Guy Steel
Date of birth: 1913
Date of death: 8.6.1940
Area: Knottingley
Regiment: Royal Navy
Family information: Husband of Marie Venetia of Dringhouses, York
Rank: Lieutenant
War Service
Guy Steel served as Lieutenant Instructor RN on the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious. This ship was returning from Norway to Scapa Flow, accompanied by destroyers HMS Ardent and HMS Acasta. All three were sunk by the German battleships Gneissenau and Scharnhorst.
Ardent and Acasta tried to lay a smoke screen and engaged the German ships. A third salvo from Scharnhorst reached Glorious from 26,540 yards, possibly the longest gunfire an enemy warship achieved. It hit her hangers, thus making it impossible to launch the aircraft that were on the point of readiness. It was a fine clear day but Glorious did not have a look out posted. Not only did they not have an aircraft on patrol, but no aircraft were on deck ready to be launched.
Guy Steel died on 8th June 1940 aged 27 and he is commemorated on the Naval Memorial, Plymouth Panel 36 column 2.
Family Life
Guy Steel was born in the first quarter of 1913 and his birth was registered at Pontefract. He was the son of Samuel Steel and Mary Emma nee Aneley, who had married in the first quarter of 1909 and again, their marriage was registered at Pontefract.
Guy married Marie Venetia of Dringhouses, York but their marriage has not been found.
Plymouth Naval Memorial