Victor Edmund Bloye was born on 13 August 1920 in St Pancras, London, the youngest of the four children of Herbert Edmund Bloye (1886-1959) and Elsie Mary Bloye née Atherton (1892-1976). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1920 in the St George Hanover Square registration district, London. His father was a Metropolitan Police Constable. His elder sisters were Eleanor Elsie Bloye, (1914-2003), Winifred Mary Bloye (1916-2010) and Joan Margaret Bloye (1918-2005).
Electoral registers from 1926 to 1928 show his parents listed at 53 Macready House, Seymour Place, London, W1 and from 1930 onwards at 61 Clitterhouse Road, London, NW2.
In March 1937 he was appointed as a Postman in the London Postal Region becoming a Telegraphist on 1 February 1938 and later a Counter Clerk & Telegraphist in May of that year.
In the 1939 England and Wales Register he is shown as a P.O. Telegraphist & Counter Clerk, residing at 61 Clitterhouse Road, London, NW2, with parents and his sister, Joan Margaret Bloye who was recorded as a ladies' hairdresser. His father was listed as police constable, MP War Reserve pensioner.
He joined the Royal Navy, service number P/JX193173, and was serving as an Able Seaman on the light cruiser H.M.S. Penelope on 7 October 1943 when, with other ships, she sank six enemy landing craft, one ammunition ship and an armed trawler off Stampalia, Greece. While the ships were retiring through the Scarpanto Straits south of Rhodes, they were attacked by eighteen Ju 87 "Stuka" dive-bombers of I.Group Stuka Wing 3 based in Megara, Greece. He was aged 23 years and was one of the eleven men killed in the attack. Although damaged by a bomb, H.M.S. Penelope was able to return to Alexandria where he was buried in Plot 5, Row E, Grave 6 in the Hadra War Memorial Cemetery, Alexandria, Egypt.
Probate records confirm his address remained as 61 Clitterhouse Road, London, NW2 and that administration of his estate was granted to his mother on 7 February 1944. His effects totalled £307-17s-4d. On 24 February 1944 the Post Office granted a gratuity of £130-10s-3d, which was subject to tax of £9-17s-3d and this was sent to his mother as his administrix. She was also sent his Post Office bonus of £26-14s-10d on 13 December 1944.
He is shown a 'V.E.BLOYE' on the Golders Green war memorial on the Clock Tower at North End Road, junction with Finchley Road, London, NW11 and as 'BLOYE V.E.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1.
He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Wreck Site website and on page 30 in the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Memorial Book 1939-1949.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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