Newport’s Petty Officer Kenneth Charles Frank Barton was among more than 1,400 men killed when HMS Hood was sunk by the German battleship Bismarck in May 1941. For the first time, his story is being highlighted…
Kenneth was born on 16th January 1911 in Newport, Isle of Wight, the eldest son of Frank Charles Barton and Elsie May Croad. He grew up at 33 Hearn Street, Newport, in a close family home built on values of integrity, respect and honour.
In 1929, aged 18, Kenneth joined the Royal Navy. His dedication to service and his reliability as a shipmate quickly became clear. His career saw him serve aboard HMS Hood – known as the “Mighty Hood” – one of the largest and most powerful battlecruisers of its time, regarded as a symbol of British naval strength.
On 24th May 1941, HMS Hood engaged the German battleship Bismarck in the North Atlantic, near Greenland. During the battle, an explosion tore through the ship’s rear magazine, causing it to sink within minutes. Of the 1,418 crew aboard, only 3 survived. Petty Officer Barton was among the 1,415 men who perished. He was 30 years old. His body was never recovered.
The news of his death brought deep sorrow to his family, friends and the wider Isle of Wight community. With no grave to visit, his loved ones instead have his name inscribed on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, which honours those lost at sea with no known resting place.
The memorial stands as a lasting reminder of his courage and the ultimate sacrifice he made in the fight for freedom. Petty Officer Kenneth Charles Frank Barton remains one of many Isle of Wight servicemen who gave their lives in the Second World War, each with their own story and a legacy worth remembering.
Article contributed by John Dekhane
What this country went through…look at it now.A bloody disgrace.
They died to save the world from darkness we must never forget
That is very true, people should never forget that and
always respect their elders.
So sad, so many lives lost unnesseccarily.
I wonder what these brave persons
would think of the country now.
So many lives were lost in 2 world wars and look
at the state of the country now.
All that loss in the wars and look at the UK now thanks to our caring government and councils.
Yet the Government are still attacking pensioners
hard earned wealth.
Time to tax the Corporations and leave the people
alone.