south african naval personnel seconded tothe royal …

SOUTH AFRICAN NAVAL PERSONNELSECONDED TO THE ROYAL NAVYDURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

1939-1945LT CDR W. M. BISSET*

Cdr H. R. Gordon-Cumming has written that inthe early days of the Second World War largedrafts of RNVR (SA) officers and ratings weretaken by the few British Warships which called atSimonstown and Durban to make up their warcomplements and that later on 'Union nationalstook part in nearly every major naval operationand also performed all manner of obscure duties,from minesweeping in the Faroe Islands tonautical surveying up the West River in China.Even the explosion of one of the atomic bombs inJapan was witnessed by a South African prisonerof war - a young RNVR seaman who had servedin HMS Exter, sunk after the Battle of the JavaSea." This fascinating statement leaves thereader wanting to know the full story of ourseconded naval personnel since it is clear that it isa particularly interesting and proud record ofservice.

Although South Africa's first naval volunteer unit,

the Port Elizabeth Naval Volunteer Brigade wasraised in 1861 and our volunteer sailors servedashore during the South African War of1899-1902, Zulu Rebellion of 1906 and the FirstWorld War 1914-1918 and although our sailorsalso served afloat in the Great War and acquittedthemselves well, it was not until the SecondWorld War that the most glorious deeds in ournaval history were performed. Whilst the actionsfought by our sailors in our own ships willinevitably mean more to South Africans thanthose fought in Royal Navy ships, it is important tonotice that our volunteer sailors and wartimevolunteers quickly learnt the ropes in thebattleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers,submarines and the other ships in which theyserved.

It is clear that a full account of the service of ourseconded naval personnel during the SecondWorld War and the 78 members of the Union

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HMS Carnarvon Castle after her engagement with theGerman raider Thor.

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Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 12, Nr 1, 1982. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za

Defence Forces who were seconded to the RoyalMarines would entail a very considerable amountof research in the SA Defence Force Archivesand elsewhere. However some fascinating ac-counts of the actions in which some of ourseconded personnel took part have beenpublished and since some of these are in books inwhich one might not expect to find them andsince some new archive material has come myway, this article has been written in the hope thatit will facilitate the task of someone who is able totackle the topic comprehensively.

This offering covers only South Africans se-conded to the Royal Navy. Those South Africanswho joined the RN, RNR, and RNVR direct merit aseparate article.

The most important yardstick of the operationalinvolvement of our seconded naval personnel isprobably the Union of South Africa Roll of Honour1939-45 which fortunately lists the ship or shoreestablishment in which those who lost their livesserved. War in the Southern Oceans alsoprovides some helpful information on this topic.Early in the Second World War 82 RNVR (SA)ratings, most of whom were seamen gunners,were drafted to the Armed Merchant CruisersHMS Carnarvon Castle, Bulolo, Comorin andEsperance Bay.2

CPO H. Heynes, a RNVR (SA) rating who servedin HMS Carnarvon Castle during the action withthe German raider Thoron 5 December 1940 hasrecorded that some of the 27 (28 according toGordon-Cumming et al) injured and woundedwere 'very badly burnt when cordite went up.' Headds that Cdre F. H. Pegram gave them 'highpraise on the morning of 6 December'. CPOHeynes records that Carnarvon Castle scored' 17hits approximately and that Thor scored approxi-mately 23 hits.3 In fact, the official history recordsthat Carnarvon Castle scored no hits,'4 Captain S.W. Roskill, RN has written 'the big lightly-armedBritish ship was outranged and seriously dam-aged.'5 Mr D. A. James who was drafted as guncrew from the RNVR (SA) Base at Durban to HMSCarnarvon Castle in September 1939 has writtenan account of the engagement with Thor whichhas been published in The Outspan.

Mid (now Cdre) E. W. Jupp and 19 othermembers of the RNVR (SA) served in HMSAsturias an Armed Merchant Cruiser. Cdre Jupphas described the persuit and capture of the VichyFrench ship Mendoza off Punta del Este in

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January 1941 in an article in the SA Yachting1979 South Atlantic Race Brochure.6

Although the loss of the Armed Merchant CruiserHMS Comorin was caused by a fire on board inthe North Atlantic on 6 April 1941 and not byenemy action, the descriptions of her end leaveone in no doubt that this was a terrible nightmare.Sir Peter Scott (Lt Cdr MBE, DSC, RNVR duringthe Second World War) who was ExecutiveOfficer of HMS Broke the destroyer whicheffected the extremely hazardous rescue of mostof the Comorin survivors has written an enthrall-ing account of this episode in Chapter 9 of hisautobiography, The Eye ofthe Wind, entitled 'Fireat Sea.? The book includes a photograph of apainting by the author of Hms Comorin sinking bythe bows with HMS Broke standing by.

Although lifeboats and rafts were successfullylaunched some lives were lost before the rescueships could be reached and the mountainouswaves (between fifty and sixty feet from trough tocrest) made it seem impossible to go alongsideComorin.8

Sub Lt R. M. Maud, who was then one of theRNVR (SA) ratings serving in this ship and waslater commissioned, described his ordeal in aletter to his father part of which is published belowwith his kind permission:

'I was on the upper deck when a signal camethrough from the newly arrived destroyer. I wasstanding next to the Captain when the signalmangave him the message which said, 'Attempting toreach your stern'. I heard the Skipper say itcouldn't be done. Never the less I decided to getas far aft as possible and if a chance presenteditself I would jump for it. By this time it was totallydark and the ship roaring for all it was worth.Thank goodness the magazines were flooded.

The destroyer did crash alongside (thirty times) Ijumped with Aubrey and a stoker on the secondtime she came near enough. When I landed safelyI believe I said a silent prayer. Everyone saidafterwards we were mad to do it. It was our onlyhope though and instinct told me the distance Icould manage with a big enough spring. I couldhave jumped the first time only I was fouled withthe sheepskin coat I had picked up to wear againas it was so cold.

Eventually - thank God, everyone had left ourship, not however without a few fellows misjudg-ing the jumping distance and falling between the


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HMS Comorin and HMS Broke.

two ships. One, only a fellow of seventeen waspicked up. One CPO was going mad so ourCommander socked him and he was thrown onboard the destroyer.

