Lieutenant Commander Francis Underhill
Royal Navy, HMS Lucifer
Date of Birth: December Quarter of 1883
Place of Birth: Teignmouth, Devon
Date of Death: 29th of January 1942, aged 59
Buried: Teignmouth Old Cemetery, plot AA24
Awarded the 1939-45 Star and the War Medal 1939-1945
Son of George and Charlotte Underhill of Teignmouth, and husband of Ethel Mary Underhill nee Truman of Teignmouth, Devon.
Lieutenant Commander Francis Underhill was born in Teignmouth in the fourth quarter of 1883. He was the son of George and Charlotte Underhill and husband of Ethel Mary Underhill. They had four sons – Kenneth, George, Charles, Phillip and a daughter Elizabeth.
In the 1901 Census, he was listed as Ordinary Seaman Frank Underhill which changed by 1911 to Royal Navy Warrant Officer based at Devonport.
He must have served during WW1 but at this time we have no information about him during that period. However, his brother George Thomas Underhill died in 1916 in active service and is buried at the Somme – his name is listed on the memorial window of St James church.
By the time of WW2, he was a Lieutenant Commander serving at HMS Lucifer. This was the name given to the naval base in Swansea which was home to a minesweeping trawler fleet whose main function was to safeguard crucial British shipping lanes by keeping the Bristol Channel clear of mines.
Minesweepers © IWM A 27990
The overall command was under Admiral Sir Rudolf M Burmester KBE, CB, CMG Rtd whilst the base HMS Lucifer was commanded by Capt H M Sprockley Rtd.
Francis died on the 29th of January 1942, aged 59 and with a home residence at “Tralee”, Landscore Road, Teignmouth. A requiem service was held at the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Patrick, Teignmouth, Devon, and he is also commemorated on the Seafront Memorial in Teignmouth.
Lieutenant Commander Francis Underhill, Royal Navy, HMS Lucifer
Information was gathered by Barbara Dyer, Friends of Teignmouth Cemetery
Thanks to Teignmouth Tales from the Grave
