Guy ‘Sam’ Bolus was born in Bromley, Kent, in 1902 the son of South-African-born Doctor Harry Boulcott Bolus and his wife, Emily Ann Bolus (nee Cooper).  He joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet and, after promotion to Midshipman on 15 May 1920, served in two battleships of the Reserve Fleet at Portland until further promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 15 June 1923.  He subsequently joined HMS DOLPHIN for Submarine Training in March 1924. On 23 August that year, he was appointed to HMS L53 as Navigator, standing by whilst the submarine completed at Chatham Dockyard, and continuing in the boat on Commissioning.

Promoted to Lieutenant on 15 July 1925, Guy was reappointed as Navigator of HMS L53 attached to the 2nd Submarine Flotilla at Malta.  On 24 May he joined the Submarine Depot Ship, HMS LUCIA (2nd Submarine Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet) and, on 25 October, was appointed to HMS L54 as First Lieutenant. Between April 1927 and November 1928, Guy served in a variety of Junior Officer appointments in various ships in the Mediterranean and Home Fleets as he accumulated both submarine and surface ship experience.

Guy Bolus was married to Sibyl Poole in Ulverston in the first quarter of 1930.  Sibyl was the daughter of Mr & Mrs Frederick W Poole of Bankfield House, Urswick near Ulverston.  He was then appointed to HMS VULCAN (6th Submarine Flotilla) at Portland ‘for Submarines’ and to HMS DOLPHIN for his Commanding Officer’s Qualifying Course (COQC) in September 1930.  His first Command Appointment was to HMS H24 on 27 December 1930.

Lieutenant Bolus again returned to the surface fleet in January 1932 when he joined the Aircraft Carrier HMS GLORIOUS (Captain C E Kennedy-Purvis, Royal Navy) in the Mediterranean.  Having been promoted to Lieutenant Commander on 15 July 1933 and returning to Submarines on 2 July 1934, via an appointment to the Submarine Depot Ship HMS ALECTO (5th Submarine Flotilla) at Portsmouth for refresher Command training (CORQC), Bolus commanded HMS L18 followed by L69 from 3 May 1935.  Then, on 25 November 1935, he joined HMS SHARK, stationed in the Mediterranean. 

Guy Bolus’s final submarine appointment was to HMS DOLPHIN on 27 April 1938 for HMS THETIS in Command – completing at Cammell Lairds at Birkenhead and on commissioning.  Sadly, during sea trials in Liverpool Bay on 1 June 1939, HMS THETIS was accidentally sunk after the forward compartments flooded with seawater.  Only four of the 103 passengers and crew on board were able to escape and Guy Bolus’s date of death is recorded as 3 June 1939. 

He was survived by his wife, Sybil of Bury Hall Farmhouse, Alverstoke, Hampshire, and their son, Martyn Howard Bolus, who was nine years old at the time of the accident.  Guy Bolus was buried at sea on 27 September 1939 – his wife did not attend but his sister was present.