Alex Stuart-Menteth

Commander Henry Alexander Stuart-Menteth, DSC (26 August 1912 – 14 May 2000) was a British naval officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Second World War where he assisted in the sinking of two U-boats and helped capture Enigma code fragments, which enabled Bletchley Park to decipher the code. He commanded six ships during his career. He married in 1952, having two sons and a daughter, and seven grandchildren in turn.

Stuart-Menteth was born as one of four. He joined a navy cadet force in Devon, serving on several ships. After his promotion course, he served both abroad and in the United Kingdom. He joined HMS Hunter shortly before the Second World War. His ship was torpedoed after a raid on a German-held port in April 1940. He was kept in a hospital by the Germans, and was listed at home as killed in action. When the British liberated the area, he was freed. On his next ship, HMS Somali, he helped capture Enigma code fragments, which enabled Bletchley Park to decipher the code. In the same year he was given his first command, HMS Berkeley. He was mentioned in despatches in 1942, while working on HMS Aldenham after the ship sunk a U-boat, and a Distinguished Service Cross for sinking another U-boat. Stuart-Menteth was entrusted to the Royal Australian Navy in 1949, where he commanded two destroyers. He ran the Scottish Corps of Commissionaires for 20 years after his 1958 retirement.