condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white

Cenotaph record

Albert Victor Sturgeon

Lay a poppy
Panel 4: Royal New Zealand Navy - Engine Room Artificers Fourth Class Nalder - Sturgeon, Stoker Petty Officers, Leading Stokers, Stokers First Class, Stokers Second Class Burton - Morton (digital photo John Halpin 2011) - CC BY John Halpin

Panel 4: Royal New Zealand Navy - Engine Room Artificers Fourth Class Nalder - Sturgeon, Stoker Pett …

Identity

About

Contribute ›
  • Title
  • Forenames
    Albert Victor AWMM
  • Surname
    Sturgeon AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • WWII 68 AWMM
    • WWII RN(NZ)68 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

Contribute ›
  • Birth
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

Contribute ›

Military decorations

Contribute ›

Training and Enlistment

Contribute ›
  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

Contribute ›

Prisoner of war

Contribute ›
  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

Contribute ›
  • Medical notes
    Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
    Lost at sea AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

Contribute ›
    • Albert Sturgeon was the son of John Thomas and Julia K. Sturgeon of Dunedin, Otago. He was the husband of Winifred Isabella Sturgeon of Dunedin.

      He died when his ship, HMS Neptune, hit several mines in the sea off Tripoli and sank in December 1941.

      HMS Neptune was launched at Portsmouth on 31 January 1933. She was one of five 'Leander' class light cruisers completed between 1933 and 1935. Two others were HMS Achilles and Leander serving in the RNZN. They displaced 7,200 tons, could make 32 knots and carried eight 6 inch guns and 550 crew. The Neptune was in the Mediterranean from 1 December 1941 as part of Force K which was searching for Axis shipping, especially those taking supplies to Rommel in North Africa. Early on the 19th the ships of Force K ran into a minefield.The Neptune hit three or four mines and sank with only one survivor. At the same time the Aurora was badly damaged and Penelope slightly.Trying to reach Neptune to assist, the destroyer Kandahar was mined and had to be scuttled the following day. On the same day in Alexandria harbour the Queen Elizabeth with Admiral Cunningham on board and the Valiant were both badly damaged and sank.The Mediterranean Fleet battle squadron ceased to exist. Of the total crew of 766 there was only one survivor.He was rescued off a raft five days later by an Italian destroyer and spent the rest of the war in a prisoner of war camp. AWMM
    • Albert Victor Sturgeon was my grandmother's brother. My grandmother was Olive Joyce Webley (nee Sturgeon). Her son, Bevan, was my dad. This is how I am related to Albert Victor Sturgeon.

      I have heard the story about his service with the HMS Neptune via my aunt, who lives in Sydney, Australia. Although I obviously never met him, I will always remember his contribution and the ultimate price he paid so that I can live the life that I do today.

      May he rest in peace and always be remembered. Public - Lisa Joy - Other Relative - 12 April 2015 - Family tree and papers
Read more

Death

About death

Contribute ›
  • Death
    19 December 1941 AWMM
    Age 28 AWMM
    Mediterranean AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

Contribute ›
  • Memorial name
    New Zealand Naval Memorial, Devonport Naval Base, HMNZS Philomel, Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM

Roll of Honour

Remember Albert Victor Sturgeon by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Albert Victor Sturgeon

Leave a note

Contribute ›

Sources

Sources

Contribute ›

The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

Creative Commons LicenseOnline Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.