Ted Briggs
Encyclopedia
Albert Edward Pryke "Ted" Briggs, MBE
(1 March 1923 – 4 October 2008) was a British
seaman and the last survivor of the destruction of the battlecruiser
HMS Hood
. He remained in the Royal Navy
after the Second World War and was later commissioned.
, Briggs first saw Hood at anchor off the River Tees
when he was 12, and volunteered to join the Royal Navy the following day. He was told he would have to wait until he was 15, so it was on 7 March 1938, one week after his 15th birthday, that he finally joined the navy. Briggs was trained at HMS Ganges
for 16 months. After his training he was delighted to be assigned to HMS Hood which he joined on 29 July 1939. He initially served as an officers' messenger.
Soon after the Second World War began and Hood was assigned to patrol and escort duty in the North Atlantic and also served as part of Force H
in the Mediterranean Sea
.
In May 1941 Hood was dispatched with HMS Prince of Wales to intercept the German battleship Bismarck in the Denmark Straits. Hood, with Ted Briggs aboard, encountered Bismarck and engaged her at long range. Bismarck returned fire and within minutes sent a volley of 38 cm (15-inch) shells crashing into Hood' s bowels, setting off a massive explosion in her magazine
, and breaking her in half. The Battle of the Denmark Strait
and the loss of the Hood were perceived by the British public as one of the greatest disasters to befall the Royal Navy during the war. Prince of Wales survived, only to be sunk by Japanese bombers in December 1941.
Ted Briggs, on the compass platform near the bridge, recalls a huge sheet of flame followed by Hood listing rapidly. When the list reached 30 degrees Briggs realised that "she was not coming back". Briggs states that no order was given to abandon ship and that he found himself in the water about 50 yards (45.7 m) from Hood as her B-Turret went under after he made it only half way down the ladder leading to the bridge. He also could remember how the compass master had stood on the platform "tall and fearless" as the water pulled him down. Briggs himself attempted to swim away from the vessel but was pulled under by her as she started toward the ocean bottom. Briggs remembers struggling, giving up hope, and then miraculously being propelled to the surface. This was probably the result of air escaping from the ship, possibly the bridge windows collapsing and releasing trapped air. After spending three hours in the water and near dead from hypothermia, he was rescued by HMS Electra
.
Briggs was one of only three men aboard to survive the tragedy (1,415 were confirmed lost). In both publications and recorded interviews, he refers to the sacrifice made by the squadron's navigating officer Commander John Warrand, who stood aside and allowed him to exit the compass platform first. Briggs also confirms that the squadron commanding officer, Vice-Admiral Lancelot Holland
, was last seen still sitting in his admiral's chair and making no attempt to escape the sinking wreck.
After the loss of Hood he was assigned to HMS Mercury
and also participated in the inquiry into the loss of Hood. He was then transferred to HMS Royal Arthur
and then to the requisitioned merchantman
HMS Hilary
. Hilary served as a Combined Operations Headquarters ship, at Salerno
and had the same role during the D-Day landings. Later he served aboard HMS Mercury as a Fleetwork Instructor. Briggs was promoted first to Leading Signalman in March 1942 and then Yeoman of Signals in March 1943.
Briggs remained in the Royal Navy after the end of the war, became an officer
, and served until 1973 in a variety of capacities (see #Military service).
Briggs retired on 2 February 1973 with the rank of lieutenant
, settled in the south of England and worked in Fareham
as a furnished lettings manager. In the year he retired, at the Queen's Birthday Honours
he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). In 1975 Briggs joined the HMS Hood Association as one of its youngest members and was elected as its first President. In 1995, Briggs again served as president of the organization.
Briggs regularly told his story as a guest-speaker, lecturer, and subject of historical television and radio documentaries. In July 2001 Briggs visited the wreck site and released a plaque which commemorates the lost crew of the Hood. He was co-author of a book on the subject Flagship "Hood": The Fate of Britain's Mightiest Warship.
, Portsmouth
, on 4 October 2008 at the age of 85.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1 March 1923 – 4 October 2008) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
seaman and the last survivor of the destruction of the battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
HMS Hood
HMS Hood (51)
HMS Hood was the last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. One of four s ordered in mid-1916, her design—although drastically revised after the Battle of Jutland and improved while she was under construction—still had serious limitations. For this reason she was the only ship of her class to be...
