A NAVY veteran with a remarkable career hopes to track down a fellow survivor who was spotted in Bournemouth.

Eric Noel from Upton was sunk twice during the Second World War – first on battleship HMS Prince of Wales and then on the minesweeper HMS Loyalty.

His son Phil, 62, from Wareham, spotted a pensioner wearing a HMS Loyalty blazer in Bournemouth’s King’s Park Cafe two weeks ago and they got chatting.

Phil discovered the veteran had survived the sinking but did not remember the family connection until later – and now they hope to track the former shipmate down.

“It would be so good,” said Eric, 89, breaking into a big smile.

“The camaraderie on mine-sweepers was great.

“It’s difficult because a lot of my mates have gone but we could talk to each other on the same wavelength.”

Eric’s career included the Battle of the Denmark Strait, when the German battleship Bismarck was sunk the HMS Hood, and the Prince of Wales was left badly damaged.

He manned an anti-aircraft turret on the Prince of Wales when it sunk by Japanese planes in December 10, 1941, in a shock blow to British pride.

“We didn’t think there would be any problems with the Japanese. We were full of confidence,” said Eric, who scrambled up a net and into a British destroyer. He lost 327 shipmates.

Eric was later transferred to HMS Loyalty and helped clear the D-Day beaches in 1944.

The ship was torpedoed on a mission to keep the invasion shipping lanes clear and the beachhead supplied – 19 men died and 103 survived.

Eric had nipped below deck to keep a mat that he was knitting clear of grease. Both his colleagues on the anti-aircraft gun were killed. “That mat saved my life,” said Eric.

If you can help Eric get in contact with the fellow survivor from HMS Loyalty, call Stephen Bailey on 01202 411 255.