When we had all left our ola ship the destroyertorpedoed her and she was left sinking.

From crashing alongside so many times the shipwe were now on had stove in practically the wholeof her port side with big holes in several parts ofthe fore d~ck.

For three days we were onboard this craft,crowded together on th,e starboard side. One wasvery lucky if room was found to sit down, if you didyour feet would still get wet. Fellows, many ofthem had broken limbs. Water was rushingthrough the holes and every able bodied man waskept busy for all he was worth, bailing the waterout night and day to stop her from flooding. Thetwo foremost compartments were flooded al-together and shaws had to be rigged to stop thebulkheads giving in.

No one had any sleep for these three nights and

12

days except a few of the injured who wece givenhammocks.

Food was scarce but tins of ship's biscuits wereopened which satisfied everyone. It reminded meat the time of Dad's bedtime stories 'Fire in thestoke hold' - ship's biscuits and water, etc.

Water was very short so we were unable to washand a pretty sight we looked, when with oldclothes on, we marched up the street to a NavalCanteen, when we landed to get food andclothing. This was at Greenock. Many sympathe-tic remarks were passed by civilians who saw thesixty odd of us. '9

In the Mediterranean the record of the ships inwhich our seconded sailors served was impres-sive. HMS Gloucester, a Southampton classcruiser, first visited Cape Town in April 1940 andRNVR (SA) sailors were drafted to the ship then.lOWhile returning from picking up survivors fromHMS Greyhound South of Kithera on 22 May1941, the Gloucesterwas crippled by bombs fromenemy aircraft and later sank. 49 Officers and 673ratings perished." Admiral of the Fleet ViscountCunningham of Hyndhope has written of HMSGloucester 'she had endured all things, and no


ship had worked harder or had had more riskytasks. She had been hit by bombs more than anyother vessel and had always come up smiling'.12

Even more tragic was the loss of HMS Neptune, aLeander class cruiser, on 19 December 1941.The ship first visited the Africa Station in 1937.After successively striking four mines sometwenty miles east of Tripoli the ship capsized.Although Capt R. C. O'Conor, RN, commandingthe Neptune, had made the signal 'Keep away',HMS Kandahar gallantly attempted to go to her aiduntil a mine blew off her stern. Capt A. D. Nicholl,commanding HMS Penelope, then gave the orderto return to Malta. Although many members ofNeptune's ship's company got away from thesinking ship, only one of the sixteen who were stillalive at daybreak survived the four day ordeal on araft which followed.13

Four South African-built whalers, Syvern, KosXXI, Kos XXII, and Kos XXIII were commissionedas British anti-submarine whalers in the Mediter-ranean. Two of these ships were commanded byseconded South African officers: HMS Syvern (LtA. R. J. Tilston, RNR who took command when

her captain was wounded) and HMS Kos XXI (LtCdr I. F. H. Wilson, RNVR (SA). HMS Syvernsurvived an attack by enemy aircraft on 21 May1941 in which her ammunition locker was ignitedand another on 23 May 1941 in which she was hitby fourteen bombs. On 27 May, 1941, Syvern andKos XXII were discovered lying up beneath somecliffs and were bombed and sunk by enemyaircraft. The survivors trekked overland toSphakia.14 Lt Tilston was later decorated with theDistinguished Service Cross and promotedtemporary acting lieutenant-commander.

At 13h40 on 5 April 1942 (Easter Sunday)Japanese dive bombers of Vice-Admiral Kondo'sforce sank two County class cruisers, HMSOorsetshire and HMS Cornwall which weresteaming in company some 400 miles fromCeylon. The fascinating autobiography of CaptAugustus Agar, VC, DSO, RN, Footprints in theSea, contains a moving description of the loss ofthe Oorsetshire and some information concerningthe South Africans who served in this ship.Although Capt Agar states that there were 50South Africans in the Oorsetshire15 it is possiblethat some of them had joined the RN, RNR or

HMS Hermes

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Survivors: HMS Hermes.

RNVR direct and were not seconded RNVR (SA)personnel.

The illustrations in this book include someremarkable photographs of the sinking ship andsurvivors. For 30 hours after the Dorsetshire andCornwall had gone down survivors waited in thewater on overcrowded Carley floats, wood or inthe case of the fortunate minority in a motor boator whaler. In shark and barracuda invested watersthe feelings of the shocked and in some caseswounded survivors can be imagined. A secondedSouth African, Lt Cdr Geoffrey Berlyn was one ofthe officers who swam between the groups ofsurvivors of the Dorsetshire in the water to boosttheir morale.16 Lt K. G. Dimbleby has written avaluable account of the loss of the Cornwall inHostilities Only which describes his wartimeservice career, much of which was spent as aRNVR (SA) rating in this shipY

Sixteen seconded South Africans were lost inHMS Hermes, a Courageous class aircraft carrier,and five in HMS Hollyhock, a Flower classcorvette on 9 April 1942. Both ships had put tosea to evade a Japanese air attack but werespotted returning to Trincomalee. 'Forty bomb

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hits in ten minutes sank the Hermes'. Fortunatelya nearby hospital ship rescued over 600 survivorsfrom these two ships HMS Vampire and twotankers.18

Able Seaman E. H. Little's censored wartimeaccount of his service on secondment to the RN,The Luck of HMS Dragon, describes hisexperiences in this singularly fortunate '0' Classcruiser and includes an account of the torrid timehe spent in HMS Edinburgh Castle, then a navaldepot ship, in Freetown where the temperaturewas well over 100 degrees in the shade.'9 Thebook contains a roll of the South Africans whoserved in HMS Dragon: Lt (later Cdre) J. J. Riceand 45 ratings.2o

Two seconded South Africans were lost in HMSEdinburgh, a Southampton class cruiser, whentwo torpedoes from U-456 blew off her stern on30 April 1942 whilst she was covering convoyQP11 from Russia. The story cf her painfully slowattempt to reach Murmansk and her spiritedengagement with three German destroyers in theBarents Sea in which she and her escortsForester and Foresight succeeded in sinking one


of her attackers makes enthralling reading.Fortunately the German destroyers over-estimated the strength of the RN force andwithdrew. Damage inflicted on the Edinburghforced HMS Foresight to sink her but despite theheavy weather all save 2 officers and 56 ratingswere rescued.21

The story of the seconded South Africans whoserved in X-craft has been told by Capt W. R. Fell,CMG, CBE, DSC in The Sea Our Shield, 22 and byC. E. T. Warren and James Benson in Above usthe Waves.23

It Aubrey Staples, a product of the Sats GeneralBotha, was entrusted with the extremely hazar-dous task of training men in midget submarinewarfare. The calm and collected manner in whichhe attempted to save his doomed X-craft when itcollided with a surface vessel and he and two ofthe five men on board perished was an inspirationto all.

