Frederick James Hanley

Stoker 1st Class Frederick James Hanley – Royal Navy, H.M.S. Cattistock

Early Life

Frederick was born in 1916, the son of James and Mary Hanley of Swansea. In 1943, he married Ruby Lydia Elizabeth Taylor of Norwich, Norfolk.

Military Service

H.M.S. Cattistock

During the Second World War, Frederick enlisted in the Royal Navy. He served as a Stoker 1st Class, a demanding role responsible for the ship’s engines and machinery. He was posted aboard H.M.S. Cattistock, a Hunt-class Type I escort destroyer launched in 1940 and active throughout the conflict.

H.M.S. Cattistock was designed primarily for convoy protection and coastal defence, but she also took part in several major operations. These included the Dieppe Raid in 1942, Operation Torch in North Africa, and the D-Day landings at Gold Beach in June 1944, where she escorted invasion convoys and supported actions against German naval threats. The ship endured fierce combat in the Channel, suffering heavy damage and casualties on 29 August 1944 during an engagement off Le Havre. After the war, Cattistock was placed in reserve before being scrapped in 1957.

Death

Frederick died on 2^nd January 1947, aged 30.

Burial

Frederick James Hanley
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

He was buried at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea, where his interment was noted as the first military burial of 1947. His funeral also marked the last naval burial to take place at Danygraig Cemetery, giving his resting place a special significance in the site’s long history of service burials.

Legacy

Frederick’s name is preserved in the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), ensuring his service and sacrifice are remembered. His story reflects not only his own devotion and courage but also the vital role played by men who served in the lower decks of the Royal Navy, such as stokers, whose hard work kept the fleet at sea.

The crews of Hunt-class destroyers like Cattistock endured long and hazardous patrols in unforgiving seas, often under constant threat from enemy aircraft, submarines, and fast attack craft. Though less celebrated than the larger capital ships, these escorts were indispensable, protecting merchant shipping and supporting amphibious operations that proved critical to Allied success. Stoker Hanley’s life and service stand as part of this larger legacy — a reminder of the endurance, resilience, and sacrifice of those who kept the Royal Navy’s engines turning and ensured Britain’s survival during its darkest years. His grave continues to stand as a symbol of respect, remembrance, and gratitude.