“HMS Glory (R62) was a Colossus-class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy laid down on 27 August 1942 by Harland and Wolff at Belfast. She was launched on 27 November 1943 by Lady Cynthia Brooke, wife of the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.” (Wikipedia)
My Uncle Richard, my mother’s brother, Richard Hill, was born in 1924. He joined the Royal Navy and served on HMS Glory. In 1950 he was in Naples being driven back to the ship by a friend when the car skidded on the quay and went into the sea. His friend survived but Uncle Richard could not get out of the car and drowned. He was twenty-five years old and is buried in the Capuccini (Kalkara) Naval Cemetery on Malta.
There are almost 6,000 servicemen and women buried in fifteen Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries on Malta so looking for his grave would have been looking for a needle in a field of haystacks until the advent of the internet.
“As the name suggests, Capuccini Naval Cemetery contains mostly naval burials of the two world wars. Initially owned by the Admiralty, Capuccini was formed in 1901 and now contains more than 2,600 burials.
Close to 500 World War One burials are found here, predominantly small numbers of sailors from a range of ships operating in the Mediterranean. 21 casualties came from the HMS Russell which struck a mine on 6 November 1915 and sank off the coast of Malta with the loss of 27 officers and 98 ratings.
There are 43 men of HMS Egmont who died during World War One. Unlike HMS Russell, these men did not die at sea, but on Malta itself at Fort St. Angelo which stands in Valletta’s Grand Harbour. Under the control of the Royal Navy during the war, the fort was commissioned as a ‘stone frigate’ under the name HMS Egmont.” (CWGC)
Yesterday under ominous black clouds we took the ferry across the narrow channel to Birgu and made our way up to the cemetery. It is beautifully kept. Angela and I gazed sadly at Uncle Richard’s grave. He is a year younger than my mother and three years older than my Aunt Cicely. They were a close-knit threesome as children.
Christopher. On the subject of cemeterys and whilst you are in Malta and Valletta: You should visit Ta Braxia cemetery. This is a short bus ride from the Grand Gate. It is the British ex-patriot cemetery, but many with a strong army connection. My own 3g uncle is there. A Dublin boy he died of a polo accident in the 1880’s. Also note the large Dillon obelisk at the top near the entrance.
What a tragic story with such a happy ending in that you were able to find his resting place.
Msida Bastion cemetery has various interesting graves,,Mostly British and restored by volunteers from use as a dumping ground.Tomb of an ancestor,Hookham Frere who retired to Malta as his wife needed a warm climate.She was the widowed Lady Erroll. Before that she was a Miss Blake from Ardfry in co Galway.She had an eccentric brother,Lord Wallscourt.They lived in Pieta,nearby at Villa Frere.Once again mvolunteers are trying to restore the once famous gardens.Against many obstacles in their way.Main threat is development for building of blocks of flats