Notes
The memorial states he attended the Adult Education Service in 1931-34. The Wolverhampton War Memorials website (see References) adds: 'H.M.S. Illustrious Royal Navy. Albert was born 19th February 1920 in Wolverhampton son of Richard and Ruth A. Woan. On 7 January 1941, H.M.S. Illustrious set sail to provide air cover for convoys to Piraeus, Greece, and Malta as part of Operation Excess. During the morning of 10th January, 24–36 Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers attacked Illustrious, the ship was hit six times in this attack, one of which penetrated the un-armoured aft lift and detonated beneath it, destroying it and the surrounding structure. One bomb struck and destroyed the starboard forward anti-aircraft gun mount, while another passed through the forward anti-aircraft gun mount and failed to detonate, although it did start a fire. One bomb penetrated the outer edge of the forward port flight deck and detonated about ten feet above the water, riddling the adjacent hull structure with holes which caused flooding in some compartments and starting a fire. The most damaging hit was a large bomb that penetrated through the deck armour forward of the aft lift and detonated ten feet above the hangar deck. Another attack by 13 Ju 87s at 13:20 hit the ship once more in the aft lift well, which knocked out her steering and reduced her speed to 17 mph. The ship steering only by using her engines, was attacked several more times before she entered the Grand Harbour, Malta at 21:04, still on fire.' Albert was killed whilst on board.