WW1 - Surnames starting with the letter A. 

George Michael Hamilton Alston

Rank:Sub-Lieutenant
Ship/Rgn/Sqn No:H.M. Submarine Snapper
Died:12/02/1941Age:22
How Died:Killed at Sea
Country of burial:At Sea
Cemetery or Memorial:Portsmouth Naval Memorial
Town Memorial:Not Listed
Extra Information:
Born on the 28th September 1919.   After extensive searching in the UK, I
believe he was born abroad?

He is commemorated on his great grandfather's grave in St. Mary's
Churchyard, Bowdon.

His great grandfather was - Henry Theodore Gaddum who was married to Emily
Elizabeth Joynson died at Bowdon in 1906.   I have tried without success
every which way to find any records that show some relationship between the
Gaddum and Alston families.

Henry Theodore Gaddum's long term residence was - "Oakley", Green Walk,
Bowdon and his employment was - General Merchant - Silk & Cotton Products. 
 He and Emily Elizabeth had two sons and two daughters - NONE of them
married an Alston.

In an attempt to find a sibling connection, I then checked the 1841 census.
  Henry Theodore Gaddum, aged: 6, was residing at 146 Oxford Road,
Manchester.with his parents - Frederick Gaddam (Merchant) and Sophia
Gaddum.   He was shown as being born in Lancashire.  There was an elder
sister - also called Sophia, aged: 7, and a younger brother - Edward, aged:
3.   A family of five in total being looked after by six domestic servants.
   His sister - Sophia did not marry an Alston either!    No traces of any
other sisters on the 1851 or 1861 census returns.

He came to this country from Colombo, Ceylon (now Shri-Lanka) as a First
Class passenger aboard the R.M.S. Strathmore that arrived in the U.K. on
the 5th December 1939.  The ship's manifest shows that a George Alston,
aged: 21, was sailing from Colombo and his proposed address on reaching the
U.K. would be C/o The Admiralty, 19 Gloucester Road, London S.W.1.   His
profession simply said "R.N.".   His country of last residence was - "H.M.
Ship".   So, it would appear that he was already serving in the Royal Navy
before the Second World War.

George probably joined H.M. Snapper on the 19th December 1939 when she
departed Harwich for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the
North Sea to the north of Texel, the Netherlands.

HMS Snapper (Capt. Lt. G.V. Prowse, RN), departed Holy Loch for her 14th
war patrol on the 29th January 1941. She was ordered to patrol in the
northern part of the Bay of Biscay.   Her passage south through the Irish
Sea was made together with HMS Tuna. They were escorted by HMS La
Capricieuse

HMS La Capricieuse reported that HMS Snapper had failed to show up at the
rendez-vous point off the Scilly Islands on the 12th February 1941.

Snapper was declared overdue from patrol on the 14th February 1941 and must
be considered lost.


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