Loft, Leslie Stewart

Leslie served in HMS Dunedin until the day before the ship’s fateful last voyage, out of Freetown. He was transferred to another ship along with a number of other members of the ship’s company and therefore escaped the torpedo attack that occurred a few days later.

Tragically, his younger brother James, a Signal Boy also serving in HMS Dunedin, remained with the ship and was killed in the attack.  

The brothers’ parents were initially informed by the Admiralty that both brothers were missing (and the General Records Office even recorded Leslie’s death in HMS Dunedin), but later were told that Leslie had survived. 

Two newspaper reports tell the tragic story in more detail. You can find them on James’ page here.