DESTROYER An anthology of first-hand accounts of the war at sea 1939-1945

Edited by

Ian Hawkins

Foreword by

Len Deighton Introduction by

Rear Admiral John Hervey, CB, OBE, RN, Retd.

CONWAY MARITIME PRESS

DESTROYER 16

Introduction by Rear Admiral John Hervey, RN, Retd.

fi§3§ 20

Prologue to 1939 by Rear Admiral John Hervey, RN, Retd.

21

Early Days • Iain Nethercott, DSM, Gunner, HMS Keith

35

The Sinking of the SS Huntsman and the Demise of the Admiral GrafSpee • Norman Watson A Personal Reminiscence • Lieutenant Commander Derek House, RN, Retd., HMS Boadicea

37 39

HMS Boadicea - T h e Early Days • Lieutenant Commander Hubert C. Fox, RN, Retd., HMS Boadicea

41

The Sinking of HMS Blanche • Signalman Noel Thome, HMS Blanche

42

Magnetic Mine Menace • Excerpt from The Battle of the East Coast 1939-45 by Julian P. Foynes

46

Prologue to 1940 by Rear Admiral John Hervey, RN, Retd.

47

Channel Patrol • Lieutenant Commander Hubert C. Fox, RN, Retd., HMS Boadicea

49

Anthologist's Note: Invasion of the Low Countries

50

A Trip t o S e a • Petty Officer Roland Butler, Engine Room Artificer, HMS Beagle

55

Anthologist's Note: A Rating's Experience of Narvik

57

Excerpt from Blood, Tears and Folly by Len Deighton

57

Anthologist's Note: Ramifications of Defeat

57

Anthologist's Note: Evacuation from France

58

'An Incredible Achievement' • Excerpt from Hold the Narrow Sea by Peter C. Smith

59

Events Leading to the Evacuation of Boulogne

67

• Iain Nethercott, HMS Keith • Captain Sam Lombard-Hobson, RN, Retd., HMS Whitshed Boulogne: First Full Story of Evacuation • From the Cambridge Evening News, Tuesday, 28 May 1940

71

Message to all Commanding Officers of Royal Navy Destroyers • Admiral Bertram Ramsay, RN

72

HMS Keith at Dunkirk • Iain Nethercott, HMS Keith

74

Events Leading t o t h e Sinking of HMS Basilisk • By G. P. 'Phil' Merryweather

75

The Loss of HMS Keith • Telegraphist John Beeley, Stoker John Cranston, DSM, and Gunner Iain Nethercott, HMS Keith

90

A Prayer Answered • Able Seaman Ron Blacker, HMS Boadicea • Lieutenant F. J. G. Hewitt, RN, HMS Bulldog • Lieutenant Hubert C. Fox, RN, HMS Boadicea

97

Disaster at St. Nazaire: SS Lancastria • Corporal Sidney Gaze, British Army

Contents

99

Anthologist's Note: 'The Battle of France is Over'

100 HMS Beagle on the West Coast of France • Petty Officer R. V. Butler, Engine Room Artificer, HMS Beagle 101 Mission to the River Gironde, 22-23 June 1940 • Able Seaman Michael Back, HMS Boadicea 103

Anthologist's Note: A c t i o n a t O r a n

103 Brazen G o e s Down Fighting • Excerpt from Hold The Narrow Sea by Peter C. Smith 105 More British Destroyers • Article from the Daily Telegraph, 23 July 1940 105 Excerpt from British Destroyers by E. J. March 106 A V i e w f r o m t h e G e r m a n Side

• Excerpt from Sea Warfare 1939-1945: A German Viewpoint by Admiral Friedrich Ruge 108 Anthologist's Note: O n P a t r o l w i t h Boreas and

