NEWSLETTER 4/2003 - OCTOBER
From our Chairman, S/M George Toomey
Shipmates,
Just in case there isn't another newsletter this year I am taking this chance to wish you all a very happy
Xmas and New Year. How time flies by. It won't be long before April is upon us with the next
reunion at Eastbourne and the pleasure for me this time will be in not being "the car park attendant",
which I have been for the last 4 years. We have to get someone to take over this task, wither from the
Association or by hire. We will see. It will cost, hence the Friday night raffle will go towards the
cost of making certain the car park is not taken over by local shoppers. So it is down to members to
come forward.
With Xmas not long in coming so I'd like to make a plea about Xmas cards. Shipmates, when you
send out Xmas cards to other shipmates please put your surname in with your card. Many contact me
as they can't recall you by your first name. Last year I had 12 cards like this to which I could not
reply, so don't forget.
As I've said before I am in contact with the hotel concerning improvements to the hotel. The main
item on my list is the air conditioning system in the dining room and I'm in contact with the Manager to
ensure that the system for 2004 is in working order. Peter Harrison and I will be going to the hotel in
the new year to ensure that this has been done and I will come back to you with an update before the
reunion. Other problems have also been sorted out including the purchase of a 2-way radio so that
there will be contact between the start of the parade and the saluting base.
I look forward to meeting you all again next year. My thanks to the members of our organising group
who do so much for the Association during the year.
Take care.
George
___________________________________________________________________________________
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
Since the last newsletter in July we have sadly lost two of our irreplaceable L03 shipmates and their
obituaries follow. During that same time we have gained one new full member and six Associate
members all of whom we welcome. The new members are:
S/M P. Jackson
Mrs. E.F. Gilham
A.B. (UC2)
D57
Associate member
Mr. I.P. Gilham
Mr. A.S. Gilham
Mrs. E.C. Sutton
Mr. L. Evans
Mrs. I.M. Evans
Associate member
Associate member
Associate member
Associate member)
Associate member)
1958-60
Widow of the late Petty Officer Herbert Gilham
(D57 1953-55)
Son of the late P.O. Gilham
Son of the late P.O. Gilham
Daughter of the late P.O. Gilham
Close friends of the late S/M Ernie Williams
(D57 1944-47) with whom he lived for over 40
years.
Total membership is now 278 made up as follows:
Full Members
Associate Members
Honorary Members
190 (26 L03, 164 D57)
82
6
____________________
Obituaries
S/M Henry Gordon Locke
To his family he was known as Gordon, to us in the Cossack Association as Gary, to his
submariner shipmates as Bob (presumably after Bobby Locke the golfer) and to others as Joe
(after the singer Josef Locke). To all who knew him, by whatever name, he was a thoroughly nice
person and a great shipmate.
Gary, who died on Tuesday 9th September, was cremated at the Isle of Wight Crematorium on
Tuesday 16th September. The funeral service was held at the crematorium and there must have
been 100-150 there to pay their last respects, many of them from the various associations to which
he belonged. Among these were the Cossack Association, the Submariners' Association, the
Theseus Association and the Burma Star Association.
Alan Edinborough (Vice President), Brian Hibbert (Standard Bearer) and Peter Harrison attended
and passed on the Association's condolences and sympathies to members of Gary's family,
including his two daughters and son.
The standards of the Cossack Association and the
Submariners' Association participated in the service and our White Ensign covered the coffin.
Gary was born in 1919 on the Isle of Wight and, on leaving school, started work as a farm labourer
but soon left that to become a footman. He joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2 nd Class in
November 1937 and after training was drafted to Cossack on 9th June 1938. He served in Cossack
until 30th June 1940, through the Altmark incident and the 2 nd Battle of Narvik. After 11 months,
now a Stoker 1st Class, during which time he served short periods in other ships including the
Cyclamen and the Petunia, he re-joined Cossack on 2nd March 1941. He left Cossack again on
30th August 1941.
Gary volunteered for submarines in May 1942 and subsequently served in a succession of them
including Trenchant, Thresher, Selene, Upshot, Thule, Token and Astute until completing his 12
years Continuous Service engagement in December 1949. He was Mentioned in Despatches in
October 1945 (during his service in Thule).
Gary re-joined the Navy to complete time for pension on 24 th April 1950. He then served in
Theseus during the Korean War and later in Diligence, Recruit, Striker and Puma before going to
pension in March 1960.
With the help of his wife Jean he then started a Taxi service in Ryde, Isle of Wight and at a later
date started a catering business. Gary joined the Cossack Association on its formation in 1990
and was elected to the post of Vice President, remaining in that position until the year 1999 when
resigned because of ill health and difficulties with travelling from the island. Gary and Jean had
attended all our reunions up to that date but in the following year he lost wife Jean to cancer and
with his own health deteriorating, he came to his last reunion with is in 2001 accompanied by his
granddaughter.
Gary's death was very sudden. Within two weeks of having been diagnosed with cancer he
slipped away and died peacefully with his family around him.
S/M Charles Scott
Charles Scott served in HMS Cossack (L03) from 1939 to 1940 as a Leading Seaman and then as a
Petty Officer. Although he had been a member of the Association for a couple of years his age
and infirmity precluded his travelling down from Edinburgh to attend our reunions.
He died on 30th August at the age of 92½. His daughter Elizabeth, to whom our sympathies have
been given, said that it would be just a simple family funeral and asked that no arrangements be
made for representation.
S/M T.W. Wilson
We wouldn’t have known about his death had not his grandson, now serving in the RN, wished to
put his cap with an HMS Cossack cap ribbon on the coffin during the funeral service to be held on
Monday 29th September. We were contacted to obtain one and were happy to oblige.
At this time all we know is that Tug served in Cossack (D57) as an A.B. in 1946. He lived until
about a year ago in Farnborough, Hants but due to deteriorating health had moved into a nursing
home in Basingstoke where he would be nearer to his daughters. It had been his intention to join
our Association and had got a membership application form but, unfortunately, never got round to
it.
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
__________________________________________________________________________________
Contact
As members will know, when subscriptions are not paid we make a number of attempts to contact the
miscreant both by letter and by telephone. We are only too aware that it may be that the member has
moved without telling us, has fallen ill or, in the worst case, has died with no one to tell us. We have
been unable to contact
S/M P. Tilt D57 1957-58 (last known address in the Solihull area)
S/M D.A. Reid D57 1948-51 (last known address in the Nuneaton area)
S/M W.G. Ridgewell D57 1945 (last known address in the Birmingham area)
If anyone knows what has happened to any of these please contact the Secretary.
Illness
Friends of S/M Stan Edgell D57 1949-51 will be sad to hear that he had a nasty stroke last month and
has lost the use of his legs. He was of course taken into hospital immediately and his wife Barbara
says that they are hoping that that the treatment he is receiving there will restore movement to his
lower body and legs. I'm sure all members will join with me in wishing Stan all the best and our
hopes for a speedy recovery.
News of another stroke victim, S/M Fred Andrews D57 1945-46, comes from his wife Kath. Fred is
now receiving marvellous treatment in the Star & Garter Home in Richmond, Surrey where he now
resides. She says that he is settled in well.
Our best wishes go to Stan and Fred and to all those of you or your partners who are unwell.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Reunion 2004
As has been mentioned in previous newsletters the dates for the next reunion, which will again be at
the Burlington Hotel, Eastbourne, will be 23rd-25th April 2004. George T. has been negotiating with
the hotel and the deal agreed is as follows:
3 nights (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
2 nights (Friday & Saturday or Saturday & Sunday)
1 night (Saturday only)
£86.50 per person
£68.50 per person
£32.00 per person
The above prices include dinner, bed and breakfast on each of the days booked. These amounts will
be due to the hotel on checking out.
In addition there will be a charge, payable to the Association, of £5.00 per person attending the
Saturday night dinner. This charge is to pay for the anciliary costs associated with the reunion
weekend. The price for the Saturday night dinner only (ie for those not staying at the hotel) will be
£9.00 per person.
