Henry Arthur Sherwood was born on 26 March 1894 in Bermondsey, Surrey (now Greater London), one of the eight children of George Charles Sherwood (1858-1935) and Elizabeth Sherwood née Chapman (b. circa 1863). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1894 in the St Olave Registration District, Surrey (now Greater London). On 15 April 1894 he was baptised at St Mary Magdalene Church, Bermondsey Street, Bermondsey, where in the baptismal register his family were shown to be living at 43 Wellesley Buildings, Bermondsey and that his father was a leather dresser.
He was shown as aged 7 years in the census that was taken on 31 March 1901. He was living in two rooms at 13 Bell Court, Bermondsey, London, with his parents and five siblings: Edith Charlotte Sherwood (1885-1951); Isabella Elizabeth Sherwood (1887-1963); Thomas Joseph Sherwood (1890-1932); Walter Sherwood (1896-1964) and Alice Sherwood (b.1900).
He joined the Royal Navy, aged 16 years on 13 March 1911, giving his occupation as a puggaree maker and his service number was P/J11438. The census that was taken on 2 April 1911 shows him as such on HMS Ganges II, a 10,900 tons cruiser used as a training ship for youths, at Harwich, Essex. On 26 March 1912, his eighteenth birthday, he signed up for a minimum of twelve years service in the Royal Navy and was rated as an Ordinary Seaman. He was promoted to Able Seaman on 26 August 1913.
On 1 September 1917 he married Alice Solly at St Mary Magdalene Church, Bermondsey where in the marriage register he was shown as aged 23 years, a bachelor and a sailor who was living at 5 Paulin Street, Bermondsey, the son of George Sherwood, a leather dresser, whilst his wife was described as aged 21 years and a spinster who was residing at the same address, the daughter of William Richard Solly, a tanner.
At the end of World War I he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal. He and his wife had four children: Henry Arthur Sherwood (1919-2009); Joyce Rosalind Sherwood (b.1921); Walter Alfred Sherwood (1923-1986) and Kenneth Cyril Sherwood (1925-1984).
He continued to serve in the Royal Navy as an Able Seaman and on 28 August 1927 he was awarded the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
In November 1935 he was appointed as a Postman in the London Postal Region's Western District Office, but returned to the Royal Navy during World War II. He was aboard HMS Fiji on 22nd May 1941 when it was sunk by enemy aircraft 50 miles south west of Gavdos, a Greek island lying to the south of Crete. The Fiji had been participating in The Battle of Crete when, along with HMS Gloucester, HMS Kandahar and HMS Kingston, it had been sent to assist HMS Greyhound which was under air attack. By the time this group arrived however, the Greyhound had sunk. While rescuing survivors from the Greyhound, Gloucester was bombed and brought to a halt, her upper deck a shambles and fiercely ablaze. The captain of the Fiji reluctantly withdrew, leaving behind carley rafts. For the next three and a half hours, as the Fiji withdrew to the west, she was relentlessly attacked from the air until finally having exhausted all her live ammunition they resorted to firing flares, star shells, etc in token resistance. As soon as the attacking pilots realised this they flew in low targeting the anti-aircraft crew with cannon and machine gun fire. Surviving numerous bombing attacks, HMS Fiji was hit close to the portside amidships.
The ship took up a heavy list but was able to steam at 17 knots until half an hour later she was hit again by three bombs above the 'A' boiler room. The list increased and at 2015 hours she rolled right over. 523 survivors were subsequently picked up but 241 men were killed when the ship sank to the sea floor. The following day he was posted as missing, presumed dead, aged 47 years and he is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Hampshire.
Probate records confirm his address was 4 Porlock Street, Bermondsey, London, SE1. Administration of his estate was granted to his widow on 1 December 1941 and his effects totalled £225. His widow also received his £178-10s-1d Royal Mail gratuity on 19 December 1941.
He is shown as 'SHERWOOD H.A.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. He is also commemorated in the and on .
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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