. He remained in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
after the Second World War and was later commissioned.
Biography
Born on 1 March 1923 in RedcarRedcar
Redcar is a seaside resort in the north east of England, and a major town in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire. It lies east-northeast of Middlesbrough by the North Sea coast...
, Briggs first saw Hood at anchor off the River Tees
River Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
when he was 12, and volunteered to join the Royal Navy the following day. He was told he would have to wait until he was 15, so it was on 7 March 1938, one week after his 15th birthday, that he finally joined the navy. Briggs was trained at HMS Ganges
HMS Ganges (shore establishment)
HMS Ganges was a training ship and later stone frigate of the Royal Navy. She was established as a boys' training establishment in 1865, and was based aboard a number of hulks before moving ashore. She was based alternately in Falmouth, Harwich and Shotley...
for 16 months. After his training he was delighted to be assigned to HMS Hood which he joined on 29 July 1939. He initially served as an officers' messenger.
Soon after the Second World War began and Hood was assigned to patrol and escort duty in the North Atlantic and also served as part of Force H
Force H
Force H was a British naval formation during the Second World War. It was formed in 1940 to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean that had been removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany....
in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
In May 1941 Hood was dispatched with HMS Prince of Wales to intercept the German battleship Bismarck in the Denmark Straits. Hood, with Ted Briggs aboard, encountered Bismarck and engaged her at long range. Bismarck returned fire and within minutes sent a volley of 38 cm (15-inch) shells crashing into Hood
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
, and breaking her in half. The Battle of the Denmark Strait
Battle of the Denmark Strait
The Battle of the Denmark Strait was a Second World War naval battle between ships of the Royal Navy and the German Kriegsmarine, fought on 24 May 1941...
and the loss of the Hood were perceived by the British public as one of the greatest disasters to befall the Royal Navy during the war. Prince of Wales survived, only to be sunk by Japanese bombers in December 1941.
Ted Briggs, on the compass platform near the bridge, recalls a huge sheet of flame followed by Hood listing rapidly. When the list reached 30 degrees Briggs realised that "she was not coming back". Briggs states that no order was given to abandon ship and that he found himself in the water about 50 yards (45.7 m) from Hood as her B-Turret went under after he made it only half way down the ladder leading to the bridge. He also could remember how the compass master had stood on the platform "tall and fearless" as the water pulled him down. Briggs himself attempted to swim away from the vessel but was pulled under by her as she started toward the ocean bottom. Briggs remembers struggling, giving up hope, and then miraculously being propelled to the surface. This was probably the result of air escaping from the ship, possibly the bridge windows collapsing and releasing trapped air. After spending three hours in the water and near dead from hypothermia, he was rescued by HMS Electra
HMS Electra (H27)
HMS Electra was a Royal Navy 'E' class destroyer . She was ordered on 1 November 1932 as part of the 1931 Naval Build Programme; launched on 15 February 1934 at the Hawthorn Leslie Shipyard at Hebburn, Tyneside...
.
Briggs was one of only three men aboard to survive the tragedy (1,415 were confirmed lost). In both publications and recorded interviews, he refers to the sacrifice made by the squadron's navigating officer Commander John Warrand, who stood aside and allowed him to exit the compass platform first. Briggs also confirms that the squadron commanding officer, Vice-Admiral Lancelot Holland
Lancelot Holland
Vice Admiral Lancelot Ernest Holland, CB commanded the British force in the Battle of Denmark Strait in May, 1941 against the German battleship Bismarck. Holland was killed during the battle.-Early life:...
, was last seen still sitting in his admiral's chair and making no attempt to escape the sinking wreck.
After the loss of Hood he was assigned to HMS Mercury
HMS Mercury (shore establishment)
HMS Mercury was a shore establishment of the Royal Navy, and the site of the Royal Navy Signals School and Combined Signals School. There was also a subsidiary branch, HMS Mercury II.-Establishment and history:...
and also participated in the inquiry into the loss of Hood. He was then transferred to HMS Royal Arthur
HMS Royal Arthur (shore establishment)
HMS Royal Arthur was a shore establishment of the Royal Navy, initially at Ingoldmells near Skegness, and later at Corsham, Wiltshire.-Skegness:...
and then to the requisitioned merchantman
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
HMS Hilary
HMS Hilary (1931)
HMS Hilary, was a former passenger liner launched in 1931, as SS Hilary, which was requisitioned by the Royal Navy during the Second World War and used as an ocean boarding vessel in the North Atlantic. It was later converted back to a merchantman but subsequently recommissioned back into the Royal...
