accuracy and
attention to detail.
.....
all of Don Kindell's
casualty, RN Day by Day
and convoy information
is either from primary
government sources or
from such well-known
researchers as Arnold
Hague, a personal
friend. He worked
closely for many years
with the Naval History
Branch of the MOD, and
his casualty books have
prefaces by the
recently-retired head of
the Branch. I have
copied this email to him
so he can comment on
sources. His work is
highly regarded and used
by such organisations as
the Imperial War Museum,
National Maritime
Museum, MOD,
Commonwealth War Graves
etc. Also one of his
first casualty volumes
has been shortlisted for
the 2010 Mountbatten
Literary Award of the
Maritime Foundation.
I
think it is fair to say
that Don (an
ex-policeman) .... in
his private studies over
the years, never
considered having to
prove his accuracy to
the public and so would
not have thought to
necessary to add their
sources.
To
convert
Naval-History.Net into
articles with every fact
justified would be a
totally impossible task,
and really against our
ethos of trust. However
I hope my comments plus
any others from Don
would confirm that we
take every effort to
ensure accuracy to an
academic standard."
And
from Don Kindell:
".....
my histories are all
primary source
documents;
whether Admiralty
Ledgers, Reports of
Proceedings, War
Diaries, Official
Summaries, etc, etc.
I
have worked the last
20 years with the
Naval Historical
Branch, late of
London, now of
Portsmouth.
Researching very
closely with David
Brown, Head of Branch
until his health
forced retirement and
death, and his
successor, Christopher
Page. Both were
very demanding, but
extremely nurturing
and supportive.
I cannot omit Arnold
Hague, who as a close,
dear friend, did so
much to mentor and
guide me and develop
my various
projects. David
Brown, Chris Page, and
Arnold Hague are all
well known and
respected naval
historians and authors
of many books.
At
one time when David
Brown and Arnold Hague
were still alive, a
bibliography and
footnote sections were
discussed for my Royal
Navy Day by Day.
We were soon convinced
such an undertaking
was going to produce a
tome exceeding the
size of the original
document.
If
any fact is
questioned, I can
supply the reference
as to its
source. The
Rosyth War Diary, Home
Fleet War Diary, and
Home Fleet Destroyer
Home Diary were
essential for the
early part of the
war. The Rosyth
War Diary was not
begun until the end of
the first week of
November 1939 and the
Home Fleet and Home
Fleet Destroyers not
until the beginning of
March 1940. For
any information prior
to the beginning of
the War Diaries
mentioned, Admiralty
War Diaries, Reports
of Proceedings,
Ledgers, and
Narratives were used.
There
were also War Diaries
for all other commands
as well:
Northern Patrol,
Western Approaches,
Dover, North Atlantic
(Gibraltar), Malta,
Alexandria, Far East,
Indian Ocean, etc,
etc.
One
terrible tripping
block is the
destruction of WW II
destroyer logs in the
1980s for the sake of
space. A fall
back here is the
"Movement Books", an
Admiralty Ledger of
some 35 volumes of
ledger size
paper. This
gives the arrival and
departure of all
warships.
Finally,
touching on Arnold
Hague's convoy work,
he also used
exclusively Admiralty
records and
supplemented them with
Lloyds Shipping Record
cards, maintained by
Lloyds.
I
am always available
and eager to give
further specific
information."
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