Seconded South African Naval Forces personnelserved in the Fleet Air Arm and two officers ItCdr F. C. Nottingham and Sub It M. J. Macquet,are numbered among the twenty one secondedmembers of the Union Defence Forces entitled tothe Air Crew Europe Star which was awarded foroperational flying over Europe from British basesfrom 3 September 1939 to 5 June 1944. It CdrNottingham was seconded to the Royal Navy(Fleet Air Arm) on 1 May 1943 and was decoratedwith the Distinguished Service Cross andmentioned in dispatches.

The South African Roll of Honour for the SecondWorld War, four statistical returns of SANF (V)personnel seconded to the Royal Navy for servicein H.M. Ships kindly provided by It W. A. Dorningof the Military Information Bureau SADF and

information published in Volume III of The NavyList October 1945 (corrected to 29 September,1945) have made it possible to compile the twolists below. Since the return for November 1943is so similar to that for the following month, it hasnot been used. The few ships listed in theNovember 1943 return which are not shownelsewhere have been included. Although nonumbers are shown opposite their names, oneseconded South African was serving in the shipor shore establishment in that month.

Although this offering still does not tell the fullstory, it does give some indication of the extent ofthe contribution made by South Africa's se-conded naval personnel during the Second WorldWar.

In a press statement released by the Director ofthe SA Naval Forces on 23 May 1945 it wasdisclosed that more than 2 000 of the 2 737 SAN Fpersonnel seconded to the Royal Navy were thenserving in the Far East. Seconded SANFpersonnel had been 'represented in practicallyevery naval action of the war and had acquired awide experience that would prove of the utmostvalue to the South African Navy of the future.'

From what has been written above we have seenthat South African naval personnel seconded tothe Royal Navy established an enviable reputationas sailors and naval airmen in all manner of shipsduring the Second World War. In doing so theyhelped write some important chapters in thehistory of the Royal Navy. They showed that theywere as good as and sometimes better than thebest sailors in the world and have made the SouthAfrican Navy the heir to a glorious fightingtradition.

• Lt Cdr W. M. Bisset is SO SA Naval Museums.

Annexure A

SOUTH AFRICAN ROLL OF HONOUR 1939-45 SHIPS IN WHICH SECONDED NAVAL CASUALTIES SERVED

DETAILS OF LOSS ORNAME TYPE AND CLASS DAMAGE WHERE APPLICABLE NO DATE LOST

HMS ADAMANT Submarine depot ship

HMS ADRIA Base and accommodation ship 2

HMS AFRIKANDER I Parent Ship Simon's Town 7

HMS ALDEN HAM Hunt class destroyer Mined in NE Adriatic 1 14.12.44

HMS ASSEGAI RN Gunnery School Pietermaritzburg 2

HMS BARHAM Queen Elizabeth class battleship Sunk by U-331 off Sollum 7 25.11.41

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HMS BIRDLIP Hills class trawler Sunk by U-547 off West Africa 1 13.6.44

HMS BIRMINGHAM Southampton class cruiser 2

HMS CANOPUS Training establishment at Alexandria

HMS CARNARVON CASTLE Armed Merchant Cruiser and Troopship (1944)

SS CERAMIC Passenger liner Sunk by U-515 West of the Azores 1 6.12.42

HMS COPRA Shore establishment Scotland

HMS CORNWALL Kent class cruiser Sunk by Japanese divebombers in the Indian Ocean 25 5.4.42

HMS DAEDALUS RN Air Station Lee-on-Solent

HMS DORSETSHIRE Norfolk class cruiser Sunk by Japanese divebombers in the Indian Ocean 16 5.4.42

HMS DRAGON 'D' class cruiser

HMS DUNEDIN 'D' class cruiser Sunk by U-124 between WestAfrica and Brazil 1 24.11.41

HMS DURBAN CASTLE Troopship

HMS EDINBURGH Southampton class cruiser Torpedoed by U-456 and Germandestroyers in Barents Sea andsunk by RN on 2 May 1942 2 30.4.42

HMS EXPRESS 'E' Class destroyer

SS EMPRESS OF CANADA Passenger Liner Sunk by U-boat off Sierra Leone 1 13.3.43

HMS ENCOUNTER 'E' class destroyer Sunk by surface craft in thebattle of the Java Sea 1 1.3.42

HMS FALMOUTH Falmouth class sloop

HMS FIDELITY Special service vessel Sunk by 5 torpedoes from U-435(Decoy 'Q' Ship) off the Azores 1 30.12.42

HMS GLOUCESTER Southampton class cruiser Sunk by German aircraft off Crete 30 22.5.41

HMS HECLA Destroyer depot ship Sunk by U-515 west of Gibraltar 4 1211.42

HMS HERMES Courageous class aircraft carrier Sunk by Japanese aircraft off Ceylon 16 9.4.42

HMS HIGHFL YER Base at Trincomalee

HMS HOLLYHOCK Flower class corvette Sunk by Japanese aircrafteast of Ceylon 5 9.4.42

SS HOMEFORD Admiralty supply ship

HMS JAGUAR 'J' class destroyer Sunk by U-652 off Libya 1 26.3.42

SS KHEDIVE ISMAIL British troopship Sunk by Japanese submarine 1 12.2.44

HMS KONGONI Parent Ship Durban

SS LACONIA Troopship Sunk by U-156 1 12.9.42

HMS LANDRAIL RN Air Station at Strabane

HMS LANKA RN shore establishment Colomb

SS LLANDILO Sunk by U-172, South Atlantic 1 2.11.42

HMS MACAW Minesweeping trawler

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HMS MALAGAS RN Air Station Wingfield

