Recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as “Ordinary Seaman”. Believed to have been born in Essex the son of Effie Jennings.
Ernest died while serving on HMS Achates on 31 December 1942 aged 19. He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
The Battle of the Barents Sea
On 31 December 1942 HMS Achates (Lt.Cdr. Arthur Henry Tyndall Johns, DSO, RN) was escorting convoy JW-51B from Loch Ewe to Murmansk with 2 light cruisers and 4 O-Class destroyers, when the convoy came under attack of a German force comprising heavy cruisers Lützow, Admiral Hipper and 6 Z-class destroyers in position 74N, 28E.
In the prevailing twilight of those latitudes the fighting was rather confused, Achates was hit by unidentified opponents between 0930-1130 hrs, then, from 1130, Admiral Hipper landed several salvoes on her. The superstructure and bridge were wrecked, she lost steam and received several more hits, sinking in three minutes taking 113 men to the bottom, about 135 nautical miles east-south-east of Bear Island in position 73º18’N, 30º06’E. 80 survivors were picked up from the freezing water.
I think my father Walter Stott was rescued
Thanks for your comment. Did he ever speak of his experience?
My father was on HMS Achates
I recall him telling me he was pulled from the freezing water.
A rope being thrown to him but as it was slipping from around his waist he grabbed it in his mouth..hence a false tooth .
His name was Leonard (curly) Roberts ..I believe they called him Robby in the navy
He was 19 years of age
And every new year he broke down in tears remembering the horrendous tragedy they endured and the friends he lost.
This continued until he unfortunately died at the age of 47
I do have the newspaper copy of this evidence