Sidney Armstrong was born at Maryport in 1922. He was the only son of Mr H. and Mrs Sarah Armstrong; his father was serving in the Navy. He lived at Crosby Street, Maryport.
Deptford was his first ship: he left a good job ashore and joined her as mess room boy at the end of November 1939, one of five Maryport men who signed on together.
Sidney Armstrong was killed as a result of enemy action, by reason of a torpedo attack carried out on SS Deptford from U-38. He was 17.