-H.M.S. Hood Crew Information-
H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour
Memorials to Men Lost in the Sinking of Hood, 24th May 1941
Updated 28-Feb-2010

In Remembrance of
DAVID EMRYS EWART-JAMES

Service: Royal Navy
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Service Number: P/JX 224005
Date Joined Hood: Unknown
Biographical Information: "Emrys", as he was known, was born on 14 September 1913 in Southend-on-Sea, Sussex. He was one eight children born to Reverand David Ewart-James, M.A. and and Eliza Ewart-James, B.A.. Of the eight children, there were four brothers, of which he was the second, and four sisters. His father was minister at the Clifftown Congregational Church in Westcliff near Southend, Essex.

Emrys is believed to attended Bishop's Stortford College between 1923 and 1930.

Emrys attended Bishop's Stortford School, Essex, between 1923 and 1930. He trained as a chiropodist at the London Foot Hospital and practiced in Southend. He joined the navy at the start of the war and gave as his reason (his three brothers having joined the army): "You don't get no sh*t in the navy!"

Emrys was married to Mary (nee Reeve), a doctor's daughter of Thorpe Bay, Essex. They had one daughter, Elizabeth, who was born in May 1940, almost exactly a year before the loss of Hood. In fact, her mother was holding a first birthday party for Elizabeth when the news came through.  One of Emrys's brothers, Lt Alan Ewart-James of the 1st Royal Welch Fusiliers, died a year before (May 1940) at St Venant in northern France during the retreat to Dunkirk. Emrys was 27 years old at the time of his loss.