7.
May 28, 2017

I was delighted to find your website showing images of HMS Queen Elizabeth. Attached is a copy of a photograph from my grandmother's files clearly showing two young sailors wearing uniform and tally band of HMS Queen Elizabeth from what looks like WW1 era. I am unaware of the identity of the two. I would guess that they are relatives - possibly Langridge. If anyone can shed further light on their identity I would be most grateful.

Sincerely,
Roslyn Callander

6.
Nov. 17, 2014

Can you help, I am trying to identify a small silk given to me as a gift. I'm unsure whether this is part of a uniform or not. The size of the silk is 50mm wide, not sure how long it would have been?

Kind regards,
Malcolm Gilmartin

5.
Oct. 21, 2014

I wonder if you could help shed some light on a one sided coin or token we have in the family? It is copper and blank on the back. On the front is a bust of Queen Elizabeth and the lettering is - H.M.S. QUEEN ELIZABETH
It is 23mm in diameter. Any information you could give us would be great.

Ian & Ann Hamilton

4.
Sept. 5, 2012

My grandfather, Herbert John Wills, served aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth during the First War. Service Number J12642. Rank LS. I have very little information about him as he died in 1941, many years before I was born.
I wonder if anyone remembers anything that might have been said, or could point him out on a crew photo. Absolutely any information would be gratefully received.

Thanks,
Tim Dain

3.
Aug. 25, 2011

What a lovely site I have been looking at, brought tears to my eyes. My father, Edward Williams, served on the Queen Elizabeth during World War 2, he was a Chief Stoker. How lovely to see his ship, I remember him telling me stories as a child about a place called Alexandria when many of his friends died through an Italian sub blew them up. How can I find out what medals he had? His papers all lost over the years I would love to get hold of something to give to his great grandchildren. He was based at HMS Victory now called Nelson, met my mother who was a bar maid and they were married for 52 years [both now deceased]. Can you give me some advice on how I would be able to get hold of medals or his papers. I would like to take this opportunity in saying thank you for a brilliant site.

Yours,
Lynda Williams

2.
Feb. 13, 2011

My grandfather Percy Edward Ferris joined the Royal Navy very young. At age 15 he went to war.  He used to recite many of his memories to me of his naval career including those of the Dardanelles. He served at the Dardanelles age 16 in the First World War on HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Jean having seen your message mentioning that your uncle William Alfred Howell being a leading Telegraphist on the Queen Elizabeth and knowing that my grandfather served on the ship during the Dardanelles campaign I looked deeper into my grandfathers naval record especially as I knew he had been a telegraphist over much of his naval career. Having checked the naval records he was shown during the time as a 'boy telegraphist'. I very much expect your uncle new my grandfather, they must have worked closely together.

Percy Ferris was transferred to HMS Nelson on 14 May 1915 (possibly after learning much from your uncle?) remaining in the area. I recall him saying that they (I assume his ship too) shelled the Turkish forts. I also recall him saying that they had left England (this would have been in HMS Queen Elizabeth) with many soldiers on board for the Dardanelles, I believe he said the soldiers were a (or part of a) Lancashire Regiment (but if not Lanc's they were definitely a northern England regiment).  I remember him saying that he got very pally with them ('pally' - that is the word he used, meaning good friends) during the long voyage to Gallipoli. He said that after the ship arrived that one day the Lancashire Regiment with all the pals he made rowed in big rowing boats off to a beach which they they had been ordered to. My grandfather said that as they approached the beach he saw the Turks open up with machine guns and all of the British soldiers were mowed down and killed. I always remember him saying that men he had been chatting, joking and laughing with just half an hour before were now all dead. At only 16 years old that must have made a huge impression on him.

I recall many stories (too many for here!) he told me. He later became a chief telegraphist. Having survived the war (and being sunk twice in one day!) he continued in the Royal Navy serving in the wars in the far east, and became a Petty Officer. In Sept1938 he was pensioned off only to be recalled back up the early 1939 -  called back up for World War 2!  He served on HMS Warspite in the Battle of the Norway Fjords and after that mainly on destroyers in the Battle of the Atlantic. He was promoted to Chief Petty Officer. He survived four Aortic Convoys to Russia and was also at the D DAY landings. In 1945 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

Regards,
Stan Ferris
 

1.
Dec. 4, 2010

I live in Perth, Western Australia and was doing a Google search for HMS Queen Elizabeth and found your wonderful site. My interest in this ship is my Uncle William Alfred Howell served as a leading Telegraphist on the Queen Elizabeth in WW1. I have  a photo of him which was published in the Aberdeen Journal in 1917 with his father Herbert John Howell skipper of the Strathtummel and 4 brothers, 2 were skippers of minesweepers, another served on a Fleet minesweeper and the other was in the Gordon Highlanders which I only found out this year served in the same Battalion as my father (The Howell's are my Mothers family).

William would have been 24 years old when this photo was taken. The article was written about the Howell's as it is believed that they where  the only family to have a father and 5 sons serve in a War and all survive. I do not know where he signed up but the Howell family lived in Aberdeen. I do know that William was still in the Navy in 1924 as he is on records coming into the U.K. from the USA via Quebec confirming this was him was the address he lived at in Scotland.

William Alfred has a  daughter alive who lives in another part of Australia to me but I am in contact with her and I have printed the photos of the ship and will post them to her. She will be really pleased to see the ship her father served on but like many of our ancestors they talked very little about their lives so our generation are having to put a lot into research of our family tree. I am doing the Howell Family tree and I am now going to scroll the Internet to see what else I can find.

All thoughts are with everyone throughout the U.K. as they cope with the severe and extreme weather conditions.

Regards,
Jean Bridle