As last year there will be a beer promotion during the weekend. All draught beer will be £1.60 per
pint. This will include lager which is £2.50 a pint in the local pubs outside the hotel. Nice one
George!
Booking forms for the hotel, etc. will be sent out to members with the next newsletter, probably in late
December/January.
__________________________________________________________________________________
FINANCIAL REPORT (as at 30th September 2003)
INCOME
Cash balance as at 1st April 2003
Received (due at 1st April)
Subscriptions 2003/04
Subscriptions 2004/05
Subscriptions 2005/06
Donations
Slops sales
Bank interest
Cash raffle 2003
Reunion 2003
Total income
EXPENDITURE
Paid to suppliers (owed at 1st April)
Sundry expenses
Telephone expenses
Print, postage & stationery
Donations, presentations & welfare
Fixed assets purchased
Slops purchased/expenses
Raffle 2003
Reunion 2003
Total expenditure
£
4422.24
35.00
520.00
85.00
5.00
132.35
340.15
5.85
47.00
560.20
6152.79
147.10
271.36
75.00
820.16
15.95
158.60
65.64
250.00
408.09
2211.90
Income - Expenditure
Cash at bank and in hand at 30th September 2003
Less amounts owed to suppliers
3940.89
3985.53
44.64
3940.89
LIABILITIES (included in cash balance)
Owed to suppliers
Subscriptions for future years
44.64
1435.00
Cash balance less liabilities
2461.25
__________________________________________________________________________________
Can you help?
(1)
A letter has been received from Tony Burt who served with 209 Squadron RAF operating Sunderland
flying boats in the Far East after World War II. He is researching the activities of those flying boats
up to their withdrawal from service in 1959. He says that his researches show that they co-operated
with HMS Cossack often over those years. One example is when a Sunderland of 88 Squadron at
Hong Kong shadowed the "Nancy Moller" near Hainan on 18 th May 1951 until Cossack arrived to
escort her back to Hong Kong. Another is shown in a photograph printed in his letter. This was of a
Sunderland from Hong Kong which in 1949 landed in the open sea near HMS Constance to take of a
seriously ill seaman. Unfortunately the quality of the photograph was to poor to print here.
He would like to know whether any of our members have any recollections, mementoes or
photographs of the aircraft during operations, exercises, etc. Please let the Secretary, Peter Harrison,
know if you can help. Alternatively write direct to Mr. A.T. Burt, "Merryfield", Edward Road,
Kingsdown, Deal, Kent CT14 8DA.
____________________
(2)
A request was received from Mrs. Sybil Lord regarding Coder Arthur Leslie Proctor who was one of
those lost when Cossack (L03) was sunk in 1941. They were engaged to be married at that time and
she would like to know whether any of our L03 members might remember him. The Secretary sent a
letter to some of the most likely but to no avail. A photograph of Leslie (as he was known to her) and
Sybil, taken on 5th May 1941 is shown below.
SEE REUNIONS
If you remember Leslie please let the Secretary know. Thanks.
____________________
(3)
Louise Liddell contacted us via our web site searching for information about her grandfather Edward
Albert HEAD who served in Cossack (L03). She wanted to know whether we would be able to
identify some men in photographs she has and whether we could say how he was injured in April
1940. This photograph shows her grandfather with other servicemen at Ardgowan Hospital, some of
them possibly other Cossacks. Ted Head is the furthest right in the front row.
SEE REUNIONS
Keith Batchelor's researches have shown that E.R.A. Head was aboard at least from October 1939.
Another of the photographs shows Ted with two others in PO's tropical rig and written on the back is
"Dorsetshire.
More of the photographs on board the Dorsetshire show that it was probably a
troopship, one having on the back "Just before we got into Gib Aug '39”.
Casualties in L03 in April 1940 resulted from the 8 shell hits L03 received during the
2nd Battle of Narvik, one of which caused damage to No. 2 Boiler Room. Eleven of the ship's
company died and another 21 injured as a result of the action and two Stokers, 2 Stoker P.O.s and an
E.R.A. were among those who died. It is therefore probable that E.R.A. Head was one of those
injured in this action and was put ashore into hospital when the ship called in at Scapa Flow where the
ship called in briefly after being temporarily repaired in Skelfjord and on her way to Portsmouth.
Ted left Cossack on 9 June 1941 and joined HMS Tonbridge a month later. He was killed on 22
August 1941 when the Tonbridge was sunk by German aircraft. Louise is also trying to find out more
information about HMS Tonbridge (a netlayer) .
If any member remembers Edward Head, can confirm that the Dorsetshire was a troopship in 1939,
that he was injured during the 2nd Battle of Narvik, has any other pertinent information or can supply
any information about HMS Tonbridge, please contact the Secretary, Peter Harrison.
P.S. The supposition that the Dorsetshire was a troopship in 1939 would seem to be confirmed by the
late Alf Price’s “Diary of his Childhood Memories” which were serialised in the newsletters recently.
At one pont he says that he and his mother took passage (from Malta to Alexandria) in the troopship
Dorsetshire which was taking troops to Haifa
___________________________________________________________________________________
_
(4)
A letter has been received asking us to draw members attention to a trust which has been set up to try
to save HMS Stalker. Some of you may have served in her so their appeal is printed below.
THE
MARITIME STEAM RESTORATION TRUST
Dear Shipmate
I apologise for "cold calling" upon you in this fashion and ask you to spare time to read the
enclosed leaflet.
As it says, this is the last STEAM DRIVEN LST, in this country and
possibly the world. Four ex-RN men have formed the above trust and are in constant touch
with the present owners of HMS STALKER. We have a written agreement with the owners
to purchase the ship subject to raising the asking price. Part of this agreement states that,
upon the present owner receiving a deposit of £20,000 the Trust will be able to start on the
restoration. This of course is a large amount of money for four people to raise but is not so
large if we can find sufficient interested people to donate the equivalent of a couple of
packets of cigarettes or two pints of beer. Which is why I am sending out the enclosed
leaflet to ship's associations and RNA branches, plus national newspapers. We feel this is a
wonderful opportunity to save this vessel, the boilers and engines are in excellent condition
having had very little use, the auxiliaries are still in place and a chipping hammer and coat of
paint will brighten her appearance. What is desperately needed now are funds to secure the
vessel and start working on her. May I ask you to present this to your membership and ask
them to consider making a small donation.
SEE REUNIONS
Thank you.
Yours sincerely
Fred Kinsey
H.M.S. STALKER LST3 No. 3515
This is the last Steam Driven Tank Landing Ship in the UK, probably in the world.
A trust has been formed with the object to restore this vessel to fill working condition and put
her to work. If successful, it is intended to use H.M.S. Stalker as a full working MEMORIAL
to all who served on the various types of landing craft during WWII, from all Services, in
particular those who lost their lives whilst doing so.
Your help will be needed, either on a volunteer basis working on board carrying out
restoration or, by making a donation towards this work. Please make all cheques, etc.
payable to the MARITIME STEAM RESTORATION TRUST and send to The Treasurer, Fred
Kinsey, 94 Queens Close, Harston, Cambs. CB2 5QN. May I draw your attention to the 60 th
anniversary of the D-Day landings, in which hundreds of landing craft took part, due to be
held in 2004. We hope to be represented in this event.
NB Should we be unable to purchase HMS Stalker, your donations will be diverted to other
ship restoration/preservation charities.
(5)
Lee March, the grandson of John March, also contacted our web site and is trying to find information
about his grandfather. John March served in Cossack (D57) as an Able Seaman (AA3) from 22 nd
August 1945 until 9th March 1946. Lee thinks that he was on the bofors gun and that we tie in with
Although we haven't yet had confirmation, we assume that he has since died since otherwise Lee
would be able to ask.
If anyone who served on D57's first commission can remember John March and can help Lee find out
more about his grandfather, please contact the Secretary, Peter Harrison.
____________________
You have helped
In the last newsletter we asked if you could help Mrs. Betty Gilham by reminding her of the name of
the band which played in HMS Terror at weekends during her time there in 1954. She also mentioned
being pictured at a christening in the 1954-55 year commission book. Geoff Scarlett wasn't able to
oblige with the name of the band but he was able to come up with a couple more photographs of the
christening. With the help of the computer I was able to "improve" and enlarge them before passing
them on to Betty who, as you will see, has now joined along with her two sons and daughter. One of
the photographs is shown below.
SEE REUNIONS
___________________________________________________________________________________
Remembrance Day Parade at the Cenotaph 2003
Despite the second appeal, in the last newsletter, for members to take part no more arrived. It is
regretted therefore that due to insufficient numbers no application for tickets for a Cossack contingent
will be made this year.
__________________________________________________________________________________
SEE REUNIONS
A PART OF A LIFE
1935 - 1947
by Victor John Bunyan Durey
continued
CHAPTER TWO
I was to spend a little over four months on the ROYAL SOVEREIGN and during that time I
experienced my first sea trip in the Navy, plus, of course, my first night at sea. Training continued for
us Boy Seamen, including schooling, and it was on the Tiddley Quid that I sat and passed the
Education Test part 1. We also had jobs to perform - or maybe I should call them duties. One of these
would be to act as a "Side boy" as part of the Gangway Staff. This duty would be mostly used whilst in
harbour. The Gangway Staff consisted mainly of a Quartermaster in Charge, a Bosun's Mate in charge
of Calls of the Pipe, a member of the Royal Marine Detachment (Corporal of the Gangway), a Royal
Marine bugler and the "dogsbody of the gang", the Side boy. One learned quite a few tricks of the
trade here. Over the weeks I was to pick up quite a few of these and they all helped to fashion a
budding Able Seaman. We were kept busy, whatever our duties, and any shore leave granted was
usually taken up by us boys.
Unlike the men we were only allowed a few hours ashore and these usually on Make and
Mend afternoons. Make and Mends were granted twice or so a week and when taken were never used
in my memory to make anything or mend anything. They were used mostly for getting the head down
- "kipping on a caulker". To sleep and dream of the sea sirens that awaited us south of the equator, if
we ever got that far!
We on the Sovereign were due this summer with other pans of the Home Fleet to show the
flag and cruise the Northern waters. We were to visit, among other places, Oslo, but we only ever saw
Stavanger in Norway - my first foreign port! The Norwegian Fiords were seen, and beautiful they were,
but my memories of Stavanger remain very fishy. The place was the "Stockade of Sardine". The
canneries pumped pong into the ventilation shafts of the ship and began to put us off our usually
delightful nosh of H.A.T.S (Herrings and Tomato Sauce). Another memory was a meeting ashore with
Inge, a delightful blonde schemer about fourteen years of age, who asked if she could
"Scallyavoodrounde" - which I presumed meant, "Can I show you around". Of course she could and
did for the couple of hours that I was allowed leave. I had some real "Jack Shaloo" tales to tell the
natives of Lethbridge when next on home leave, I can tell you (which were all figments of owsyerdad)!
We also visited Portsmouth (our depot) for the summer "Navy Week" and as the communication
number on a 4" anti-aircraft gun, I used to swing the lamp when giving out spiel to visitors. Jolly Jack!
My official number was and still is Portsmouth /JX144767.
I had never heard a naval gun fire, even the wee 4", let alone the main armament of these seagoing goliaths. The HOOD - that most marvelous of all capital ships - a 45,000 ton Battle Cruiser - was
planned to perfection for so we thought at the time), with the sleek lines of a racing yacht and it moved
around all over the world showing the might of the King's Navy. It was a fantastic, fast, floating set of
15" gun mountings and was due to set sail for the Med to join the fleet there. Trouble was then rife at
three points - the Spanish Civil War, the Abyssinian take over attempt by the cocky Muss and our own
Palestine troubles. Some of us ex-GANGES were to take passage to the Med. on this great vessel. It
was September 1936 and I was on my way south heading towards the Bay of Biscay, traveling on one
of the greatest ships ever to be built. It was truly majestic. For a few days we were hardly expected to
rouse ourselves. As long as we never upset the routine aboard we could relax and pass the time reading
and attending one or two lectures. It was during my stay on the HOOD that I first realized that Royal
Marines afloat lived in Barracks and not messdeck messes. I also met a fellow who swore that he
remembered me at Greenwich a few years previously standing outside the railings making fun of him
as he was being put through his paces as a boy at the Greenwich School for Sailors' Families. There
was an old "wooden wall" sailing vessel in the grounds of Greenwich NavalCollege. We scruffy
urchins did indeed at times attempt to take the Mickey out of these lads and if he stated he remembered
me, then who was I to argue the toss. His name was "Knocker" White and he came from the Isle of
Wight. Most of the ex-Greenwich lads joined the R.N. though some went on to the Merchant Fleet.
The school moved from Greenwich to Holbrook in Suffolk during the early thirties. One of those lads,
a certain "Copper" Rossum was in'70 class at Ganges and instead of dhobeying his socks, he used to
brush them with a clothes brush! They ought to have been dipped in the Dhobey Bucket about once a
fortnight. I often wonder how many of the people I met during those dozen years survived the war or
are indeed still about.
I well remember my first sight of the Rock as the ship steamed along the Straits. Gibraltar
was a lively and enjoyable place for such as us in those days. Our dress of the day was Duck Suits
(No.5's) and for shore leave we wore No.6's, which was a white cotton suit with blue trim - very
tiddley! Tropical shorts never arrived in the Med. Fleet until sometime during the war.
CHAPTER THREE
I was to leave the HOOD at Gib and joined the BARHAM. A 15" Battleship of the Queen
Elizabeth class. She flew the flag of R.A.3 (Rear Admiral 3rd Battle Squadron) and was part of a very
powerful fleet, and I was to spend over eighteen months visiting various ports aboard her. I joined her
as a Boy 1st class in September '36 and left her in May '38 as an ordinary seaman. It was to prove a
busy period and at times a dicey one. The Spanish Civil War was underway, as was the Italian rape of
Abyssinia and the troubles in Palestine were causing concern. We of the BARHAM called this
commission the "Threes". BARHAM during the three years 1936 to 1938 carried at separate times
three flags - R.A.3, V.A.3 and C.in.C,(the last was Dudley Pound, who later ran the Navy during the
war); three Kings - George V, Edward VI and George VI; and three wars - Spanish, Abyssinia and
Palestine. Based mainly at Malta and tied up to our buoys in the Grand Harbour, we boys grew in
stature. The delights of Malta (or otherwise) were there to be enjoyed - sports in plenty at Corradino
Stadium such as football, cricket, rugby and hockey according to season. Names mat were famous (or
infamous) throughout the R.N. worldwide became known to us nozzer tarpots. The Gut (Strada
Stretta), Bigkey Bay (Suada Re'alle), the Destroyers' Harbour (Sliema Creek), Marsallox and Gozo,
plus dozens of other names. I well remember the 1936 Battle of the Gyppo Queen. The Green
Howards were the "army in being" at Malta in those days and whatever caused the riot to break out is
lost in the past, but a scrap there raged for a few hours - R.N. versus Army. Black eyes abounded on
Barham at Divisions the next day.
One day the old "Cyclops" (used then as a submarine depot ship) entered G.H. and she needed
re-fueling. She was still a coal-burner (not oil) and so volunteers - "you, you, you" - were required to
assist, and so it came to pass that I "coaled ship", and after doing so once, was mighty pleased that all
the boats I served on were oil-burners! I was to take my first and only dip beneath the sea wearing a
SEIBI Gorman Suit at Malta. This took place in about three fathoms of water alongside a jetty in
Dockyard Creek, and I can only recollect fear and the fact that I kept my eyes closed for the couple of
minutes when I wandered the depths! Diving, and the extra lolly for doing so, was not for me. Quite
often we toiled on the turning of the air machine to which the diver was attached and this was hard
work, keeping the bellows going. Often when the diver surfaced we would look at the seat of his pants
to see that he had not been sitting around on a convenient rock building up his bonus instead of keeping
hard at the search or whatever.
I used to enjoy our stays at Malta. The runs ashore were usually memorable and the
Simmonds Farsons "Blue Tops" quite drinkable. The canteen at Corradino was well used as were the
sports fields. Barham had a very good soccer team and quite often played the local pro. teams Floriana, Valletta and Sliema Wanderers. I guess the Maltese are, were and always will be crazy about
football. The ship had a cricket team for which I most proudly state I turned out once against the RAF.
There were three lower deck players in the team including Ordinary Seaman Durey. He fancied himself
as a budding left-handed Larwood, although I never had a bowl or even a crack with the bat because
our Wardroom Hobbs and Sandham plus a Hedley Verity or two shot the RAF down to earth with a
bump! One memorable moment arrived when I sat watching our early bats chasing the opponents'
score, padded up and ready for a "thwack", when Rev. Blackledge (one of our Veritys) brought me a
pint of Blue Tops (beer with a dash of lemonade). He was quaffing a pint and probably reading my
thoughts said, "Take no notice of me sinking a couple of these, old son, I get paid to teach you religion,
not necessarily to believe in it". A great padre and rev.! I was also at one time pressed into playing
rugby as a forward! This came about because one of our blokes had to cry off. I was instructed by a
very dapper "two-ringer" fly half, the captain, to do nowt else but "chase the ball. Do not attempt to
pick it up. Boot it forward and into touch if, and when, you can." I never put boot to ball once and
came off at full time completely exhausted and a stone lighter. My shorts had shrunk in my sweat. No
longer did I look like Alex James.
Whenever the fleet left Malta to have a breath of air at other places the entire population (it
seemed) used to gather on the harbour walls to wave and to shout, "'UrryupbackJack"! They could not
survive without the RN. Alexandria saw us for long spells and my first taste of Egyptian culture was to
see the film by Disney of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". I believe it was shown at the Kinema,
Mustapha Square, before the release in London. At Alex I played football for my "part of ship" - I was
a forecastleman - on two pitches (not, I hasten to add, at the same time). One was signposted Ibrox
and the other Hampden Park - the H.L.I (the Highland Light Infantry) were the soldier boys at Alex
then. The town always had an awful pong about it. This was due mainly to the local tannery. One
dreamed of the mistral winds to blow away the leather whiff. Would you believe a crew of us were
detailed to sail a cutter down the Nile and to stay out a couple of days to collect sand? It was an
interesting trip. Sand reminds me of holy stones. If you have never holystoned a ship's wooden deck
you have yet to live! One could safely eat a meal off a deck so treated and forget all about a plate, and
when the sun was at High Noon and the local boatmen fell about (and sometimes pegged out) in the
heat, one could fry an egg on them easily. A bar of cherished Cadbury Fruit and Nut would fuse into a
glutinous mass before you removed it from its wrapper!
We were to visit Port Said more than once and when here we used to work what the
Commander would call in his Dartmouth drawl, "Pipe Hands to Port Side Routine as from tomorrow".
(Whatever happened to Starboard Side Routine?) This consisted of turning out from your hammock
an hour earlier in the morning and working until 1 p.m. or two bells in the afternoon. You then took
shelter from the heat, if that were possible. It was all good fun, or was it? I preferred Malta to the
eastern Med. Time was also spent in the western waters of the Inland Sea and we were used as a force
to prevent blockade runners from upsetting the Spanish situation. One character of the time was known
as Potato Jones - a wily Welshman who used to give the Blockaders a fair old run around. Gibraltar
saw us often and I knew the place almost as well as I did my home town during these months of my
life. Spending a couple of weeks at Palma in Majorca keeping watchful eyes on part of the Spanish
Fleet was also part of our duties, plus a visit to Barcelona and one to Valencia where we took people
off from a beach at one stage in a cutter which we had difficulty in handling due to a very heavy surf. I
have always had the feeling that they were British Embassy people, but doubtless I am wrong in that
supposition! "Ours was to do and whatsit, not to wonder why!"
Albania saw us - this during King Zog's days. I was browned off to act as a "beater" with
others, of course, for a shoot organised for Dudley P. the C-in-C. It must have been a grouse match
most of us complained, as I remember. It was the vineyards all over the Med. countries that are
memorable to me, in Spain, Greece, southern France, Albania and Italy. In Corfu we lost a Boy 1st
Class. Returning from a shore leave in the liberty boat, he fell overboard. There was no panic, the
midshipman in charge of the steam launch turned to pick up the lad, known to be a very good
swimmer, but there was no sign of him. The tides at this part of the Med. were, and are, dangerous.
We were supplied with pith helmets to help beat the summer sun and worked mainly dressed
in just a pair of duck trousers and a helmet. I was taught real seamanship during my spell on
BARHAM. Rope and wire-splicing, sailmaking, ship handling and simple (but effective) navigation I could plot a course and carry out no end of other useful duties. I could also "blacken down aloft" and
slide down a "stay" from the masthead in a Bosun's Chair oiling the wretched thing and myself. My
Action Station was in one of the 6" (secondary armament) magazines handling cordite etc. I was never
happy about that but never, of course, saw action during these years.
Each and every morning before breakfast, the decks were scrubbed and the brightwork
polished. "Hands to Brightwork Stations" was one of the pipes. Most of the brightwork, lovingly
polished by me with the "brown sauce" etc, was to be painted over during the war years. A pity!
Awnings had to be set or furled accordingly and there were times when on passage from one port to
another the ship would stop in the middle of the sea and the pipe "Hands to bathe" was piped usually
during the first dogwatch before supper (this being the evening nosh). BARHAM was a canteen
messing ship, very unusual for a battlewagon. This meant that we purchased and prepared our own
grubstakes while the ship's cooks only cooked our results. We thus had a Mess Bill to pay each month
if we had lived well, or a saving to collect if we had sufficed and took no treats. To balance budget,
messes seldom had cooked breakfasts, making do with bread (baked daily on big ships) and a splodge
of marmalade from a 71b tin. We became experts at making a "clacker" (any pastry) to cover meat
pies, while a "straight bake" was a roast and the most succulent poi roasts imaginable were conjured
up. "Takoradi Goulash" or any other strange sounding stews were made out of all contents of various
tins and any veggie that happened to be about at the time. We did not starve. I can still use the
culinary arts that those early years taught me: fish cakes made with a tin of salmon and spuds, cheese
oooshies that had "secret" ingredients, Manchester tarts for duff or a Chinese wedding cake (rice) or
niggers in a snow storm (rice with currants or sultanas, and no racism then), figgy duff or rolly pudd.
We ate well. Unless you have ever tasted custard made with Libby's milk (Carnation?), what is there
in life?
The messes were as clean as a new pin, plus all the kettles, urns and fannies. The wooden
bread barge was scrubbed to perfection, all pristine except when gunnery practice took place. One salve
from the 15" monsters was enough to fill everywhere with dust and pieces of "flaky fifty-fifty" (paint).
Where did it all come from? The din was awful. The air on deck, if you happened to be there,
completely disappeared for a spell! It was awesome. Our 'A' turret had the painted names of the two
guns inside the housing - IMINERE on one and SOAMI on the other. The 15" gun threw a one ton
shell something like 20 miles! You wouldn't want too many of them landing alongside your dunny!
Every Saturday the Captain used to do his rounds of the ship to inspect and, if necessary, to put in
motion corrections and on that day without fail we had corned beef, pussers peas and mash for our
main meal. Pussers'ard are dried peas which make a lovely "pea-do" ! A thick soup if necessary!
During the time that "Eddie the Lad" and Mrs. Simpson were lapping it up at Cannes and Nice
and Monte and suchforth on the Riviera, we were to act as guardship. I thus paid a visit to all the
hotspots of this coast. We lay at Gulf Juan. To reach there we had to cross that most blowable stretch
of 'oggin - the Gulf of Lyons. I was masthead lookout when the gale sprang up. In no time at all we
were in a real storm. The Penelope (a light cruiser) and a couple of destroyers asked permission to turn
and run with the blow. Granted. During the turn the Penelope lost its mainmast, not completely but
sufficient of it to make one realize how hazardous this part of seascape can be. I had to do almost a
double watch (two hours instead of one) because the bridge wouldn't allow a boy to climb up our mast
to effect relief. Bully for you, Officer of the Watch!
Time spent on the Riviera coast was well enjoyed by us young dabtoes. Once on an
organised trip we visited Grasse - the hub of the perfume trade up in the Maritime Alps. The world
was beginning to show itself to me. From Gibraltar we visited Tangier (then an international port) and
we lads visited the Casbah and acted the tourist bit with great aplomb. During one of our cruises around
the Greek islands we took pan in the Fleet Regatta and Barham became "Cock of the Fleet". I was port
bowman in our victorious Boys Cutter, winning the mile race in very good time. The training for this
regatta took weeks and we finished fit, able and scared of newt. Young Johnnie Wacker was maturing
fast. In March '37 I passed the E.T.2 and in September of that year was specially rated Ordinary
Seaman - this being six months earlier than normal due to being an A.A. Boy. I was to serve but one
year at this rate before becoming an Able-Bodied Seaman. It paid dividends being A.C.!
Barham steamed home to Spithead with other units of the mighty Med Fleet to take part in the
Fleet Review. It was a great sight. The waters of Spithead covered with lines and lines of ships
belonging to the then mightiest fleet in the world. the Royal Yacht steamed slowly down through the
lines allowing George VI to take the salute. (Years later at Whale Island we used the Victoria and
Albert (H.M.R.Y) as an annexe mess because of the lack of spaces ashore, but that's another part of the
story.) The combined fleets were all "lit up" at night with a million flickering bulbs, which was a truly
great sight, and this was when the B.B.C Radio commentator was (for those days) a naughty boy as he
exclaimed, "The bloody fleet's lit up!" And so was he! We grabbed a few days leave before returning
to the Med - this time flying Dudley Pound's C.in.C's flag. We were the leader of the band! The
eastern Mediterranean saw quite a lot of us. Mussolini was engaged on his Abyssinian rape, and the
Brits were showing the flag. Every so often, however, the ship entertained the dignitaries from the
various countries and Dinner Dances were held on the Quarter Deck. These were really swish affairs
and to get the QD. in a condition fit to be waltzed upon, the pipe would convey over the speakers,
"Hands to frolic and skylark on the Quarter Deck." Bushels of French chalk would be spread over the
deck and we of the lower deck would proceed to rush up and down sliding about and generally having
a "gig"! Great fun really. At Christmas time there was always a party given aboard for the local
children and hours of preparation would take place to set up swings and roundabouts and stalls of
hoop-la and suchlike.
The time came for BARHAM to "pay-off" and we steamed out of the Grand Harbour in May
'38 with a paying off pennant the length of the ship streaming from our topmast. At the end of these
pennants was usually fixed a gas-filled pig-skin balloon to keep the yards of bunting aloft. We paid off
in Pompey and I left ship to sling my hammock in VICTORY (Royal Naval Barracks), the Stone
Frigate in Queens Street. I had three years' service behind me and I was in Naval eyes "TR" (trained)
as from 3.7.37. What lay ahead? I was soon to find out. It was now May '38 and I spent a couple of
weeks in R.N.B Pompey. During this time I became acquainted, somewhat with the Naval Port and
began to find my way around the place. Portsmouth is full of character and the old part of town,
notably around about the Sally Port, became, and still is, a favourite place for me. The harbour station
was built on the Hard and in those days the "Pompey Mudlarks" would perform by diving into the
muddy shallows of the harbour searching for copper coins thrown by the passers-by and visitors.
Rarely did I see a "Mudlark" lose a ha'penny or penny in the mud! In a few years doubtless several of
the youngsters were to see service in the Forces. The Gosport Ferry began its journey from the Hard
and crossed the harbour to the Hampshire town on the opposite shore. We paid one penny for the trip.
The dockyard was always busy with ships of the home fleet undergoing refits and the "trots" full of
destroyers and small craft. Battleships and carriers (not many of these) lay alongside the main jetties
that flanked the Signal Tower and Admiralty buildings. The VICTORY was dormant in its dry dock,
always being looked over by eager visitors to the town listening in awe to a fresh-faced young guide
(probably an O.D. with no sea-time in at all) giving them the spiel about old "one hundred and eleven".
Nelson was still the number one geezer in the RN despite the Jellicoes and Beatties! Spithead would
also be full of craft and Naval Pinnaces steaming merrily and nipping all over the place, dropping mail,
libertymen, sacks of spuds etc. Spring at Southsea ensured a fullish number of holiday-makers. The
two piers, South Parade and Clarence, were chock-a-block with tourists, locals and dabtoes on daily
liberty.
To be continued in the next newsletter
__________________________________________________________________________________
SEE REUNIONS
The above postcard, which shows the interior of the Narvik Museum, was sent in July to Shipmate
Frank Spendelow by a friend, retired Lt. Cdr. Alan Rowbotham (an ex Ganges boy). He told Frank
that the museum was very informative and well presented and well worth a visit if you happen to be in
the area. Just above the ship's wheel is a section devoted solely to HMS Hardy, which was lost during
the first battle of Narvik. He said that as the museum looks out over the fjord and the iron ore sidings
it is all very close and doesn't take much imagination to appreciate the carnage that went on there.
____________________
Whilst on the subject of Narvik, in the last newsletter we drew attention to the commemoration
ceremonies which were to be held with the unveiling of the new memorial to the Battles for Navrik.
No member put his name forward to attend. I understand that the ceremonies went ahead on 2 nd
September and we are hoping that in due course we may get a photograph.
____________________
One who did get to Norway this year was Larry Hazell. Larry is an Associate Member who served in
the AFRIDI which, under Captain Vian, took part in the Norwegian operations during the early years
of the war. In the May newsletter (No. 2/2003) we reported a success in dealing with a query to our
web site. Forbes Wilson, whose father's ship, the armed trawler RUTLANDSHIRE, was lost at
Namsos asked to be put in touch with Larry Hazell so that he could re-unite him with two other
members who served in Afridi (which was also sunk at Namsos). As a result all three, Larry Hazell,
Harold Kirk and John Gritten, went with Forbes to Namsos in May this year. A report on the visit
together with a cartoon drawn by Larry was published in Larry's hometown Cheltenham local paper
and is reproduced below. The cartoon shows Forbes Wilson cracking the whip over the three to get
them to Namsos
SEE REUNIONS
A VISIT TO NORWAY
Larry Hazell of Pitman
Road, Hesters Way and a
small
party
of
fellow
survivors from HMS Afridi
and others from small armed
trawlers which were sunk on
dury in Namsen Fjord in
Norway during World War 2
returned to the town of
Namsos
un
May
to
commemorate those who
lost their lives.
The
Norwegian Society arranged
the trip to express their
gratitude and thanks for the
efforts of the Royal Navy
and the British and French
troops in the war. This is in
fact the fifth time that they
have been invited back and
they have been invited back
again next year.
The party spent five days
being shown around and
looked after in the most
hospitable
way
by
Norwegian families, being
wined and dined in lavish
fashion.
They visited a
German coastal fort called
Utvorda Fortress, where gun
emplacements from the war
are still in place to this day.
To the Norwegians these are
seen as museum pieces so
that younger generations will
understand the conditions of
the occupation. Norway was
under German command for
five years.
They made a
trip to where the British
trawlers were sunk in close
coastal waters. Each of the
members of the party laid
commemorative
flowers.
The boat travelled up the
fjord to a landing where they
had a magnificent lunch at a
restaurant and then returned
to Namsos by coach. The
Norwegian scenery was
breathtaking - sweeping
mountains and fjords make
up the landscape.
Moose
are plentiful and the forests
well stocked with an array of
spectacular evergreens.
This was just one of
several trips visiting places
of interest such as war
memorials and attended an
orchestral concert.
They visited a number of
hosts homes in the evenings
for parties and conversation.
Not that the Norwegians are
great drinkers; they believe
that you do not need to get
drunk to enjoy themserves.
They were shown around
the amenities of Namsos to
get the feel of the Norwegian
way of life.
They visited
schools and swimming pools
and some of the colourful
architecture of the area.
Larry Hazell described the
trip as an experience much
different to any he had
previously had in his travels
and said that the people
were the most friendly he
had encountered anywhere.
__________________________________________________________________________________
HEAVEN
HELL
The police are British
The police are German
The cooks are French
The cooks are British
The car mechanics are German
The car mechanics are French
The lovers are Italian
The lovers are Swiss
And the whole thing is organised
And the whole thing is organised
by the Swiss
by the Italians
___________________________________________________________________________________
From Shipmate Alan Quartermaine comes the following report
EIGHTH DESTROYER ASSOCIATION REUNION, SCARBOROUGH
SEPTEMBER 5th, 6th AND 7th
('C' Class Destroyers on the China Station)
The 8th Destroyer Association is still going strong with over 600 members on its books. Many of these
attended the Association's 15' annual reunion, which was held in glorious weather at Scarborough.
On the Friday eight, the Ocean Rooms of the Spa Centre were packed with shipmates
attending an informal gathering during which the Association was welcomed to Scarborough and its
facilities by the Mayor of the Borough. During the evening, Shipmate Alan Stewart (Concord) was
presented with the Shipmate of the Year award (a glass Chinese junk) for his assistance to the supplies
officers in helping with sales, a job he had done since the Association's second reunion. Later during
the lamp-swinging session Shipmate Mick Farrington produced his usual ship in a bottle which was
raffled and raised £419.00 for the Association's funds.
On the Saturday morning sharp at 1000 hours, Shipmate Frank Leach (Cossack) opened up his slops
chest in the foyer. Orders, sales and cash this year reached £1800.00. Meanwhile, the Archivist set up
his display, which, as usual, was well laid out and covered Flotiila and Squadron activities from 1945
to 1963. This year the archivist had extended his display by a full six display boards (24 square feet of
data) and had placed emphasis on sporting events from the past and on the current state of progress on
HMS Cavalier at Chatham. By 1030 large numbers of shipmates were occupied with studying the
archives purchasing slops and paying their subscriptions.
The bar was closed and the AGM began at 1300 with the Chairmen and standards of ships attending,
followed by the Association standard entering the Ocean Rooms. Our President, Commander Oliver
Wright, and Chairman, Geoff Wagstaff, took their places with the Committee. A brisk and businesslike meeting followed, with the principal announcements being that our finances are on an even keel
and that the committee are prepared to stand for another year. The Archivist. Shipmate Don
Macdonald, gave an update on his work on the HMS Cavalier Memorial Steering Group and also
reported briefly on the excellent progress made in restoring HMS Cavalier during the past year.
Our President, Commander Oliver Wright (Constance), during his speech gave members food for
thought with his ideas on the way ahead for the Association over the coming few years, particuiarly as
members are not noticeably getting younger.
The AGM was brought to a close with the traditional order, "Splice the Mainbrace".
The evening's entertainment commenced at 1930 and went on until midnight. Meanwhile, our Vice
Chairman, Geoff Lane (Cossack) and his volunteers organised the popular annual raffle. The amount
raised this year was £815.00.
On Sunday, our annual memorial service and the dedication of a new Standard for the HMS Caprice
took place at St: Martin's On The Hill at South Cliff. The service was conducted by the Reverend Tony
Mills and our own Padre, Canon Ralph Mayland, RNR. Thirty-two standards lined the church
approach to receive the President and V.I.P.s. This year the parade included individual ship standards,
RNA,.RBL, Parachute Regiment Association, Commando Association standards and a standard and
escort from the U.S. Marine Corps. Some standard bearers had travelled from very far away Shipmate Brian Hibbert (Cosssack) from Portsmouth and Shipmate Richard Watson from Cardigan
Bay.
VIPs attending the service included the Mayor of Scarborough, Councillor Mrs. Freda Coultas and the
mayors of neighbouring towns. Our padre conducted the Dedication service and Shipmate Chris
Hooper, HMS Caprice Association, read the lesson.
The collection raised £250.11, which will be shared between the Church and the Scarborough Branch
of the RNLI.
At about 1330 all hands fell in in St. Martin's Avenue for the parade to the Spa Centre. The parade was
led by our adopted band, TS Cleopatra, the Harrogate Unit of the Sea Cadet Corps. The salute was
taken by our President and the Mayor of the Borough of Scarborough. On completion of the march
past, Standard Bearers were inspected by the VIPs and commemorative badges were issued.
After the presentation, Cadets from T.S. Cleopatra gave a very good drill display, carrying out 44 rifle
movements without orders. The band from TS Cleopatra then gave a musical display to loud applause.
Lieutenant Commander Bill Shakespeare, the outgoing C.O. of TS Cleopatra, was presented with a
Certificate of Honorary Membership of the Eighth Destroyer Association and our President then
presented a number of cadets with badges which included Seamanship Competency, good conduct and
sailing. A collection for the band raised £325.00, which included a generous donation from the
Chairman of the HMS Concord Association, Shipmate Peter Lee-Hale.
The Ships Operatic and Dramatic Society (SODS Opera) then took place. This included some
previously-untapped talent performing, songs, ditties and sketches.
The next reunion will be held at Scarborough on the 3 rd, 4th and 5th of September, 2004.
___________________________________________________________________________________
FRANK’S FINDINGS (one or two observations on life from Frank Spendelow)
SUCCESS is:
Age 4 ……………. … not peeing your pants
Age 12 ……………….. making friends
Age 16 ……………….. having driving licence
Age 20 ……………….. having sex
Age 30 ……………….. making money
Age 40 ……………….. making money
Age 55 ……………….. having sex
Age 65 ……………….. having driving licence
Age 70 ……………….. making friends
Age 80 ……………….. not peeing your pants
____________________
CHARITY
‘Help the Aged’ said the leaflet
Lying just inside my door.
‘Please give as much as you can spare’
But I’ve heard it all before.
Yesterday was ‘Save the Whales’
And ‘will you help the homeless too?’
With last week ‘Help the starving
In outer Timbuktu’.
Some time back I won a tenner
On a scratch card, lucky me.
Thought I’d split my luck with someone
And gave a half to charity.
Next day two came through my door
Closed my eyes and picked just one.
Found I was to give my fiver
To help save ‘Ailing Pelicans’.
Looked to where to send donations,
Then discovered with disgust
No less than fifteen pounds is accepted!
My good intentions bit the dust.
It seems that charity collections
Are now professionally run,
Business men all making fortunes
Creaming off enormous sums.
They don’t want our paltry fivers,
‘Just not viable’ they say
‘It’s all worked out by computers
We need a hundred grand a day’
‘When we’ve covered our expenses
We pass the surplus down the line,
Then your charity is richer By one pound in ninety-nine’.
So now, when I get begging letters,
They’re thrown unopened in the bin.
I wait to see a street collector,
and slip a pound coin in his tin.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Shipmate John Batty (he of “Life Down Under” fame) has been incommunicado since 18th August.
Having been forced finally to agree with his offsprings that his house was too big for him alone, he has
sold it and is taking a holiday of indeterminate length before looking for a more suitable place to live
near his son. He sent the following before signing off temporarily.
The following are some of the problems as submitted by Qantas pilots and the solutions as
recorded by maintenance engineers. By the way Qantas is the only major airline that has
never had an accident.
(P=the problem logged by the pilot)
(S=the solution and action taken by the engineers)
P:
Q:
Left inside main tyre almost needs replacement.
Almost replaced left inside main tyre.
P:
Q:
Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.
P:
Q:
Something loose in cockpit.
Something tightened in cockpit.
P:
Q:
Dead bugs on windshield.
Live bugs on back-order.
P:
S:
Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
Cannot reproduce problem on ground.
P:
S:
Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
Evidence removed.
P:
S:
DME volume unbelievably loud.
DME volume set to more believable level.
P:
S:
Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
That’s what they’re there for.
P:
S:
IFF inoperative.
IFF is always inoperative in OFF mode.
P:
S:
Suspected crack in windshield.
Suspect you’re right.
P:
S:
Number 3 engine missing.
Engine found on right wing after brief search.
P:
S:
Aircraft handles funny.
Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.
P:
S:
Target radar hums.
Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.
P:
S:
Mouse in cockpit.
Cat installed.
P:
Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something
with a hammer.
S:
Took hammer away from midget.
____________________________________________________________________
Thanks John. Hope you’re enjoying your holiday.
The very unfortunate “friendly fire” incidents which we were only too aware of during the recent war
in Iraq have occurred in other wars too. Many of us will remember the incident in 1952 when D57
was bombed (and fortunately missed) by our allies off Korea. The following story illustrates just what
can happen.
DON'T SHOOT - WE'RE REPUBLICANS!
From a 1993 article by Kit Banner of the Sacramento Bee and re-printed in the Canadian
Tribal Destroyer Association web news.
From November 1943, until her demise in June 1945, the American destroyer 'William D
Porter' was often hailed - whenever she entered port or joined other Naval ships - with the
greetings: 'Don't shoot, we're Republicans!'. For a half a century, the US Navy kept a lid on
the details of the incident that prompted this salutation. A Miami news reporter made the first
public disclosure in 1958 alter he stumbled upon the truth while covering a reunion of the
destroyer's crew.
The Pentagon reluctantly and tersely confirmed his story,but only a
smattering of newspapers took notice. Fifty years ago today, the Willie D as the Porter was
nicknamed, accidentally fired a live torpedo at the battleship Iowa during a practice exercise.
As if this weren't bad enough, the Iowa was carrying President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the
time, along with Secretary of State, Cordell Hull and all of the country's WWII military brass.
They were headed for the Big Three Conference in Tehran, where Roosevelt was to meet
Stalin and Churchill. Had the Porter's torpedo struck the Iowa at the aiming point, the last 50
years of world history might have been quite different.
The USS William D Porter (DD-579) was one of hundreds of assembly line destroyers build
during the war.
They mounted several heavy and light guns but their main armament
consisted of 10 fast-running and accurate torpedoes that carried 500 pound warheads. This
destroyer was placed in commission in July 1943 under the command of Wilfred Walker, a
man on the Navy's fast career track. In the months before she was detailed to accompany the
Iowa across the Atlantic in November 1943, the Porter and her crew learned their trade,
experiencing the normal problems that always beset a new ship and a novice crew. The
mishaps grew more serious when she became an escort for the pride of the fleet, the big new
battleship Iowa.
The night before they left Norfolk, bound for North Afiica, the Porter accidentally damaged a
nearby sister ship when she backed down along the other ship's side and her anchor tore
dawn her railings, life rafts, ship's boat and various other formerly valuable pieces of
equipment. The Willie D merely had a scraped anchor, but her career of mayhem and
mishaps had begun. Just twenty four hours later, the four ship convoy consisting of Iowa
and her secret passengers and two other destroyers was under strict instructions to maintain
complete radio silence. As they were going through a known U-boat feeding ground, speed
and silence were the best defence. Suddenly a tremendous explosion rocked the convoy. All
of the ships commenced anti-submarine manoeuvres. This continued until the Porter
sheepishly admitted that one of her depth charges had fallen off her stern and exploded. The
'safety' had not been set as instructed. Captain Walker was watching his fast track career
become side-tracked. Shortly thereafter, a freak wave inundated the ship, stripping away
everything that wasn't lashed down, and a man was washed overboard and never found.
Next, the fire room lost power in one of its boilers. The Captain, by this point was making
reports almost hourly to the Iowa on the Willie D's difficulties. It would have been merciful if
the force commander had detached the hard luck ship and sent her back to Norfolk. But no,
she sailed on.
The morning of 14 November 1943 dawned with a moderate sea and pleasant weather. The
Iowa and her escorts were just east of Bermuda, and the president and his guests wanted to
see how the big ship could defend herself against an air attack. So, Iowa launched a number
of weather balloons to use as anti-aircraft targets. It was exciting to see more then 100 guns
shooting at the balloons, and the President was proud of his Navy. Just as proud was
Admiral Ernest J King, the Chief of Naval Operations; large in size and by demeanour, a true
monarch of the sea. Disagreeing with him meant the end of a naval career. Up to this time,
no one knew what firing a torpedo at him would mean. Over on the Willie D, Captain Walker
watched the fireworks display with admiration and envy. Thinking about career redemption
and breaking the hard luck spell, the Captain sent his impatient crew to battle stations. They
began to shoot down the balloons the Iowa had missed as they drilled into the Porter's
vicinity. Down on the torpedo mounts, the crew watched, waiting to take some practice shots
of their own on the big battleship, which, even though 6000 yards away, seemed to blot out
the horizon.
Lawton Dawson and Tony Fazio were among those responsible for the
torpedoes. Part of their job involved ensuring that the primers were installed during actual
combat and removed during practice. Once a primer was installed, on a command to fire, it
would explode shooting the torpedo out of its tube. Dawson, on this particular morning,
unfortunately had forgotten to remove the primer from torpedo tube No. 3. Up on the bridge,
a new torpedo officer, unaware of the danger, ordered a simulated firing. Fire 1, Fire 2 and
finally Fire 3. There was no 'Fire 4' as the sequence was interrupted by an unmistakable
'whoooooshhhhing' sound made by a successfully launched and armed torpedo.
Lt H
Steward Lewis, who witnessed the entire event later described the next few minutes as what
hell would look like if it ever broke loose.
Just after he saw the torpedo hit water, on its way to the Iowa and some of the most
prominent figures in world history, Lewis innocently asked the Captain, 'Did you give
permission to fire a torpedo?'
Captain Walker's reply will not ring down through naval
history, although words to the effect of Fanagut's immortal 'Damn the torpedoes' figured
centrally within. Initially there was some reluctance to admit what had happened or even to
warn the Iowa. As the awful reality sunk in, people began racing around, shouting conflicting
instructions and attempting to warn the flagship of imminent danger. First, there was a
dashing light warning about the torpedo which unfortunately indicated it was headed in
another direction. Next, the Porter signalled that it was going reverse at full speed! Finally,
they decided to break the strictly enforced radio silence. The radio operator on the destroyer
transmitted 'Lion (code for the Iowa), Lion, come right. The Iowa operator, more concerned
about radio procedure, requested that the offending station identify itself first. Finally, the
message was received and the Iowa began turning to avoid the speeding torpedo.
Meanwhile, on the Iowa's bridge, word of the torpedo firing had reached FDR, who asked that
his wheelchair be moved to the railing so he could see better what was coming his way. His
loyal Secret Service guard immediately drew his pistol as if he was going to shoot the
torpedo. As the Iowa began evasive manoeuvres, all of her guns were trained on the William
D Porter. There was now some thought that the Porter was part of an assassination plot.
Within moments of the warning there was a tremendous explosion just behind the battleship.
The torpedo had been detonated by the wash kicked up by the battleship's increased speed.
The crisis was over and so was Captain Walker's career. His final utterance to the Iowa, in
response to a question about the origin of the torpedo, was a weak, 'We did it'. Shortly
thereafter, the brand new destroyer, her Captain and the entire crew were placed under arrest
and sent to Bermuda for trial. It was the first time that a complete ship's company had been
arrested in the history of the US Navy. The ship was surrounded by Marines when it docked
in Bermuda and held there several days as the closed session inquiry attempted to determine
what had happened. Torpedoman Dawson eventually confessed to having inadvertently left
the primer in the torpedo tube, which caused the launching. Dawson had thrown the used
primer over the side to conceal his mistake.