HMS NEPTUNE Leander class cruiser Mined off Libyan coast 18 19.12.41

HMS NIGER Halcyon class minesweeper Mined off Iceland 1 6.7 .42

HMS NORTHERN DUKE Armed boarding vessel

HMS ORION Leander class cruiser

HMS PEMBROKE IV Parent Ship Chatham (Small Vessels Pool)

HMS PHOEBE Dido class cruiser 2

HMS PRESIDENT III Naval establishments London Area 3

HMS PRINCE CHARLES Landing ship infantry (small)

HMS RELENTLESS 'R' class destroyer

HMS REPULSE Repulse class battlecruiser Sunk by Japanese aircraft offthe east coast of Malaya 1 10.12.41

HMS RULER Smiter class escort carrier

HMS ST ANGELO Parent Ship Malta

HMS SAUNDERS Combined Operations

Base, Canal Zone

HMS SHAH Smiter class escort carrier

HMS SOTRA Minesweeping trawler Torpedoed and sunk by U-431off Bardia 1 29.1.42

HMS SYVERN Anti-submarine whaler Bombed and sunk by enemyaircraft off Crete 1 27.5.41

HMS TEST River class frigate

HMS THORN 'T' class submarine Sunk by the Italian TB PEGASOoff Tobruk 1 6.8.42

HMS TITANIA Submarine depot ship

HMS TRITON 'T' class submarine Sunk by the Italian TB CL 10in the Adriatic 1 18.12.40

HMS VARBEL Midget, submarine ExperimentalStation, Isle of Bute

HMS VICTORY I Parent Ship Portsmouth

HMS WOOLWICH Destroyer depot ship

HMS HDML NO 1163 Harbour defence motor launch Torpedoed, probably by surfacecraft Mulat Island, N.E. Adriatic 1 5.1.45

HM MGB NO 91 Motor gunboat

HM MTB NO 29 Motor torpedo boat Collided during action withE-boats in North Sea and sank 1 6.10.42

--TOTAL 191

NOTESThe fate of HMS SOTRA is unclear. One Admiralty source dated 1956 gives the information shown. Another dated 1947 States that the ship was sunkby enemy aircraft off Bardia. The ship is shown as HMS SORTA on the Roll of Honour.

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During the compilation of the above summary the following sources were consulted:H. T. Lenton and J. J. College, Warships of World War II 2nd Edition, London 1973.

John Young, A Dictionary of Ships of the Royal Navy of the Second World War, Cambridge, 1975.Ships of the Royal Navy Statements of Losses during the Second World War Admiralty, H.M.S.O., London, 1947.Bntish Merchant Vessels lost or damaged by enemy action during the Second World War, Admiralty, H.M.S.O., London, 1947.

B. D. Ingpen, South African Merchant Ships, Cape Town 1979.Capt T. D. Manning and Cdr C. F. Walker, British Warship Names, London 1959.The Navy List, April 1947.

Annexure B

SECONDED SANF PERSONNEL DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR 1943-1945

------DEC MAY SEP

SHIP OR SHORE TYPE AND CLASS 1943 OCTOBER 1944 1945 1945ESTABLISH MENT RATINGS OFFICERS RATINGS RATINGS OFFICERS

ABDIEL Manxman class minelayer 1ADAMANT Submarine depot ship 6 6 8 6 7ADRIA Base and accommodation ship 54 2 1AFRIKANDER and Parent Ship, Simonstown 207 54 146 250 32TendersAFRIKANDER (Missing) 22 1 22AFRIKANDER (POW) 27 2 26 26AGGRESSIVE Coastal Forces Base, Newhaven 1AJAX Leander class cruiser 1ALACRITY Modified Black Swan class sloopALBATROSS Repair ship 11 1 3ALCANTARA Armed merchant cruiser/troopship (1943) 8 4ALLINGTON CASTLE Castle class corvetteAMARANTHUS Flower class corvette 2AMEER Smlter class escort carrierANDERSON WIT Station, CeylonANTELOPE 'A' class destroyerANTIGUA Colony class frigateARCHER Archer class escort carrier 4ARCTIC EXPLORER Anti-submarine vessel 2ARRAN Isles class trawlerARROW 'A' class destroyer 3ARTIFEX Heavy repair shipARUM (HMSAS) Minesweeper (shown as RN vessel in The Navy List) 1ASBURY Accommodation Barracks, Ashbury Park, New Jersey, USA 2ASSEGAI Training Establishment, Wentworth-Merebank, Natal 194 16 112 94 13ASTRAEA Base at Lagos 4ASTURIAS Armed merchant cruiserATHENE Aircraft transportAnACKER Attacker class escort carrierAURORA Arethusa class cruiserAYLMER Captain class frigate

BALLINDERRY River class frigate 1BAMBARA RN Air Station, Trincomalee 4 1 3 2BANFF Lulworth class escort 5BANN River class frigate 2BARHAM (EX) Queen Elizabeth class battleshipBAnLER Attacker class escort carrier 15 12BAY Tree class trawlerBEACHY HEAD Escort repair shipBEAVER Parent Ship, HumberBEGUM Smiter class escort carrier 3BHERUNDA RN Air Station, Colombo 2 3 3BIDEFORD Shoreham class sloopBIRMINGHAM Southampton class ruiser 15 1 10 5BLACKCAP RN Air Station, StrettonBLENHEIM Destroyer depot ship 3 1 1BONAVENTURE Midget Submarine depot ship 2BOREAS 'B' class destroyer 2 2 2

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DEC MAY SEPSHIP OR SHORE TYPE AND CLASS 1943 OCTOBER 1944 1945 1945ESTABLISHMENT RATINGS OFFICERS RATINGS RATINGS OFFICERS

BOSCAWEN Parent Ship, PortlandBOXER Fighter direction ship 2BRAGANZA RN Office Bombay 28 11 73 57 14BRECON Hunt class destroyer 1BRIDGEWATER Bridgewater class sloop 2BRITIANY Auxiliary netlayerBULOLO Armed merchant cruiser/landing ship

headquarters (Large) 6 1 5 4BURDOCK Flower class corvetteHMAS BURNIE Bathurst class fleet minesweeperBUITERMERE Lake class trawler 4BYARD Captain class frigateBYRSA Depot ship, Mediterranean 7 4

CALENDULA Flower class corvetteCALLIOPE Parent Ship, Tyne 2CALPE Hunt class destroyer 1CANADA RN Base North West Atlantic, Halifax 1CANOPUS Training establishment, AlexandriaCANTON Armed merchant cruiser/troopship (1944) 3CAPE SABLE Decoy vessel, Armed Merchant Cruiser (Feb 1941),

Ministry of War Transport (March 1942) 2 1CAPE WARWICK Anti-submarine vessel 1 1CARADOC Caledon class cruiser 24 12 11CARLISLE (Ex-cruiser) accommodation ship, AlexandriaCARNARVON CASTLE Armed merchant cruiser/troopship (1944) 15 8 3CAROLINE Parent Ship, Northern Ireland 1 1CAVENDISH CA class destroyerCERES Ceres class cruiser 35 8 3CEYLON Uganda class cruiser 1 1 18CHALLENGER Surveying vesselCHARLOCK Modified flower class corvetteCHESHIRE Armed merchant cruiser/troopship (1943)CHESTERFIELD Town class destroyerCHINTHE Tug/minesweeperCHITRAL Armed merchant cruiser/troopship (1944) 5 4CLAVERHOUSE Parent Ship, LeithCLEOPATRA Dido class cruiserCLIO Parent Ship, BarrowCLOUDBURST WhalerCOCHRANE II Depot ship, RosythCOCKADE 'C' class destroyerCOCKBURN Cockburn Sound Base, Western Australia (?) 1COLLINGWOOD Training Establishment, Fareham 13 1 4COLOSSUS Colossus class aircraft carrier 1CONDOR RN Air Station, Arbroath 1COPRA Shore establishment, Scotland 7 14CORFU Armed merchant cruiser/Troopship (1944) 7 5 4CORINTHIAN Ocean boarding vessel/training ship (1943)CORMORANT Parent Ship, GibraltarCORREDINI S/M(?)COnON Captain class frigateCOVER LEY Dance class trawler 1CUMBERLAND Kent class cruiser 5 2 4 37 2CUMBRAE Isles class trawler 1CYCLOPS Depot and repair ship

DABCHICK Bird class controlled minelayer 1DAEDALUS RN Air Station, Lee-on-Solent 1 1 2 2 3HMIS DALHOUSIE Naval Base, Bombay 1DART River class frigate 1DARTMOUTH Naval Base, Dartmouth 2DAUNTLESS 'D' class cruiser 3 2DEFIANCE Torpedo School, Devonport 1DELHI 'D' class cruiserDERG River class frigate 1 2 5DEVERONDEVON CITY Boom carrier

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DEC MAY SEPSHIP OR SHORE TYPE AND CLASS 1943 OCTOBER 1944 1945 1945ESTABLISH MENT RATINGS OFFICERS RATINGS RATINGS OFFICERS

DEVONSHIRE London class cruiser 3 1 2DIDO Dido class cruiser 1DIPPER RN Air Station, Henstridge 1 3DINOSAUR Landing ship and landing craft base 4 8DIOMEDE '0' class cruiser 1 1DOLPHIN Submarine base, Gosport 1 1 3DRAGON '0' class cruiser 6 2 1DRAKE Parent Ship, Devonport 8 2 2ORANGEY Anti-submarine vessel 2DRYAD Navigation School, Portsmouth 1 1DUKE OF YORK King George V class battleship 3DUNCTION Hills class trawlerDUNDERRYDUNKERY Hills class trawler 2 2DURBAN '0' class cruiser 14 4

EAGLET Parent Ship, LiverpoolEDINBURGH (EX) Improved Southampton class cruiser 1EDINBURGH CASTLE Depot ship 6ELAND Naval Base, Freetown 3 4 1 2EMERALD 'E' class cruiser 1 3 2EMPEROR Smiter class escort carrierENTERPRISE 'E' class cruiserEPPING Base shipEREBUS Erebus class monitor 4 3 3ERICA Flower class corvette 1ESKIMO Tribal class destroyerEUPHRATES Depot Basra 7 5 2EUROPA Patrol Service base, Lowestoft 2EXCALIBUR Training Establishment, Stoke on Trent 2EXCELLENT Gunnery school, PortsmouthEXCELLENT II Overflow tender to HMS EXCELLENT 2

FABIUS Naval Base, Taranto 3 3FALMOUTH Falmouth class sloop 2 10 11 3FANDANGO Dance class trawler 1FARAWAY HQ of Flag Office Carrier Training Large 1FAULKNOR 'F' class destroyerFERRET LAUDERDALE Base at LondonderryFESSONIA Yacht/boom petrol vessel 1FINDHORN River class frigate 1FISHGUARD Lulworth class escort 1 1 2 11 3FLAMINGO Black Swan class sloop 2 1FLEETWOOD Aberdeen class sloop 1FLINT CASTLE Castle class corvetteFLYCATCHER RN Air Station, Middle WallopFOINAVON Yacht used as accommodation shipFORMIDABLE Illustrious class aircraft carrierFORTH Submarine depot ship 2FOX Naval base at Lerwick 1FOLIOT Base Ship, Plymouth 1FOXHOUND 'F' class destroyerFRANKLIN Halcyon class minesweeper 1FRASER BURGH Bangor class minesweeper 1 1FREESIA Flower class corvette 3 5 7 2FROBISHER Hawkins class cruiser 13 1 16 11FURIOUS Fleet aircraft carrier 1 1FURNEAUX RN Depot, Brisbane

GAMBIA Fiji class cruiser 1 1GANGES Boys' training establishment, Shotley 2GARUDA RN Air Station, Coimbatore India 1 3 2GAVOTIE Dance class trawler 1GENISTA Flower class corvette 4 4GNU and Tenders Naval Liaison Officer, Cape Town 153 10 53 35 15GOLDEN HIND Rr>JBarracks, Sydney 8

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GOOD HOPE RN Officers' Training Establishment, PortElizabeth 60 2

GORLESTON Lulworth class escortGOSHAWK RN Air Station Piarco TrinidadGREBE RN Air Station, Dekheila, EgyptGREGALE Coastal Forces Base, Malta 4GREY FOX Steam gunboatGUARDIAN Netlayer 2

HAITAN Depot and repair ship 1 2HAMILCAR Combined Operations Base and NOIC, Bougie, Algeria 1HANNIBAL Base at Algiers 14 4HASDRUBAL Senior British Naval Officer Tunisia, Taranto and

Tripoli 5HAWKINS Hawkins class cruiser 54 26 21HELFORD River class frigate 9 16HELICON Base at Aultbea 1HERON RN Air Station, Yeovilton 2HERTFORDSHIRE Anti-submarine vessel 4HIGHFLYER Base at Trincomalee 6 14 35 7HOLDERNESS Hunt class destroyer 1HOLMES Captain class frigateHONESTY Modified Flower class corvetteHOTSPUR 'H' Class destroyerHOWE King George V class battleshipHOXA Isles class trawlerHYDERABAD Flower class corvette

ILLUSTRIOUS Illustrious class aircraft carrier 10 19IMPALA Anti-submarine vessel 2 1 1INDEFATIGABLE Implacable class aircraft carrier 1 1INDIAN STAR Anti.submarine vesselINDOMITABLE Illustrious class aircraft carrier 2 2 2INKPEN Hills class trawlerINMAN Captain class frigateIRONCLAD NOIC, Diego Suarez, Madagascar 4 4 3ISIS 'S' class destroyer 4

JACKDAW RN Air Station, Crail, Fife 2JANUS 'J' class destroyer 6 2JASPER Gem class trawlerJONQUIL Flower class corvetteJUFAIR NOIC, Bahrain 7

KALE River class frigate 5 10KEDAH Auxiliary patrol vessel/Accommodation ship (1943)KENNET Axe class trawlerKENT Kent class cruiserKENYA Fiji class cruiser 5 23 17KEREN Landing ship Infantry 2 1KESTREL RN Air Station, Worthy Down 2KILELE RN Air Station Tange, East Africa 1KIMBERLEY 'K' Class destroyer 1 21KING ALFRED Training Establishments, Hove and Lancing, Sussex 4 4 3KING GEORGE V King George V class battleshipKIPANGE Office of Commodore RN Air Stations, East Africa 2KIRRIEMOOR Boom carrier 1KONGONI and Tenders Naval base Durban 147 27 93 82 29KORONGO RN Air Station, Nairobi (?) 1 1 1 1

LADY ELSA Anti-Submarine vessel 3LADY ROSEMARY Anti-Submarine/auxiliary patrol vessel 1LAGOS Battle class destroyerLANDRAIL RN Air Station, StraboneLANDGUARD A coastguard station in Suffolk/Commander-in-

Chief, East Indies 1 9 11LANKA East Indies Station, Colombo 72 39 201 147 29LARGS Landing ship Headquarters, Large 1HMAS LEEUWIN Base Staffs Fremantle, Albany, Geraldton and

Port Hedland

21


DEC MAY SEPSHIP OR SHORE TYPE AND CLASS 1943 OCTOBER 1944 1945 1945ESTABLISHMENT RATINGS OFFICEi1S RATINGS RATINGS OFFICERS

LEONIDAS Base at Takoradi 1LE TIGRE Anti-submarine vessel 1 1LEWES Town class destroyer 4 10 9 3L1DDESDALE Hunt class destroyer 1 1LINARIA Modified Flower class corvette 5HMAS LISMORE Bathurst class fleet minesweeper 1 1LIZARD Landing craft base, ShorehamLOCH LOMOND Loch class frigateLOCH QUOICH Loch class frigateLOCHY River class frigate 9LONDON London class cruiser 1 1 1LOYAL 'L' class destroyer 1LUCIA Submarine depot ship 2 1 7 8LUCIFER Base at Swansea 1LYNX Parent Ship, Dover 2

MACAW RN Air Station, Bootie 7MAGNOLIA Berberis class trawlerMAGPIE Modified Black Swan class sloopMAIDSTONE Depot ship for submarines 3 2 3MALABAR Parent Ship, Bermuda 2 1MALAGAS RN Air Station, Wingfield 32 13 59 66 16MALAYA Queen Elizabeth class battleship 1MANCHESTER CITY Controlled minelayer Base Ship 1 18 18MANDATE Algerine class minesweeperMARAGA RN Air Station, Addu Atoll 4 1MARGUERITE Flower class corvette 2 33 40MARSHAL SOUL T Ex-monitor: Trawler Base, Portsmouth 1 1MARYBOROUGH Bathurst class Fleet Minesweeper 1MATCHLESS 'M' class destroyer 1MAURITIUS Fiji class cruiser 8 4 1MAYINA Base at Medway 24 12MEDWAY Submarine depot ship 3 7 8MEDWAY II Base at Beirut 1942 and later at Malta/H MS

MEDUSA 1943/44 1MERCURY HM Signal School, near Petersfield 1 2 2MERCURY II Admiralty Signal Establishment Haslemere 2MERGANSER RN Air Station, Rattray 1MIDDLETON Hunt class destroyerMILFORD Falmouth class sloop 12 5MONARA RN Aircraft Repair Yard, ColomboMONTCLARE Flag Officer, Fleet Train, British Pacific Fleet 1 1MORETA SNO, Levant Area 1 2 3 2MORRIS DANCE Dance class trawler 1MOSQUITO Coastal Forces Base, Eastern Mediterranean 5MOUNSEY Captai n class frigateMYLODON Combined Operations Base (7)

HMAS NAIRANA Escort carrierNAPIER 'N' class destroyer 2NARBOROUGH Captain class frigateNELSON Nelson class battleship 3NEWCASTLE Southampton class cruiser 4 1 13 34NIGELLA Flower class corvetteNIGERIA Fiji class cruiser 1NILE Base at Alexandria 161 44 127 107 10NIMROD Anti-Submarine Training Establishment,

CampbeltownNORMAN 'N' class destroyerNORTHERN CHIEF Armed boarding vessel/Anti-submarine vesselNORTHERN DAWN Anti-submarine vesselNORTHERN DUKE Armed boarding vessel/anti submarine-vesselNORTHERN ISLES Anti-submarine vesselNORTHNEY Landing Craft Base (7) 4NYASALAND Colony class frigate 1

OCEAN GAIN Mobile wiping unitODYSSEY Base Ship, LondonORFORD NESS Depot and repair shipORION Leander class cruiser 3 2 3ORLANDO Parent Ship, Greenock 1 1

22



OSPREY Anti-Submarine Establishment, Dunoon 3 3OTUS '0' Class submarine 1

PALADIN 'P' Class destroyer 1 39 38PANGKOR Auxiliary minesweeper/Accommodation ship (1943) 1 1PARIS French battleship commissioned 1940PATROLLER Smiter class escort carrier 2PEEWIT RN Air Station East Haven 1PEMBROKE Parent Ship, Chatham 8 1PEMBROKE IV Parent Ship, Chatham, Small Vessels Pool 1 1PERSIMMON Landing Ship Infantry (Large) 1PETARD 'P' class destroyer 1 4 3 1PHILOCTETES Destroyer depot ship, Freetown 1942-1945 1 3 3 2PHOEBE Dido class cruiser 10 3 6 2PHOENIX 'P' class submarine 1 1PIROUETIE Dance class trawler 1POOLE Bangor class minesweeper 1PRESIDENT III Admiralty, London 13 49 4PRETORIA CASTLE Armed merchant cruiser/escort carrier (1943) 15 1PRINCE CHARLES Landing ship Infantry (small) 1PROMETHEUS Depot for local defence vessels (Mediterranean) 6 1 1 2PROSERPINE Base, Lyness Orkney 2PURSUIVANT Base, Falkland Islands 2QUADRANT} 'Q' class destroyer 1 10 11QUALITY 4 12 14QUEBEC Base at Inveraray 3QUEEN ELIZABETH Queen Elizabeth class battleship 3 17QUEEN OF BERMUDA Armed merchant cruiser/Troopship (1943) 1 1 1RACEHORSE }

'R' class destroyer 2 11 14RAIDER 1 1RAJALlYA RN Air Station, Puttalam, CeylonRALEIGH Training Establishment, TorpointRAMILLIES Royal sovereign class battleship 14 6 2RANEE Smiter class escort carrier 1RANPURA Destroyer depot ship 1RAPID 'R' class destroyer 2 21 11RAVEN RN Air Station Eastleigh 1RATNALNARAVAGER Smiter class escort carrierRAZORBILL HQ Coastal Forces, Algiers 3REDOUBT } 'R' class destroyer 10 16RELENTLESS 2 7 20RENOWN Repulse class battlecruiser 1 8RESOLUTION Royal Sovereign class battleship 1RESOURCE Fleet repair ship 5 17 15(?)REVENGE Royal Sovereign class battleship 10 1 1REVLlS HellensburghRINGTAIL RN Air Station BurscoughROBERTSON

1ROCKET 'R' class destroyer 2 8 4ROCKROSE Flower class corvette 4 1RODNEY Nelson class battleship 1ROEBUCK 'R' class destroyer 2ROOKE Boom Defence Central Depot RosythROSALIND Shakespearian class trawlerROSEBAY Modified flower class corvette 3ROTHERHAM 'R' class destroyer 1 9 13ROYALIST Improved Dido class cruiser 2ROYAL SOVEREIGN Royal Sovereign class battleship 2 1ST ANGELO Parent Ship, Malta 4 3 2ST LOMAN Anti-submarine vessel 1ST Mathew Base, Thames (Combined Operations?)ST VINCENT Preliminary Air Training Establishment, Gosport 1 2ST ZENO Anti-submarine vessel 2SAKER British Naval Staff Washington, DC 3 1 2SALSETIE Combined Operations personnel base, India 6 3SAMBUR Barrage balloon vessel 1 1 1 2SANDERLING RN Air Station, Abbotsinch 1SANDWICH Bridgewater class sloop

23



SANDRAGON Naval base, SeychellesSANSOVINO Empire class infantry landing ship 1SAUNDERS Combined Operations Base, Canal Zone 4 5 4 2 7SCARAB Insect class river gunboat 1SCORPION 'S' Class destroyerSCOUT 'So Class destroyerSEABORN RN shore establishments and Air Stations in CanadaSEAHAM Bangor class minesweeperSENNEN Lulworth class escortSERAPH 'S' class submarineSERUWA RN Aircraft Repair Yard, Ratmalana, CeylonSEYCHELLES Colony class frigateSEYMOUR Captain class frigateSHAH Smiter class escort carrierSHEBA Naval Shore Base, Aden 2 24 86 89SHIPS UNKNOWN 22 10SHOREHAM Shoreham class sloop 1 2 23 23 2SHRAPNEL Naval Base, Southampton 1 2 1 1SHROPSHIRE London class cruiser 4 1SILVIO Empire class landing ship infantry 1SIRIUS Dido class cruiser 31 1 21 1 3SIR WALTER RALEIGH Examination Service, tender (1942) 1SNOWFLAKE Flower class corvette 1 3SONDRA Anti-submarine vessel 2SOUTHERN GEMSOUTHDOWN Hunt class destroyerSPARROWHAWK RN Air Station, Halesworth 1SPARTIATE Parent Ship, Glasgow 4SPEAKER Smiter class escort carrierSPHENE Anti-submarine vesselSPRINGTIDE Mine destructor vessel 2SPITEFUL 'S' class submarine 4SQUID Landing Craft Base, SouthamptonSQUIRREL Algerine class minesweeper 1STAG Naval depot, Port Said 16 8 8STELLA POLARIS Auxiliary Patrol! Anti-Submarine vessel 2STYGIAN 'S' class submarine 1SUFFOLK Kent class cruiser 10 2 10 28SUSSEX London class cruiser 14 1 7 4SWIFTSURE Swiftsure class cruiser 1

TAFF River class frigate 4TALBOT Naval base, Sardinia 1 2 1TANA Flag Officer East Afnca and Admiral Superintendent,

Kilindini 110 23 100 126 3TANGA RN Air Station, Tanga, Tanganyika 2TAVY River class frigateTAY 1 9 8TENGRA Base, Mandapam 2TEST } River class frigate 2 2 10 12 3TEVIOT 1 1 9THYME Flower class corvetteTORRINGTON Captain class frigateTRENT River class frigate 1 5 6TRIDENT 'T' class submarineTROON 'T' class submarineTROUBRIDGE 'T' class destroye rTROUNCER Smiter class escort carrierTUNA 'T' class submarineTURCOMAN Anti-submarine vessel

TURPIN 'T' class submarineTYNE Destroyer depot ship 1 2 1 8

UKUSSA RN Air Station Katukurunda, Ceylon 2 2 1ULSTER MONARCH Landing ship. infantry, (hand hoisting) 2 2 2ULSTER QUEEN Auxiliary anti-aircraft vessel (sea going)

Fighter Direction Ship (1943)UNBENDING 'U' class submanneUNICORN Aircraft maintenance ship 2

24


DEC MAY SEPSHIP OR SHORE TYPE AND CLASS 1943 OCTOBER 1944 1945 1945ESTABLISHMENT RATINGS OFFICERS RATINGS' RATINGS OFFICERS

UNRUFFLED } 'U' class submarineUNSWERVINGUPSTART

VAIRI RN Air Station, Sollur, S. IndiaVALLIANT Queen Elizabeth class battleship 3 2VALLURU RN Air Station, TambaramVANITY 'V' class destroyerVARBEL Midget submarine Experimental Station

Isle of Bute 4VASNA Hospital shipVENERABLE} Colossus class aircraft carrier 1VENGEANCE

1VERITY Modified 'W' class destroyer 1VERNON Torpedo School 1 1 2 1 1VERNON II1VICTORY Parent Ship, Portsmouth 2VINDICTIVE Fleet repair ship 6

VIOLET Flower class corvetteVIRGINIAVIRULENT} 'V' class submarineVIVID

2VOLAGE 'V' class destroyer1VULTURE RN Air Station St Merryn

WALDEGRAVE Captain class frigateWALKER 'W' class destroyerWARSPITE Queen Elizabeth class battleshipWASTWATER Lake class trawlerWAYLAND Depot ship

2WELLARD Anti-submarine vessel 1 2WESTCLIFF Mine watching base, South end on Sea (?) 2WHITSHED Modified 'W' class destroyer 1WILDFIRE Base Ship, Sheerness 4WOLFE Submarine depot ship 1 1 2 1WOOLWICH Destroyer depot ship 24 1 37 33 2WUCHANG Depot ship for submarines 1 1MiscellaneousBYMS 2006 Motor minesweeperCT 37 Control and target boatOEMS Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships 53 39HDML 1082 Harbour Defence Motor Launch 2HDML 1080, 1126, 1150}1155, 1199, 1202 1 each

101203, 1293, 1303,1336LSE 1 Landing ship, emergency 2LSE 2 Repair

1LST 77, 304 Landing ship tank1337,382,401,410, 426'} 1 h

3001, 3009, 3516: eac10ML: 135, 194, 263, 830,} Motor launch

838, 840, 853, 863, 1 each11865, 895, 896

MTB 377, 410, 523 Motor Torpedo Boat3812,841,851,896, Naval Air Squadrons

1844 1 each5NOIC, Bone: Naval Officer in Command

RNB } Chatham Royal NavalDevonport arracks 1

} Lee-on-Solent . 1 1Portsmouth 40 13 76 93RN Auxiliary Hospital BombayRN Auxiliary Hospital Durban 7Royal Hospital Simonstown 2TF 11 Task Force 1

Total 1 942 678 1 995 2137 543• Where no type or class is given, it was impossible to trace this,

25


Endnotes.

1. Lt A. P. Burgers, A Short HIstory ofthe SA Navy (roneoed) 1967, p64.

2. L. C. F. Turner, H. R. Gordon-Cumming and J. E. Betzler, War inthe Southern Oceans, Cape Town, 1961 p 17.

3. Account of the THOR/CARNARVON CASTLE engagement byCPO H. Heynes.

4. L. C. F. Turner et ai, op Cit, p. 52.5. Capt S. W. Roskill, The War at Sea, Vol 1, London 1954 p 285.6. Cdre E. W. Jupp, SM, 'Cat-and-Mouse off Punta' in SA Yachting,

1979 South Atlantic Race Brochure p 32 and 34.7. Peter Scott. The Eye of the Wind, London 1961, p 341-356.8. Ibid.9. Letter from Sub Lt R. M. Maud to his father dated 15 April 1941.10. J. H. Marsh, South Africa and the War at Sea, Cape Town, p 32.11. Lt Cdr P K. Kemp, Victory at Sea 1939-1945, London, 1957, p

137.

26

12. Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, A Sailor'sOdyssey, London, 1953 p 371

13. Ibid, P 432.14. The Mediterranean Fleet Greece to Tripoli: The Admiralty Account

of Naval OperatIOns: April 1941 to January 7943, P 37-38.15 Capt A. Agar, Footprints in the Sea, Dublin 1959, p 282.16. Ibid, P 311.17. Lt K. G. Dlmbleby, Hostilities Only, Cape Town, 1944.18. Capt S. W. Roskill, op cit, Vol II Part I, p 2819. Able Seaman Eric H. Little, The Luck of HMS DRAGON, Cape

Town 1944, p 13.20. Ibid P 93.21. David Thomas, With EnSIgns Flying, London, 1958 p 130-131.22. Capt W. R. Fell, The Sea Our Shield, London, 1966.23. C. E. T. Warren and James Benson, Above Us the Waves London,

1953


south african naval personnel seconded tothe royal …

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