HMS Ajax Home

[@TheGaryET]

My Grandad was Thomas Bartley and he served on this ship during WW2. Many thanks for uploading this!

[@jamesmason8012]

My next door neighbour served on this ship his name was Harry Anderson he lived in Leeds when I knew him he was a kind generous man he deserves a mention and a thank you.

[@Thereishope664]

My father served on this ship during the battle. He was a stoker....Thomas Frank Greenhalf. Died in 1968, killed in a road accident..London 1968. He now has a street named after him in Ajax Canada called Greenhalf Drive. I'm very proud go him.

[@christiphermeadows5348]

My granda Joseph Simpson was as stoker on this ship in battle of River plate.......mam was only 2 when he passed away when ship was bombed during battle of River plate....

[@TheFunnel2012]

My uncle, Fred Cadby was on the Ajax as a Ships Boy (16 at the time). When the battle began, the Captain sent him below, as it was thought to be safer than staying topside. He survived the action, and told me that upon his return to England, that his money was "no good" in any pub, for as soon as patrons read the ship's name on his hat "HMS Ajax", he was hailed as a hero, offered endless pints of beer, and asked to recount the experience of the battle. Too embarrassed to say he was below decks the whole time, he would regale them with stories he had heard from his shipmates. What most non-Canadians don't know is that there is a town, just east of Toronto named Ajax, named after that same ship. Each of the streets in the original town plan was named after one of the sailors on the HMS Ajax in tribute to their courage. There is indeed a Cadby Road in Ajax, and I would suggest that anyone with a connection to a sailor on that ship look at a map of Ajax, Ontario, Canada to see how they have been immortalized.

[@stewy1109]

My grandad Thomas M Redford served on the Ajax during the war. He was there at the river plate so , thank-you for uploading this video. It means alot.

[@kellybray3685]

My grandad was Albert J Hester. Royal Marine on the HMS Ajax, HMS Hood, HMS Valiant and many more. I got shivers watching this reel! My Poppa and his family sailed on a ship for the last time to Canada in 1957, where he raised his family, and enjoyed his many grandchildren! I miss him so much!

[@simon26westlands]

My Grandad was Arthur S Powles, he was on this ship during the battle of the river plate as a marconi operator, aswell as on board HMS Ark Royal, Argus and Penelope later in the war. I remember his stories from my dad, about at some point during a battle his ship was involved in, his headset was knocked off his head by the blast of shells landing around them, and as he leaned down to pick them up again a piece of shrapnel entered through the wall at head hight and decapitated the man next to him. A Brave man.

[@jugbywellington1134]

If you read Henry Maule's "The Mighty Hood", you will read what amazing men they were in the Royal Navy at that time.

[@allenhawkins2245]

Somewhere amongst these young men is my Grandad. Petty Officer George Hawkins.

[@lengthmuldoon]

Couldn't pick out uncle Joe. He wasn't my real uncle he just moved in with nan and grandad (one of the last off Dunkirk) after the war. He lived the rest of his life there partially deaf from the guns and unusually withdrawn put down to being sank twice during the war and almost certainly afflicted by PTSD.

[@kimmy9013]

My grandad walking down off the boat

[@BritishMovietone]

+Kimmy o - wonderful! So glad you found this - Jenny @ Movietone

[@iam.miikey]

I live in Ajax, Ontario, Canada named after the warship. The streets are named after the men who served on her. I wonder if your grandfathers name is on one of our streets?

[@kimmy9013]

@@iam.miikey wow sorry to be replying to you 5 years later, I've only just seen this. His name was Eugene Warwood

[@Grenadier657]

Poor burned ship admiral graf spee :(

[@rickycampbell7417]

My grandad William Campbell served on this ship too ....I keep looking out for the ugliest old bastard on the ship 😂 ....it's ok he knew he had a face only a mother could love 😂