. Hilary served as a Combined Operations Headquarters ship, at Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
and had the same role during the D-Day landings. Later he served aboard HMS Mercury as a Fleetwork Instructor. Briggs was promoted first to Leading Signalman in March 1942 and then Yeoman of Signals in March 1943.
Briggs remained in the Royal Navy after the end of the war, became an officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, and served until 1973 in a variety of capacities (see #Military service).
Briggs retired on 2 February 1973 with the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, settled in the south of England and worked in Fareham
Fareham
The market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...
as a furnished lettings manager. In the year he retired, at the Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). In 1975 Briggs joined the HMS Hood Association as one of its youngest members and was elected as its first President. In 1995, Briggs again served as president of the organization.
Briggs regularly told his story as a guest-speaker, lecturer, and subject of historical television and radio documentaries. In July 2001 Briggs visited the wreck site and released a plaque which commemorates the lost crew of the Hood. He was co-author of a book on the subject Flagship "Hood": The Fate of Britain's Mightiest Warship.
Death
Ted Briggs died in the Queen Alexandra HospitalQueen Alexandra Hospital
The Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, Portsmouth, is one of several hospitals serving the city of Portsmouth...
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, on 4 October 2008 at the age of 85.
Military service
- July 1939 - May 1941 - HMS Hood
- October 1945 - HMS Brissenden - Palestine patrols
- April 1948 - HMS MercuryHMS Mercury (shore establishment)HMS Mercury was a shore establishment of the Royal Navy, and the site of the Royal Navy Signals School and Combined Signals School. There was also a subsidiary branch, HMS Mercury II.-Establishment and history:...
as Fleetwork Instructor - February 1949 - HMS MaidstoneHMS Maidstone (1937)HMS Maidstone was a submarine depot ship of the Royal Navy.-Facilities:She was built to support the increasing numbers of submarines, especially on distant stations, such as the Mediterranean and the Pacific Far East...
- Second Submarine Squadron - October 1949 - HMS Mercury - Cryptographic Instructor
- February 1950 - HMS Ceylon - Korean WarKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
- July 1952 - HMS Mercury - Signal Instructors Course
- January 1953 - rated as Chief Yeoman of Signals served at CinC EASTLAND Communications Centre
- November 1953 - HMS IndefatigableHMS Indefatigable (R10)HMS Indefatigable was an Implacable-class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy. Indefatigable was present at the formal surrender of the Japanese on 2 September in Tokyo Bay. She later helped to repatriate Allied POWs held in Japan and was used as a spotting ship for later US nuclear tests in...
and HMS TheseusHMS Theseus (R64)HMS Theseus was a Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. She was laid down in 1943 by Fairfield at Govan, and launched on 6 July 1944.-Workup and initial service:...
Training Squadron as Training Chief Yeoman - December 1955 - Commissioned officer. HMS Mercury - Commissioned Communication Officer Course
- July 1956 - promoted to Commissioned Communication Officer
- September 1956 - HMS Ceylon as a Signals Officer - Suez Canal operation
- May 1958 - HMS Mercury
- January 1959 - HMS Sea Eagle (Londonderry) as Assistant Base Communications Officer
- December 1960 - HMS Mercury - New Entry Training Officer
- April 1961 - promoted to Lieutenant
- February 1963 - Assigned to HMS Loch Killisport as Communications Officer - 3rd Frigate Squadron
- June 1964 - Whitehall Wireless Station as Rating Control Officer
- October 1966 - HMS GangesHMS Ganges (shore establishment)HMS Ganges was a training ship and later stone frigate of the Royal Navy. She was established as a boys' training establishment in 1865, and was based aboard a number of hulks before moving ashore. She was based alternately in Falmouth, Harwich and Shotley...
as Communications Officer - June 1969 - HMS DrakeHMNB DevonportHer Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
(Devonport) as Officer in Charge of the Signal Training Centre - January 1971 - HMS Excellent (Whale Island) as Officer in Charge of the Leading Rates Leadership School