He was born in 1901, tried to enlist in 1915, his mother went to fetch him back from the recruitment office.
Joined the Royal Navy just post WW1, served in submarines in the 1930s(HMS Perseus) , was in the same Flotilla as HMS Poseidon which sank after a collision with a steamer and was controversially salvaged by the Chinese.
He served 12 years, then re-enlisted in 1939, served on destroyers, had HMS Havant sunk under him at Dunkirk, winning the Distinguished Conduct Medal for going below to stop the engines, as the props were killing men in the water.
Had HMS Queen Elizabeth sunk under him in Alexandria harbour, subsequently being medically discharged with stomach ulcers.
His medals.
Number 2 Magazine flooding keys, probably the only bit of HMS Havant that's not sat on the seabed off Dunkirk.