British Empire Medal - CYRIL HOOD

[OnTheRoad]

In the London Gazette dated 14 June 1945, my father Acting Leading Seaman Cyril Hood, C/J. 109295 (Peacehaven) was awarded the BEM on 22 June 1945 for exemplary conduct and devotion to duty whilst on special service - SE Zone 1944 / Mine & Bomb Division. He attended a memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral in 1984 which I think is where he may have actually received the medal. How can I find out what he did to receive this honour?

During 1944 he was based on the following ships:

HMS Forward II to April 1944 as Able Bodied Seaman
HMS Aggressive to August 1944 as Temporary Acting Leading Seaman (NQ)
HMS Wasp to September 1944 as Temporary Acting Leading Seaman (NQ)
HMS Aggressive to April 1945 as Temporary Acting Leading Seaman

I sent this request in an email to the web site http://en.ww2awards.com in November 2016 but have received no reply.

All suggestions of where to find out more information would be very welcome.

Thank you in anticipation

[mazi]

While we are waiting for the real experts it might be worth a look here, he may have been involved in this.

http://www.mcdoa.org.uk/Operation_Neptune_Minesweeping.htm.

These postings  seem to be shore bases on the south coast.

Mike

[OnTheRoad]

Thanks Mike that is really interesting reading. Sorry for the slow response but we are travelling around the Baltic at the moment and don't always have good internet connections.

A distant cousin who was close to my father told me many years ago that Dad was leaving France as the troops were going in, and that he was on the beach at Dunkirk (I think) and was given a ride back to his ship or submarine by one of the boats bringing troops in. It always sounded a bit far fetched to me but I am now thinking there may be some truth in it. How I wish I had asked more questions when he was still around to answer them

Thanks again for your interest
Cherryl