Date of birth: | 20th January 1897 |
Place of birth: | Merton, London |
Service No.: | P/JX 164900 |
Rank: | Able Seaman |
Regiment / Division: | Royal Navy |
Battalion / Ship: | HMS Hood |
Died: | 24th May 1941 aged 44 |
Death location: | Insert data |
Before the War
William was the son of Frederick and Susan Cleeter of 75 Acacia Road, Bitterne, Southampton. William (Billy) George Cleeter, lived with his wife Violet at his parents address. He was originally from Merton in London but domiciled in Southampton.
War Service
Having served his time in the Royal Navy William was remustered as a member of the Royal Fleet reserve at the outbreak of WW2. He was killed when HMS Hood was sunk. He is named on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial – Panel 47 – Column 3. William is also memorialised in Hood Chapel, Church of St John the Baptist, Boldre, Hampshire.
- Portsmouth Naval Memorial
- Boldre Church
HMS Hood, a 42,100 ton Battlecruiser, was built on Clydebank: Laid down in 1918. Completed and commissioned in 1920.
Her armament consisted of:
8 x 15” (38.1cm) guns in 4 x twin turrets
16 x 6” (15cm) guns in 8 x twin turrets
6 x 4.7” (12cm) single open mount guns 32 x 40mm
AA guns in 8 x 4 gun mounts
2 x 24.5 torpedo tubes
- HMS Hood at sea
- Crest of HMS Hood
- HMS Hood in Dock
She was sunk in an encounter with the German Battleship Bismarck on the 24th May 1941 in the Denmark Straits, with only three survivors out of her complement of over 1400.
Researcher: | Terry Randall |
Published: | 3rd December 2014 |
Updated: | Insert dates here |
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