THE PASSING OF A HERO

Sometimes, perhaps most of the time, we tend to focus on our own once young men and women of The Greatest Generation who are leaving us so rapidly now.  We owe them so much.  But it was a World War, so many countries banding together to fight a common evil. So many countries losing some of their best.  We owe all of them so much. 

This past Saturday  Oct 4th, 2008.  We lost  Ted Briggs.  Most of you have probably never heard of him.  He was an 18 year Signalman on the HMS Hood. He was one of three survivors from the Hoods crew of 1,418 souls, when she was sunk by the KMS Bismark.   He was the last survivor of the Hood.  I have seen several interviews with him on various programs, PBS, History, Discovery, also such a low key gentle man, humble, always giving credit where credit was due. Like so many vets, he still chokes up when talking about that day, and his friends, crewmen, officers.  I think one of his quotes sums Mr Briggs up.  Many times people would come up to him, and say "You are a hero", to which he would reply, "No, I am not a hero, I am a survivor."  I think he was a hero, anyone that was pulled away from home and loved ones, sent who know where, and put in harms way, is a hero.  God bless you Ted, God bless you all.  Thank you. --   JohnOh

LAST SURVIVOR OF HOOD SINKING DIES

BBC News

The last remaining survivor of the sinking of WWII battle cruiser HMS Hood in May 1941 has died at the age of 85, his naval association has said.

Ted Briggs, from Hampshire, was one of just three survivors out of more than 1,400 crew after an exchange of fire with the German battleship Bismarck.

When asked about the sinking he said: "I was not a hero, I just survived."

Mr Briggs once said a sighting of HMS Hood as a boy had inspired him to join the Royal Navy as a signalman

The teenager was assigned to HMS Hood, the Royal Navy's flagship, in 1939.

When Bismarck was spotted in the Denmark Strait in May 1941, HMS Hood was sent in pursuit.

During the Battle of Denmark Strait it was bombarded with shells, one of which caused a huge explosion that ripped through the ship, sinking it in less than three minutes.

HMS Prince of Wales passing sinking HMS Hood

 

In 2001, the wreck of HMS Hood was found 3,000m below the surface of the sea between Greenland and Iceland.

Mr Briggs, who was 18 at the time of the sinking, said he had survived because he was caught in an underwater air pocket.

After a short period of leave following the loss of the ship, Mr Briggs was assigned to another vessel to continue his naval career.

 

4" Gun Crews Circa 1940/1941

He served for another 30 years before retiring, later becoming president of HMS Hood Association and an MBE.

Mr Briggs died at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth on Saturday, his friend and the chairman of HMS Hood Association, Peter Heys, said.

Mr Heys described him as a "perfect gentleman".

He added: "He was a humorous man but he did not like to be reminded of the sinking as he had to be pulled out of the freezing water."                                   

                                                                       HMS HOOD CREWMEN 1940 - 1941

Mr Briggs is survived by his wife Clare.

Midshipman William Dundas, who died in 1965, and able seaman Bob Tilburn, who died in 1995, were the other survivors of the sinking.

 

Here is a link to the HMS HOOD Foundation if you find yourself interested in more of the story.

http://www.hmshood.com/