Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

December 11, 2008

hi mac

i'm trying to locate a crew list for hms courageous which was sunk in september 1939 and i understand all crew lost. my mom was engaged to sid gibbons/gibbins from erdington and i would love to be able to track down some details which might lead to photo or detail somewhere. mom is nearly 90 and despite her going on to marry my dad which lasted over 60 years, dad died recently and it's the first time it seems 'ok' to give mom opportunity to find out what happened to sid. she was young then and little information available at the time - just a very sad period of her life.

can you help - i have visited many sites but it's all a bit overwhelming - could you help guide me throught the most straightforward route.

i look forward to hearing from you

yours 
lorna

Lorna,

Here is Sydney, he was an Aircraftsman in the RAF, but serving in HMS Courageous.

In Memory of
Aircraftman 1st Class SYDNEY JOHN GIBBINS

521400, Royal Air Force
serving in H.M.S. Courageous.
who died age 26
on 17 September 1939
Son of Oscar and Edith May Gibbins.
Remembered with honour
RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Commemorated in perpetuity by
the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Something like 700 were saved from Courageous, but over 500 died.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Courageous_(50)

See this URL : http://www.uboataces.com/battle-courageous.shtml  for a German viewpoint about the loss of HMS Courageous.

Regards,
Mac.

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