John Morris Heslop – Trinity School War Memorial

Key Information

Name: JOHN MORRIS Heslop

DoB: 21st April 1926

Regt:

Signalman

D/JX 578348, H.M.S. Lapwing, Royal Navy

DoD: 20/03/1945 age 19

Commemorated: PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

Academic Career: CGS 1935-41

Other:

Biographical Information

Family Background

Family Background:

Son of John George Heslop, and of May (nee Pettitt) Heslop, of Townhead, Houghton, Cumberland. Father was a gardener. Sister Una Vivian, born 1922. She married William Spence. They had three boys.
Academic Record
War Record

War Service:

Signalman

D/JX 578348, H.M.S. Lapwing, Royal Navy. This was a sloop of the modified Black Swan class.

John volunteered in May 1943.

He was killed in action Northern waters on March 20^th ’45. There were 16 convoys who sailed to Russia between August 1944 and April 1945. U boats sunk seven merchant ships and four Royal Navy escorts. HMS Lapwing was one of three RN ships that were sunk in the final nine weeks of the war. The convoy was north of Russia, near Murmansk. On the afternoon of 20th March, U968 attacked a convoy. HMS Lapwing and a Liberty ship were sunk. The Lapwing was hit amidship at 13.25 and sank 20 minutes later. There were 61 survivors and 158 died.
Other
Sources