Wigan Album
2nd World War
8 Comments
Photo: jacklaw
Item #: 20163
Harry Sutton died on 19th Dec 1941, aged 24, when his ship HMS Stanley was hit by a torpedo from a German u-boat, U-574. Out of a crews complement of 145, only 25 survived.
Harry and all his comrades will always be remembered.
Harry was a contempory of my uncle Joe Lee who also served in the RN during WW2. HMS Drake was not a seaborne ship, but the name given to the Devonport RN Barracks. Perhaps this photo was taken whilst Harry was a trainee there.
J Greene, the photograph was taken at a studio in Devonport and the date on the back is Aug 28th 1940. As you say Drake is a training base, so he may have just been waiting assignment to a ship after completion of his training.
Where in Wigan did Harry come from?
According to Eric McPherson's 'Roll of Honour', he was the son of Henry & Sarah Elizabeth Sutton, and is commemorated in Wigan on the Wigan Cenotaph and on the Whelley School Old Boys' Memorial which is now in St Stephen's Church.
Able Seaman, Service No D/JX 272499
He is also commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial; Column 3, Panel 48.
With the help of a very kind WW member I have now found out that he was a cousin of my mothers and have established which part of the family he descends from. If anyone has Harry in their family tree I would be happy to share any information I have.
I have a photo of Harry in my house in Bradford. My lovely Nan (Lilian Jones nee Sutton) was the younger sister of Harry. My Nan and Grandpa moved from Wigan to Bradford after WWII where my Grandad worked at GEC and Nan worked at Sharps greeting cards up until her death in 1997.She spoke of Harry very often and left me the photo of Harry following her death.Its great to think my children appreciate his legacy