On the Portsmouth Memorial is the name of P/M 5709 Chief Engine Room Artificer John Anderson, serving on H.M.S. Hood with the Royal Navy who died 24/05/1941.

The son of James and Isabela Anderson, of Hartlepool, Co. Durham.

John was born on the 23rd May 1890 to James and Isabela Anderson, of Hartlepool, County Durham. John is known to have had two sisters, Jessie and Martha, and a brother named Simpson. The family resided at 18 Cleveland Road but later relocated to 16 Bell Street following the death of the father, James.

In 1901, John was working as a Millwright. He joined the Navy on the 10th February 1913.

He went on to serve in several ships, the final of which was H.M.S. Hood. He was 51 years old when he died.

The Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 29/05/1941 reports:-
REPORTED MISSING
News has been received by his sister, Miss Jessie Anderson, of 18 Bell Street, Central Estate, Hartlepool, that Chief Engine-room Artificer John Anderson (51). son of the late Mrs. Isabella Prentice, is reported missing, presumed lost at sea. Mr. Anderson, who lost a brother during the last war, rejoined the Navy just before the outbreak of war, having previously served for 22 years.

John Anderson is remembered at Hartlepool on H115.16, at West Hartlepool on  W111.022  (served WW1) and in our List of Ships’ Crews.