John Francis Kelly served in the Royal Marines during the Second World War. He died on 1st January 1943 aged 21 years old while serving on H.M.S. Fidelity.
Marine
CH/X 2555
Marine John Francis Kelly (CH/X 2555) served in T Company, 40 Commando, Royal Marines during the Second World War. Born on 14th June 1921, he was the son of John Kelly and Mary Kelly of Armagh, Co. Armagh.
Marine Kelly died on 1st January 1943 aged 21 years old while serving on H.M.S. Fidelity (D 57). The special service decoy vessel came under torpedo attack from U-435 off the Azores on 30th December 1942.
T Company, 40 Commando, Royal Marines were on Fidelity with a crew comprising mainly of Free French seamen. Recently refitted, the vessel carried two landing craft, two motor torpedo boats, two aircraft, and an array of guns and explosives.
U-435 reported a large number of survivors from the initial attack. Many climbed onto overcrowded rafts but all would eventually drown as the weather worsened. A total of 51 marines died as a result of the sinking, and 40 Commando never again used the letter T for a company.
Marine John Francis Kelly has no known grave and his name is on Column 73, Panel 2 of the Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, England.