Bruce
Thank you for this will now follow up your thoughts..
as a matter of interest I now send what we know and its source. It would be nice to confirm through official sources tho . this recollection was after all about 55 years after the event
Thanks again
Ron

The following is a report from a shipmate in response to an advert in Navy Weekly about 8/10 years ago by Cousin William for information about Frederick.

“Fred had served 22 years in the Navy and was serving in an E Class destroyer HMS Express as a Chief Stoker. The vessel was returning from the Far East where it had been an escort to the ill fated HMS Prince of Wales and the HMS Repulse led Force Z. Having been employed on mine laying duties around Ceylon, Express headed down to Simonstown harbour in South Africa for repairs which were completed on June 6th 1942. She was then employed in anti submarine duties off Capetown and as an escort for the Queen Mary which was being used as a troopship for part of her voyage up to Ceylon It was on such a duty that Fred was lost.
HMS Express left Cape Town harbour on 7th August and was due to return there on the 9th. On Saturday 8th however at the morning watch 'Close up to action stations' a great wash of water came up over the bows and Fred was swept overboard. Despite a long search by the ship no trace of him was found”

Fredericks service details are Chief Stoker Frederick Henry Joseph Collins No: P/K 66998 Died August 8th 1942 he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Navy Memorial Panel 67, Column 2 see also BMD War deaths (naval ratings) 1939-1948 v3 page 776
I have a photograph of Frederick on his wedding day in1929 to Maude J, nee Harris it shows Frederick in the naval uniform of a Leading Stoker first class with two ‘good conduct stripes’ on the occasion of his wedding, noted in 1st qtr 1929 source BMD V 4a p 403 (note the white ribbons on his uniform jumper, a naval tradition)