HMS Forward

[mac2001@tiscali.co.uk]

Hello there am looking for and hoping to find anyone who served with HMS Forward- Newhaven, E. Sussex during last war who may have known my grandfather- Percival Charles Colwell. 1885-1947.
He was a Petty Officer and had a long service with the Royal Navy going back to 1901 as very young lad, I have his records from Kew going to 1922 or so, he was the asked to help with Forward during the last war and died in 1947 , he has a Commonwealth grave in Newhaven. Is there anyone out there who may have known him or what he did back then. I have photos of him and am currently researching all the ships he served on and there were plenty!
The Colwell family lived in Hillcrest road during the war in Newhaven - overlooking the harbour.
Many thanks
Marilyn C- his grandaughter.

[astraltrader]

Marilyn - I have a large collection of warship postcards and photographs if you are looking for pictures of any particular ships your Grandfather served on - if you let me know which ones, if I have them then I will happily scan copies.
Terry
Exeter/Devon

[morri22]

:confused:My fathers Certificate of Service show that in Sept. 1939 he was posted to HMS Forward at that time he was a P.O.(L.R.I.) against the name Forward is written 5RFR my questions are what and where was HMS Forward what does LRI and 5RFR mean thanks

[SCRG1970]

morris

HMS FORWARD Name selected for base at the commercial port of Newhaven. Commissioned in September 1939. Took over RNVR Sussex Division and Drill Hall in October to use as part of the base. Later FORWARD II was used for Coastal Forces.

Regards

Gerry

[Ted Else]

Also, HMS Forward had a large underground net work that became a highly secret Naval intelligence base during WW2 - see HERE (http://www.secret-tunnels.co.uk/)

[Andy H]

Hi

Could the PO (LRI) stand for Petty Officer (Leading Rating Intelligence)?

Regards

[patroclus]

If it could be LR1 rather than LRI then there is the recognized meaning = Layer Rating 1st Class. Did he have a gunnery background?