MALPASS, Hezekiah

Hezekiah Malpass was the son of Hezekiah and Ann Malpass of 156 Moor Street, Brierley Hill. He volunteered for the Royal Navy and served as a Stoker on HMS Ardent. She was a destroyer launched in 1913 and deployed in the 4th Destroyer Flotilla, stationed in the Grand Fleet. After the main action at the battle of Jutland on the 31st May 1916 the destroyers were involved in a night chase as the German navy returned to its base. Ardent ended up alone but continued to steam south. Unfortunately in the darkness she approached SMS Westfalen, a German battleship, whose fire led to her sinking with all hands except two at 12.19 on the 1st June. Stoker Class 1 Hezekiah Malpass was 20 years of age and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial and on the Brierley Hill and Brierley Hill church Memorials. On hearing of his death, his younger brother, John, immediately signed on as Seaman.