Designation: Mr
First Name: John
Middle Name: Glanville
Surname: Williams
DOB: 25/03.1917
Nationality: Welsh
Birth town:
Information:
Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Able Seaman
Regiment / Ship: HMS Prince of Wales; HMS Khedive
Joined Date:
Decommissioned Date:
Campaign Medals:
Date of Death: (if died on active service)
Place of Death: (if died on active service)
Service Record/ Memories:
HMS Prince of Wales:
It is thought John joined the navy as an Able Seaman at the start of World War 2. He served on the famous Royal Navy Battle Ship HMS Prince of Wales.
During his time on board John was present for the secret meeting between the British Prime Minister Winstone Churchill and the US President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the 9th of August 1941 on board HMS Prince of Wales in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. From the 10 – 12th August the two men met on board the Destroyer USS Augusta where they agreed a joint statement called “The Atlantic Charter”. This charter was subsequently released on the 14th August 1941 and set out the British and American aims and goals for the war and the post war world. Following the declaration HMS Prince of wales returned to Scapa flow arriving on the 18th August. Whilst on board the Prince of Wales they both attended a church service.
John was also on board HMS Prince of Wales when it was attached and sunk by the Japanese Air Force on the 10th of December 1941, along with HMS Repulse.
The Japanese attacked the ships near Kuantan which lies just off the Easy coast of Malaya. Wave after wave of aircraft attacked both ships, in total there were 50 torpedo attacks with 11 hits to the Prince of Wales, along with 16 Bomber attacks and 2 successful hits to the ship.
On that day about 1200 men lost their lives and the remainder of the sailors had to scramble over the sinking ships sides into shark infested waters. Their ordeal was not over as they then had to swim around the sinking ship for 1 1/2 hours before being picked up. John was declared missing in action for many months, his family not knowing if he had survived or not.
HMS Khedive:
John also served on HMS Khedive which had been converted to an Assault Carrier and served in a number of areas of war and was awarded battle honours in:
Battle Honours:
AEGEAN 1944
SOUTH FRANCE 1944 EAST INDIES 1945 BURMA 1945
Ship Pennant Number: D62
Unofficial Badge:
