Stoker 1st Class
Thomas
ACTON
Royal Navy
24
Thomas Action was born in Bolton, Lancashire on 9 June 1920, the son of Thomas & Fanny Acton. By 1944, he had joined the Royal Navy, qualified as a Stoker First Class, and was serving in submarines. In November 1944, he was serving in HMS THULE.
Thomas Acton was taken ill and died from severe heat stroke/heat exhaustion on board THULE at sea on patrol in the Far East on 16 November 1944.
Several other crew members were taken ill with similar symptoms at the same time, and it was initially thought that it was an outbreak of cholera. After leaving station and rendezvousing with a ship carrying medical staff the correct diagnosis and the patrol was continued.
Thomas Acton was buried at sea. He was the husband of Anna Acton of Belfast, and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Panel No. 86 Column No. 3.