6.
Oct. 23, 2008

My father Leonard Charles G Wilson was a civilian gun technician who was forced to sale with POW when it was
sent to intercept the Bismarck. I presume he would have worked for Cammell Laird but I'm not sure. He said
that if he had to sail on a ship on active duty he was given the rank of petty officer. I don't know if there would
be any record of this.

I am trying to find out about his family in England and if there are any still alive. I believe he was born in
Portsmouth in 1904 and I also believe his brother George tragically was a serviceman on HMS Hood. If anyone
can shed any light on where records might be found I would appreciate it.

Best wishes,
Don Wilson

5.
July 25, 2007

Can anyone tell me the colours HMS POW was painted during its engagement with the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen in the Denmark Strait I have the tamiya kit and the colours given are tamiya colours not the actual Royal Navy colour designations. Black & white photos vary in contrast so it is impossible to tell whether the hull and superstructure are Light Admiralty gray, Medium or dark admiralty gray.

Regards,
Pete Nash

3.
May 3, 2007

My father served on HMS Prince of Wales and survived only to be captured by the Japanese and imprisoned in the Far East until the end of the war. My dad was a wonderful man and didn't talk openly about the horrors he and his fellow internees suffered under the hands of the Japanese but he did talk affectionately of his beloved ship HMS Prince of Wales. He was on board when the battle took place with the Bismarck but they were damaged and had to find a port for repairs. He was also there on the fateful day that the Prince of Wales and the Repulse sank, December 10th 1941. I cannot recollect which ship picked him up but I did hear him talk about the Hung Jua (if my spelling is correct). This also went down and he ended up in the hands of the Japanese. There is so much I would love to know but there are so many pieces missing just like a jigsaw. He was born February 1921 and I do know that he said on his 21st birthday he was on a raft in the middle of the ocean. Whether that was when he was on the Hung Jao I do not know. Sadly he died in 2003 at the age of 82, his name was Frederick Lawrence Kettle (lol) or (Taffy) and he lived in North Wales.

Much obliged,
Mrs W. Williams

Frederick Lawrence Kettle RN
(1921-2003)

2.
Feb. 18, 2007

In answer to your quest, I presume your grandfather was a FEPOW as was my fathers who was on the Prince Of Wales. If so, you may find find the following link to Children of Far East Prisoners Of War useful:

www.cofepow.org.uk

John Sparks

1.
Jan. 6, 2007

I am the granddaughter of Cornelius Donoghue (also known as Steve) who served on HMS Prince of Wales. I am interested to find out any information about his time in the navy, particularly if anybody remembers him. He did attend the Naval reunions until his illness and unfortunate death in August 2005. I would be so grateful for anyone's help.

With thanks,
Suzanne