In Deal Cemetery, Kent is the Commonwealth War Grave of P/KX 100059 Stoker Second Class Alfred Britton Little serving on H.M.S. Wivern with Royal Navy who died 01/06/1940.

William Kirby and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-

Alfred Little was born to parents George and Susanna (nee Holland) on March 2nd 1919. His parents had married in 1891. They had about 10 children some of whom didn’t survive childhood.

The 1901 census shows his family living at Penshaw. His father was a coal miner/hewer. His siblings were Benjamin, Charlotte and George. The 1911 did not show much change except for the additional of another 3 children – Henry, Annie and Elizabeth.

At the age of 20 years the 1939 Register records Alfred living with his parents at 17 Gladstone Terrace New Penshaw. He was employed as a coal miner/putter.

Alfred enlisted into the Royal Navy and was stationed aboard HMS Wyvern, a destroyer. Her motto was “Beware”.

On 13 May 1940 HMS Wyvern had been transferred from convoy and patrol duty in the North Sea to become involved in Operation Ordnance which was the evacuation of Allied personnel from the Hook of Holland as German ground forces were advancing through the Netherlands. The ship suffered damage on 14 May during the operation so retired to a UK dockyard for repair.

Alfred died June 1st 1940 and was buried at the Royal Military Cemetery, Deal, Kent. His parents added the inscription on his headstone which reads “Death divides but memory clings”

The name of the vessel on which he served is given as both “Wyvern” and “Wivern”.

Alfred Britton Little is remembered at Penshaw on P29.02, at Woodstone Village on W134.02 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.