Frank Heslop

Ordinary Seaman Frank Heslop – Royal Naval Patrol Service H.M.S. Lucifer

Wartime Burials in Britain

During the First World War, servicemen who died within the UK were normally buried in the place where they died. By the Second World War, practices had changed: men who died in the UK were often brought home for burial near their families, although this was not always the case.

Early Life

1939 Register 

Frank Heslop was born in 1922, the son of Christopher and Ellen Heslop, of Gateshead. The 1939 Register records Frank living with his mother at 94 Pearlth Street, Gateshead, where he was employed as a builder’s labourer.

H.M.S. Lucifer

Frank was posted to H.M.S. Lucifer, a Royal Navy shore base established in Swansea at the outbreak of the Second World War. Initially, the base supported coastal defence, minesweeping, and anti-submarine patrols to protect shipping routes in the Bristol Channel and along the South Wales coast.

As the war progressed, Lucifer grew in importance. It became the headquarters for flotillas of minesweepers and patrol craft, coordinating efforts to keep Swansea Bay and its approaches clear of mines. The base also supported escort vessels protecting convoys heading through the Western Approaches, making it a key part of Britain’s naval defences on the home front.

Following the end of the war, H.M.S. Lucifer was decommissioned, and the shore base was closed. Its role during the conflict remains an important part of Swansea’s wartime naval history.

Death

South Wales Daily Post

On 25^th July 1940, Frank Heslop was found dead in his cabin alongside fellow seaman Owen H. Ashton. He was only 18 years old.

South Wales Daily Post

The South Wales Daily Post reported the discovery, noting that both men were believed to have died from gas poisoning. An inquest was opened two days later and later adjourned.

Herald of Wales

At the full hearing, coroner David Clarke returned the verdict of “Deaths from asphyxia due to carbon monoxide poisoning”, although there was no evidence of where the gas had originated. The case remained a mystery.

Burial

Frank Heslop
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Following his death, Frank was buried at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea, far from his home in Gateshead. His shipmate Owen H. Ashton was buried at Glanadda Cemetery, Bangor.

Owen H. Ashton 

Owen H. Ashton
Glanadda Cemetery, Bangor
credit - findagrave

Ordinary Seaman Owen Hughes Ashton was the son of Owen and Ellen Ashton, of Bangor, Caernarfonshire. He was also only 18 years old at the time of his death. His burial at Glanadda Cemetery ensured he was laid to rest in his home town, while Frank Heslop remained in Swansea. Their linked deaths on H.M.S. Lucifer are remembered as one of the more mysterious tragedies of the base’s early wartime years.

Legacy

The unexplained deaths of Frank Heslop and Owen Ashton highlight the risks faced by servicemen even while stationed in Britain. Frank’s grave at Danygraig Cemetery and Owen’s resting place at Glanadda Cemetery stand as reminders not only of the dangers of war at sea but also of the tragedies that could occur far from the front lines.