Commissioned Gunner Cyril Karl Laban
HMS Neptune
Date of Birth: 26th of March 1904
Place of Birth: Walsall, Staffordshire
Date of Death: 19th of December 1941
Buried: Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 45, Column 1.
Awarded the 1939-45 Star, and the War Medal 1939-1945
Son of Charles and Alice Maud Laban, of Teignmouth, Devon, and husband of Doris Lilian Laban nee Snelling.
In the 1911 census, The Laban family were living at 127, Lichfield Street, Walsall, Staffordshire. Parents Charles Laban, born 1868, a Pay-Clerk And Collector, and Alice Maud Laban, born 1876.
Cyril had one sister, Alice May Laban, born 1897, a Shop Assistant, and one brother William Henry Laban, born 1902.
Cyril joined the Royal Navy on the 26th of March 1922 for 12 years. He progressed from Able Seaman to Leading Seaman and the onto Warrant Officer.
Cyril married Doris Lilian Snelling in the 2nd quarter of 1930 at Walsall, Staffordshire.
Portsmouth Evening News 14th of December 1936
Cyril was In the Portsmouth newspapers regularly for his rifle and revolver shooting abilities and achieved a rank of 7th in the British Hundred Competition.
HMS Neptune
On September 18th 1941, Force K was sent out to intercept a convoy bound for Tripoli, Italy. On the 20th of December, HMS Neptune, leading the line, struck two mines of a newly laid Italian minefield.
HMS Neptune © IWM FL 2924
While reversing out of the minefield, HMS Neptune struck a third mine, which took off her propellers and left her dead in the water. The two other cruisers present, HMS Aurora and HMS Penelope, also struck mines and were unable to assist. Destroyers HMS Kandahar and HMS Lively were sent into the minefield to attempt a tow.
HMS Kandahar struck a mine and began drifting. HMS Neptune then signalled for HMS Lively to keep clear. HMS Neptune hit a fourth mine and capsized, with the loss of 737 seamen. From the 30 survivors, only one was still alive when the lifeboat was picked up five days later by an Italian torpedo boat.
Commissioned Gunner Cyril Karl Laban, HMS Neptune
