GIBSON Stanley Cooper

Stanley Gibson was born on 10th January 1918. He entered Form IIa at Kings Norton Boys School on 10th September 1929 and left the school from Form Ve on 28th July 1933. His home address on the school records was given as 210 Franklin Road, King’s Norton. Additional information on the record: Joined the Merchant Service. Killed in action Battle of R. Plate Dec/39 HMS Exeter.

HMS Exeter was a York-class heavy cruiser. On 27th February she was in action against Japanese cruisers when she was hit by a shell which exploded in her boilers. She returned to Soerabaya for repair but was ordered to take passage to Australia on 28th February. The destination was changed to Colombo and the ship was sighted by Japanese aircraft soon after leaving the harbour. On 1st March 1942, her speed restricted by the damage to her boilers, HMS Exeter was ambushed by the Japanese cruisers Haguro and Nachi and their four escort destroyers. She sustained several hits causing fires to break out and electrical power supplies to fail. After 3 hours in action the ship was abandoned. She was finally sunk by torpedo. Fifty four crew members died in the attack, the remaining 651 were rescued by Japanese ships and became prisoners of war, many of whom died over the next 3 years.

Stanley Gibson has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Plymouth Naval Memorial.