Able Seaman D/JX 176093 Leonard CLARKE.
Royal Navy H.M.S.Gloucester (62).
22 May 1941.
Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 46, Column 3.
Light cruiser H.M.S. Gloucester (Capt. Henry Aubrey Rowley) came under a series of heavy air attacks with H.M.S. Fiji, H.M.S. Greyhound and H.M.S. Griffin during withdrawal from Kithera Channel, by dive bombers west of Crete.
Rescue of survivors with H.M.S. Fiji was prevented by the intensity of air attacks and by the depletion of stocks of A.A. ammunition. H.M.S. Gloucester hit by three bombs which caused internal explosions and major flooding. Fires broke out and could not be controlled so the disabled ship had to be abandoned. H.M.S. Fiji was then ordered to withdraw because of the continuing air attacks but left rafts and boats for survivors. She sank after ninety minutes with the loss of all but 82 of the ship's company. The commanding officer, 45 officers and 648 men were killed when she sank.
H.M.S.Gloucester (Photo from world-war)
