Albert Charles Pike joined the Royal Marines in 1933 at Deal in Kent.  He was the son of Albert Pike, who had a shoe repair shop at 38 High Street, Hungerford.  He served on HMS Royal Oak, a battleship of the Royal Sovereign Class.

The Royal Oak was moving to the Naval Base at Scapa Flow when it was observed entering the then unguarded Holm Sound, by a German spy who had become resident in the area some years previous and had set up a Watch Repair business in Kirkwall.  It is believed that the spy had contacted his network in Germany informing them that the Sound was unguarded.

History relates how U-47, under the command of Captain Gunther Prien, was able to get into the Scapa Flow anchorage on 14 October 1940 and fire seven torpedoes at the Royal Oak.  Three of these hit the ship and within 13 minutes she had rolled over and sunk.  Although 414 lives were saved, Marine Albert Charles Pike, was one of the 810 lost.  Gunther Prien was recalled to Berlin to be decorated by Hitler for this action.  It was reported, however, that the German spy was not so lucky and was later apprehended.

Albert Pike