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Bland, David

    Date of death:
    1984
    Service number:
    C/KX.84293
    Nationality:
    British (1801-present, Kingdom)

    Biography

    Joined the Royal Navy in 1932 at the age of 16. Served in WWII as chief stoker-petty officer on destroyers and frigates on Atlantic Convoy duty and other duties. He was torpedoed twice and survived the collision of his ship with a Swedish ship when his quarters were totally demolished, but he happened to be on duty at the time. He left the navy in 1954 after a couple of years shore duty teaching in Chatham Dockyard training school. He died in 1984 as a result of mesothelioma of the pleura, caused by asbestos exposure in the engine rooms of the ships on which he served.

    He served on the folowing ships:

    Pembroke (Chatham barracks)
    Versatile (V Class Destroyer)
    Escort (E Class destroyer: first crew)
    Arethusa (Arethusa Class Cruiser)
    Vindictive (Effingham Class Cruiser: completed as a aircraft carrier, but converted to a cruiser in 1923-25)
    Whitely (W Class destroyer)
    Jervis (J Class Destroyer)
    Euryalus (Dido Class cruiser)
    Croome (Hunt Class escort destroyer)
    Bonaventure (Depot and Repair Ship, servicing midget submarines)
    Perseus (Colossus Class light-fleet aircraft carrier: completed as maintenance and transport ship)
    Artifex (Depot and Repair Ship)
    Crossbow (Weapon Class Destroyer)
    Birmingham (Southampton Class Cruiser)
    Victory IV (Portsmouth barracks)

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    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Leading Stoker
    Unit:
    Royal Navy
    Awarded on:
    January 1st, 1942
    Mentioned in Dispatches

    Palestine 1936-1939
    General Service Medal 1918-1962

    Sources

    Photo