Able Seaman D/SSX 29265 Cyril Baxter

Family details:
Foster-son of Elizabeth Platt, of St. Helens, Lancashire.

HMS Repulse - Battlecruiser (1916 - 1941). [pic]http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/battleships/repulse_1916/02_hms_repulse.jpg[/pic] [caption]HMS REPULSE[/caption] HMS [i]Repulse[/i], a 26,500-ton [i]Renown[/i] class battlecruiser, was built at Clydebank, Scotland. Completed in August 1916, she joined the Grand Fleet following post-trials modifications and operated in the North Sea for the remainder of World War I. The light protection of this class of two battlecruisers was a considerable cause for concern and, soon after the Armistice, [i]Repulse[/i] received an extensive refit. This significantly increased her armor, and her displacement, which rose some six-thousand tons. The work was completed in 1922, after which the ship began a peacetime career of fleet operations and long-distance cruises. In 1933-36, [i]Repulse[/i] was again modernized, emerging with improved deck armor, a hangar and catapult for aircraft, and a greatly increased anti-aircraft gun battery. She operated with the Home Fleet in the North Sea and Atlantic during the first two years of the Second World War, taking part in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismark in May 1941. Later in the year she was sent to the Far East, accompanying the new battleship Prince of Wales. The two ships arrived at Singapore just before Japan began the Pacific War. As soon as hostilities commenced, both steamed northwards to intercept a reported invasion force. [b]The Sinking.[/b] The crew of Japanese submarine I-58 spotted Force Z at 2:20 a.m., reported their position, and fired five torpedoes, all of which missed. Based on this report the Japanese launched 11 reconnaissance aircraft before dawn to locate Force Z. Several hours later 86 bombers from the 22nd Air Flotilla based in Saigon were launched carrying bombs or torpedoes. The crew of a Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" reconnaissance bomber spotted the British at 10:15 a.m. and radioed in several reports. The pilot was ordered to maintain contact and to broadcast a directional signal that the other Japanese bombers could follow. The first attack began at 11:13 a.m. when 250 kilograms (551 lb) bombs were dropped from eight G3Ms from an altitude of 11,500 feet (3,505 m). The battlecruiser was straddled by two bombs, then hit by a third which penetrated through the hangar to explode on the armoured deck below. This inflicted a number of casualties and damaged the ship's Supermarine Walrus seaplane, which was then pushed over the side to remove a fire hazard. Anti-aircraft fire damaged five of the Japanese bombers, two so badly that they immediately returned to Saigon. In the ensuing attacks, [i]Repulse[/i] was skillfully handled by her captain, Bill Tennant who managed to avoid 19 torpedoes as well as the remaining bombs from the G3Ms. However, [i]Repulse[/i] was then caught by a synchronised pincer attack by 17 Mitsubishi G4M torpedo bombers and hit by four or five torpedoes in rapid succession. The gunners on the [i]Repulse[/i] shot down two planes and heavily damaged eight more, but the torpedo damage proved fatal. At 12:23 p.m. [i]Repulse[/i] listed severely to port and quickly capsized with the loss of 508 officers and men. The destroyers HMS Electra and HMAS Vampire rescued the survivors. The wreck site was designated as a 'Protected Place' in 2002 under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. Repulse lies 46 nm north of Tioman, she is on her port side in about 57m of water, with the decks at about 120 degrees of angle. See also [ww2cas=64]Eric Burrell[/ww2cas] who was serving on HMS Prince of Wales. (Research By Jeff Keenan) [center][pic2]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/DSSX_29265_Cyril_Baxter_zps6f94042d.jpg[/pic2][/center][caption]The panel on the Plymouth Naval Memorial bearing the name of Able Seaman Cyril Baxter[/caption]