Ordnance Artificer 4th Class P/MX 78620 John Ratcliffe

Family details:
Son of John and Margaret Ratcliffe, of Sutton Oak, St. Helens, Lancashire.

Census details:
1939 Register. Unfortunately John and one other member of the household are redacted. Father John Ratcliffe born 06/12/1897 a Blacksmith (Foreman) Colliery Maintenance and mother Margaret Ratcliffe born 26/12/1897 an Unpaid Domestic are living at 91 Edgeworth Street, Sutton, St Helens.

Notes:
[url=lmem.php?lmem=1]Remembered on All Saints War Memorial, Sutton, St Helens[/url]

[b][pic]imgs/sppics/[/b]HMS_Aurora.jpg[/pic][caption][b]HMS AURORA - Arethusa-class Light Cruiser.[/b][/caption] ARETHUSA-Class cruiser ordered from HM Dockyard Portsmouth under the 1934 Programme on 1st March 1935 and laid down on 23rd July 1935. The ship was launched on 20th August 1936 by Lady Fisher, the wife of the renowned Admiral 'Jackie' Fisher and was the 10th Royal Navy warship to carry the name, first used in 1758 for the Prize ABENOIRE. The ship was commissioned for Home Fleet service on 9th November 1937 at a cost of almost 1.25M pounds. She is easy to identify as she had a Deck House fitted in the catapult space as no aircraft were carried. Prior to WW2 she was deployed as the Flagship, Commodore (Destroyers), Home Fleet, In November 1941, following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign she was adopted by the civil community of the city of Bradford. The ship achieved national distinction during her WW2 service, especially in the Mediterranean from 1941 onwards. Battle Honours - [i]NORWAY[/i] 1940 - [i]BISMARCK[/i] Action 1941 - [i]MALTA[/i][i] CONVOYS[/i] 1941 - [i]MEDITERRANEAN[/i] 1941-43 - [i]NORTH AFRICA 1942-43[/i] - [i]SICILY[/i][i] 1943[/i] - [i]SALERNO[/i][i] 1943[/i] - [i]AEGEAN[/i][i] 1943-44[/i] - [i]SOUTH [/i][i]FRANCE[/i][i] 1944.[/i] 30th October 1943. Aurora met HM Destroyers PETARD, BELVOIR and BEAUFORT during their passage with personnel and vehicles for military units at Leros. During passage to Turkish waters for transfer of troops and despite availability of air cover came under heavy and sustained attacks by Ju87 and Ju88 aircraft, hit by 500 Kg bomb abaft the after funnel. Extensive damage to after structure including armament with fires caused by detonation of ammunition. 47 personnel killed and 30 wounded. [center][pic2]imgs/sppics/Ratcliffe-Aurora.jpg[/pic2][/center][caption]The panel on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial bearing the name of Ordnance Artificer 4th Class John Ratcliffe[/caption]