Brilliant

109 A V i e w f r o m t h e M e r c h a n t N a v y 1939-41 • Sidney Davies

112 Excerpt from Blood, Tears and Folly by Len Deighton 113 Anthologist's Note: The Loss of the Arandora Star 114 W i n t e r Diary of HMS Brilliant • By Stanley Jones, HMS Brilliant

118 Prologue to 1941 by Rear Admiral John Hervey, RN, Retd. 119 The Admiral of Tobermory • Iain Nethercott, ex-HMS Keith 119 The Hunters • Excerpt from Blood, Tears and Folly by Len Deighton 122 'A Brilliant Orange Flash...' • Excerpt from The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat 123

T h e Sinking of t h e A r m e d M e r c h a n t C r u i s e r H M S

Comorin

• Iain Nethercott, HMS Keith, and Tristan Jones, HMS Comorin 127 OB 318 - The Exploits of a Second World W a r Convoy • By F. T. Grover 132 Gott Mit W h o m ? T h e Capture of U-l 10 • Lieutenant Commander David Balme, RN, Retd., as told to John McCormick, Military History Magazine (incorporating excerpts from 'Memories of the Boarding of U-l 10' by Lieutenant Commander David Balme, RN, Retd.) • Official Report by Commander A. J. Baker-Cresswell, RN, 10 May 1941 • Official Report by Sub-Lieutenant David Balme, RN, 11 May 1941 143 Excerpt from Ultra Goes to War by Ronald Lewin 144 'No Mean A c c o m p l i s h m e n t ' • Poem by John Baker, Telegraphist, HMS Bulldog 147 Anthologist's Note: Breathing Space

• Letter from Commander Baker-Cresswell, RN, Retd.

to Lieutenant Commander Balme, RN, Retd., Christmas 1998. 147 Before Pearl Harbor • Able Seaman Michael Back, HMS Boadicea 149 A Tribute t o HM Submarines • Iain Nethercott, ex-HMS Keith 152 On Patrol with HMS Boreas • Able Seaman Albert Halls, Gunner, HMS Boreas BliJUOTB'®

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DESTROYER

if42 154 Prologue to 1942 by Rear Admiral John Hervey, RN, Retd. 155 Random N o t e s by an Anonymous Watchkeeper • On board HMS Boadicea 159 H o m e and Away • Ron Blacker, ex-HMS Boadicea 162 T h e History of U-581 • Via the HMS Westcott Association 166 Engaging Scharnhorst, Gneisenau & Prinz Eugen • John Beeley, Telegraphist, ex-HMS Keith 169 Destroyer Action in Defence of Russian Convoy QP 11 • Article from the Daily Express, 31 July 1942 171

T h e Tragedy of PQ 17 • By R. F. 'Dick' Fearnside, Chief Radio Operator, SS Hartlebury

174 Convoy P Q 17 • Excerpt from Convoys to Russia by Bob Ruegg and Arnold Hague 176 'Sheer Bloody Murder' • Excerpt from Arctic Convoys by Richard Woodman 178 Convoy Duty in t h e Med. • Ron Blacker, HMS Boadicea • Article from The Gibraltar Chronicle, 9 July 1942 179 A View from a Signalman • Signalman David Walker, HMS Bulldog 182 Anthologist's Note: T h e Queen Mary 183 Anti-Submarine Patrols over the Gulf of Mexico • Tommy Loftin, Pilot, USAAC/USAAF 185 HMS Petard and U-559 • Mark Baldwin 187 Don's Diary • Signalman J. D. 'Don' Gooch, HMS Boadicea 194 A 'Sort Out* in Gib. • Iain Nethercott, ex-HMS Keith 195 A Christmas Miracle • Lieutenant Jack Keir, RN, HMS Boadicea 197 Arctic Convoys • Excerpt from British Destroyers by E. J. March 198 A W a r t i m e Battle Against t h e Elements • Alfred Carpenter, HMS Caldwell

if 43 204 Prologue to 1943 by Rear Admiral John Hervey, RN, Retd. 205 A View from the Engine Room (Part I) • Angus Currie, Engine Room Artificer, HMS Brilliant 210 A'Happy Threesome' Go out Hunting Together • Gordon Holman, the Evening Standard, 12 March 1943 211 Closing the Gap Over the North Atlantic •Jack Adams, B-25 & B-24 Navigator, USN/USAAF 214 2,000 Mile Liberators Help Beat U-Boats in Mid-Atlantic •Article from Stars And Stripes, 10 June 1943 214 Excerpt from Convoy by Martin Middlebrook 216 Anthologist's Note: ' W h o W a s Right?'

Contents • Excerpts from a 1977 speech by Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris 217 Anthologist's Note: U-Boat Bunker 218 Crossing The Line 226 A View from the Merchant Navy 1941 -1943 (cont'd) • Sidney Davies, Merchant Navy 228 A Royal Salute • Iain Nethercott, ex-HMS Keith 232 'Underneath the Surface' • Poem 233 A Learning Process • Len Perry, HMS Beagle 234 Doctor at Sea • Surgeon Captain R. S. McDonald, RN, Retd., HMS Beagle 239 Anthologist's Note: Nadir 239

' T h e B u r n i n g T a n k e r ' • Excerpt from The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat

241

Anthologist's Note: A m e r i c a n Gasoline t o t h e G e r m a n s

flfkM Ll I'

u if

244 Prologue to 1944 by Rear Admiral John Hervey, RN, Retd. 246 All in a Day's Work • Lieutenant Deryk Wakem, RN Writer, HMS Verdun 250 Big Convoy to Russia Gets Through • From the East Anglian Daily Times, 20 May 1944 253 'U-boat Germans' • Excerpt from The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat 255 A Spelling Problem • Len Perry, Stoker, HMS Beagle 256 A Kiss from Betty Hutton • Iain Nethercott, ex-HMS Keith 258 Exercise 'Tiger' - A View from the German Side • Arno Abendroth 260 Russian Convoy RA 59 - April/May 1944 • Able Seaman Michael Back, HMS Boadicea 260 Anthologist's Note: RA 59: Allied Success 262 Annals of War and Peace (Part I) • E. J. Kahn, Jr. (via 'Jack' Adams, USN/USAAF) 266 USS Guadalcanal Task Group and U-505: The events of 4 June 1944 and their significance • By Captain R. J. Schlaff, USN, Ret'd 269 Anthologist's Note: 'A Thousand Miles From Salt Water...' • Excerpt from We Captured A U-Boat by Rear Admiral David Gallery, USN, Ret'd 269 Overlord - Order of Battle • Excerpt from Chronology of the War At Sea 19391945 by J. Rohwer and G. Hummelchen 275 Destroyer Diary of D-Day • Desmond Tighe (Reuters) on HMS Beagle 277 Men W h o Got their Tanks Through • From the Yorkshire Post, 8 June 1944 by Desmond Tighe on HMS Beagle 278 A Vision of Hell • Len Perry, Stoker, HMS Beagle 280 Channel Convoy • Surgeon Captain R. S. McDonald, RN, Retd., HMS Beagle 282 'No Greater Heroism...' • William V. McDermott, USN, LST314

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285 'A B e a m of Light...' • Albert Duncan, USN,

LST376

288 Anthologist's Note: HMS Beagle: Commendation 288 Memories of HMS Beagle • George W. Miller, Gunner, HMS Beagle 290 The Sinking of HMS Boadicea, 13 June 1944 • Excerpt from Hold The Narrow Sea by Peter C. Smith • Lieutenant Harry Howting, Able Seaman John Randall, HMS Boadicea • Sidney Davies, SS Freeman Hatch; Jack Yeatman and George Hattesley, HMS Pearl 294 Glider B o m b is N o 'Toy' • Article from the Milwaukee Sentinel, 24 January 1944 294 Anthologist's Note: Fritz-X and HS 293 Missiles 296 The Sinking of HMS Swift • Official report by Captain J. R. Gower, DSC, RN, Retd. 298 Returning H o m e • Iain Nethercott, ex-HMS Keith 301

Russian Convoy JW 61 • Len Perry, Stoker, HMS Beagle

305 Convoys JW 62/RA 62, November/December 1944 • Michael Back 307 A View from the Engine Room (Part II) • Angus Currie, Engine Room Artificer, HMS Brilliant 308 A Survivor's Story • Morton Wood, Jr., 66th Infantry Division, US Army 312 A View from an Infantryman • Richard L. Dutka, 66th Infantry Division, US Army

!§4S 316 Prologue to 1945 by Rear Admiral John Hervey, RN, Retd. 317 A View from the Engine Room (Part III) • Angus Currie, Engine Room Artificer, HMS Brilliant 319 Excerpt from Arctic Convoys by Richard Woodman 319 T h e Loss of HMS Lapwing • Commander Ian Leitch, RN, Retd. 322 Liberating a Piece of Occupied Britain • Denis Abbott, Senior Telegraphist, HMS Bulldog 324 The Liberation of Sark • Lieutenant E. A. Cowell, RNVR, Retd., HMS Beagle 326 War's End • From the East Anglian Daily Times, Ipswich, 8 May 1945 329 Bulldog's Crew in Battersea • From the South Western Star, Battersea, 20 July 1945 330 Anthologist's Note: The USS Laffey off Okinawa • US Navy Battle Report; excerpted from Bulletin Airwar 1939-1945 332 Victory in t h e Pacific • Chief Petty Officer Ron Blacker, ex-HMS Boadicea 333 W e n t t h e Day Well? • Excerpt from Blood, Tears and Folly by Len Deighton 334 Counting t h e C o s t • Excerpt from British Destroyers, by E. J. March

Contents

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11

EPILOGUE 336 Epilogue by Rear Admiral John Hervey, RN, Retd. 336 Annals of War and Peace (Part II) • E. J. Kahn, Jr. (Via 'Jack' Adams, USN/USAAF) 338 A View from the Engine Room (Part IV) • Angus Currie, Engine Room Artificer, HMS Brilliant 340 A View from the Merchant Navy, 1944-2000 • Sidney Davies 342 Postscript • Ron Blacker, ex-HMS Boadicea 343 'Requiem for a Fleet' • Poem 347 Bringing Forgotten Stories Back to Life • Lisa Sabbage 349 Anthologist's Note: Pilgrimage to Portland 350 An Extraordinary Reunion • Chief Petty Officer Charles Savona, USN, 1ST 812 352 Save our Ship - HMS Cavalier, the Last of the Second World W a r British Destroyers • Preserving HMS Cavalier • Cavalier Opened Below Decks • HMS Cavalier - The Ship 355 The Naval Hymn • W. Whiting APPENDICES 356 A P P E N D I X I • SECOND WORLD WAR STATISTICS 356 A P P E N D I X II • HISTORIES OF THE'B' CLASS DESTROYERS 373 A P P E N D I X III • DERIVATION OF'B' CLASS NAMES & SHIPS' BADGES 377 A P P E N D I X IV • DESTROYER SONGS 379 A P P E N D I X V • TERMS A N D EXPRESSIONS USED BY THE ROYAL NAVY 384 A P P E N D I X V I • SOME CONVOY ESCORT TERMS A N D PROCEDURES 385 A P P E N D I X V I I * THE ENIGMA MACHINE 389 A P P E N D I X V I I I • SHIPS STRUCK BY GERMAN AIR-TO-SURFACE MISSILES 391 A P P E N D I X I X • STANDARD OIL/ROYAL DUTCH SHELL EXPORTS TO I. G. FARBEN GROUP 392 A P P E N D I X X • NAVAL OBITUARIES

410

BIBLIOGRAPHY

412

INDEX