The whole incident was chalked up to an unfortunate set of circumstances and placed under
a cloak of secrecy. Someone had to be punished. Captain Walker and several other Porter
officers and sailors eventually found themselves in obscure shore assignments. Dawson was
sentenced to 14 years hard labour. President Roosevelt intervened however, asking that no
punishment be metered out for what was clearly an accident. The destroyer was banished to
the upper Aleutians. It was probably thought this was as safe a place as any for the ship and
anyone who came near her. She remained in the frozen north for almost a year, until late
1944, when she was re-assigned to the Western Pacific. Before leaving the Aleutians, she
accidentally left her calling card in the form of a five inch shell fired into the front yard of the
American base commandant, thus rearranging his flower garden. In December 1944, she
joined the Philippine invasion forces and acquitted herself quite well. She distinguished
herself by shooting down a number of attacking Japanese aircraft. Regrettably, after the war,
it was reported that she also shot down three American planes. This was a common event on
ships, as many gunners, fearful of kamikazes, had nervous trigger fingers.
In April 1945, the destroyer was assigned to support the invasion of Okinawa. By this time,
the greeting "Don't Shoot, We're Republicans" was commonplace and the crew of the Willie D
had become used to the ribbing. But the crew of her sister ship, the USS Luce, was not so
polite in its salutations after the Porter accidentally riddled her side and superstructure with
gunfire. On 10 June 1945, the Porter's hard luck finally ran out. She was sunk by a plane
which had (unintentionally) attacked underwater. A Japanese bomber almost made entirely
of wood and canvas slipped through the Navy's defence. Having little in the way of metal
surfaces, the plane didn't register on radar. A fully loaded kamikaze, it was headed for a ship
near the Porter, but just at the last moment veered away and crashed along side the unlucky
destroyer. There was a sigh of relief as the plane sunk out of site, but then it blew up
underneath the Porter, opening her hull in the worst possible location.
Three hours later, after the last man was off board, the Captain jumped to the safety of rescue
vessel and the ship that almost changed world history slipped astern into 2400 feet of water.
Not a single soul was lost in the sinking. After everything else that happened, it was almost
as if the ship had decided to let her crew off at the end.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Anne P. Smith (daughter of the late L03 S/M David Grant) sent in the following which, with fear for
my knee-caps, I include.
IRISH G.C.E.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Who won the Second World War?
Who came second?
What is the silver dollar made of?
Explain Einstein’s Theory of Hydrodynamics (or write your name in Block Capitals)
Spell the following: (a) Cat (b) Dog (c) Carrot
What time is News at Ten?
Approximately how many commandments was Moses given?
There have been six Kings of England named George, name the other five.
Write down the numbers from one to ten.
(Marks will be deducted for every one out of
sequence).
Who invented Stephenson’s Rocket?
What instrument does Phil the Fluter play?
Do you understand Newton’s Law of Gravity (answer YES or NO)
Of what country is Dublin the capital? (Candidates must not write on more than two sides of
the paper).
Spot the deliberate mistake: “An apple a day gathers no moss”
Name the off man out: Seamus O’Toole, Mahatma Ghandi, Sean O’Flattery, Patric Murphy.
Who is the odd man out: Cardinal Heenan, The Pope, Jack the Ripper, The Archbishop of
Canterbury.
Is a Dunker:
(a)
A person who dips biscuites in his tea?
(b)
A contraceptive?
(c)
A lorry for motorway construction?
Name the winning jockey of the 1972 Greyhound Derby?
Who built the Great Pyramids: McAlpine, Wimpeys, Pharoas, Thyssens?
In the 1973 Irish Sheep Dog Trials how many dogs were found guilty?
ANYONE FOUND COPYING WILL BE AWARDED DOUBLE MARKS FOR INITIATIVE.
___________________________________________________________________________________
THE SPICE OF LIFE
A man and a woman were sitting beside each other in the first class section of the plane. The woman
sneezed, took out a tissue, gently wiped her nose and shuddered quite violently for 10 to 15 seconds.
The man went back to reading.
A few minutes later, the woman sneezed again, tok out a tissue and wiped her nose and shuddered quite
violently, again for several seconds. The man was becoming more and more curious about the
shuddering.
A few minutes passed and the woman sneezed - again followed by a lengthy shudder. The man
couldn’t restrain his curiosity. He turned to the woman and said, “You have sneezed three times,
wiped your nose with a tissue, then shuddered violently. Are you OK?”
“I’m sorry if I disturbed you”, the woman replied. “I have a rare condition and every time I sneeze I
have an orgasm”.
The man was a little embarrassed, but even more curious said, “I’ve never heard of this condition
before. What are you taking for it?”
The woman looked at him and said, “Pepper”.
___________________________________________________________________________________
E-MAIL
The latest list of e-mail addresses for members is given below.
Admiral Sir James Eberle
Margaret Atherton
Bill Bartholomew
Fred Barton
Keith Batchelor
Mike Bath
John Batty
John Bishop
Tony Brown
Tom Brown
Philip Bryant
George Bye
Russell Campling
Jack Caswell
Mike Cook
Fred Cook
Fred Cooper
Fred Craddock
Stan Edgell
Alan Edinborough
Geoff Embley
Dave Fenton
Liz Foster-Hall
Pat Gaffney
Betty Gilham
Alistair Gordon
Geirr Haarr
Stan Hannaford
Peter Harrison
Dave Hawkes
David Helyar
David Higgins
Tom Kay
Alec Kellaway
Graham Keyes
Brian Lambie
Geoff Lane
Stan Leadbetter
Brian Luter
Bob McLean
Peter Marchant
Terry Matthews
AdmiralJim@lineone.net
MAAthert@aol.com
bill@hmscossack.freeserve.co.uk
fred@fbarton90.freeserve.co.uk
keith@beaconroad.freeserve.co.uk
soapy@mickbath.freeserve.co.uk
On walkabout - waiting for new
jbishop.cossack@onetel.net.uk
tony@beaufort83.fsnet.com
t.mbrown@bmts.com
philip.bryant@ukonline.co.uk
g_bye@talk21.com
russellcampling@hotmail.com
Jack1cas@aol.com
MikeStensonCook@aol.com
fredcookhome@ntlworld.com
frederick.cooper@ntlworld.com
eigthds@aol.com
edgellas@aol.com
aedinborough@o2.co.uk
naughtycal@ns.sympatico.ca
dfenton@rogers.com
liz@foster-hall.freeserve.co.uk
valerie.gaffney@btopenworld.com
egilham@bushinternet.co.uk
alfaye.gordon@tiscali.co.uk
ghaa@statoil.com
stanhannaford@hotmail.com
cossack.assn@tiscali.co.uk
patanda@btinternet.com
Davehelyar@aol.com
dhiggin8@ford.com
tom@kaybn13.freeserve.co.uk
Alec.Kellaway@ukgateway.net
Gkeyes@btinternet.com
bds.classics@ntlworld.com
Geofflane@tesco.net
alanesewell@hotmail.com
b17luter@ntlworld.com
bisnad@aol.com
peter.bosun@virgin.net
matthewsllb@tinyworld.co.uk
Dusty Miller
Finn Nesvold
Doug Parkinson
Brian Patterson
Jack Price
Jack Race
Philip Remnant
Harry Ripp
Don Rush
Ken Satterthwaite
Geoff Scarlett
Dr. Neil Shand
Anne Smith
Frank Spendelow
Carol Taylor
Les & Jean Taylor
F.M. Thomas
Colin Trigg
Mike Tunks
Frank Weedon
Don Whittick
John Williams
GEMSPEC@FSBDial.co.uk
f-nesvo@online.no
dparkinson@onetel.net.uk
bhp.ports@virgin.net
Ppamelajack@aol.com
racebe@aol.com
bees@premnant.fsnet.co.uk
hripp@hotkey.net.au
donval.rush@virgin.net
kensatt@tinyonline.co.uk
gscarl@aol.com
nshand@zip.com.au
annepsmith@talk21.com
frank.spendelow@tesco.net
carol@snookerdebts.co.uk
jeles@taylor3.evesham.net
f.m.thomas@ntlworld
colin@northgate99.freeserve.co.uk
miketunks@hotmail.com
frank.sheila@fweedon.freeserve.co.uk
dewhit@mail.pacificcoast.net
john@josylanja.freeserve.co.uk
___________________________________________________________________________________