大象传媒

This story is submitted by a volunteer on behalf of Radio Bristol Action desk at city of Bristol college on Behalf of John Emery.
I started my Naval career as a relief Coder based in Gouroch in Scotland. After 4 relativly uneventful trips escorting convoys to Russia, we embarked on the 5 escort trip. The convoy was attacked by a submarine which resulted in our collision with another ship. Severly damaged we were towed to Iceland where partial repairs were made. This involved being enclosed in a collision mat consisting of huge timbers wired together. We were then towed back to scotland. During this trip we were subject to attack by a single aircraft. This story bears a distinct resemblance to a book called "HMS Marlbrough will enter Harbour"
On returning to Plymouth bar barracks I was immediatly posted to a mystery ship-An Ex French Armoured Cruiser, formerly a Banana boat which was being kitted out as a Combined Operations Communications Headquarters. This became known as HMS Largs
After a very enjoyable period working in the Loch Fyne region- a place now dear to my heart- we sailed in late October 1942 to the Lochawl region where a convoy was gathering for the combined operations landing- operation TORCH at Oran in West Africa. There was a short spell of home leave then a series of Minor landings along the mediterranean coast of Africa.
After my first Christmas leave at home we returned to the Med, where we were based at Malta.
In june 1943 HMS larg was involved in operation CORKSCREW, the capture of Panterllaria. The island had been subject to blanket bombing by our allies, somehow this one aircraft and pilot had survived. He decided to go out fighting and we suffered some damage after being peppered with machine gun fire from this last aircraft.We spent a day plugging the holes he made.
On the 11th of July 1943 we tok part in operation HUSKEY- the first landings on Sicily, there we enjoyed a weeks respite under the shelter of Mount Etna. Still in the Med, after a short stop between Sicily and Southern India HMS largs took part in Opreation AVALANCHE on the 9th September, where we commanded the landings at Salerno and Bybrta.
We then went back to England for a refit at Leeds and some leave.
We then began the build up to operation NEPTUNE, I remember taking part in the land based decpetion in Scotland. I was driving up and down the coast in company with other vehicles sending dummy messages purporting to be a fleet of destroyers exercising off the coast near Inverness.
I remember 5th June 1944 very well, we were tied up alongside at Portsmouth and I have a brilliant photograph of what appears to be the King addressing me personnally, although actually he is only passing by!.
My first recollection of 6th June is as we were approaching SWORD Beach. several miles off shore we were guided down a channel that had been swept clear of mines, this was indicated by floating lights either side of the channel. Unfortunatly one of the escorting destroyers hit a mine and dissapeared almost immediately.
My second recollection was that of a minature two man submarine which had laid of the beach for days making observations for the landings.
I knew little of what went on during any of these operations, Because standing before zero hour in utter silence we were preparing for the utter bedlam that was to follow when we gave the signal for the landings to take place and Chaos commence. Then we would watch and watch about for as long as the operation was underway-usually a weeks duration.
But with NEPTUNE the signalling continued for 29 days. This was curtailled when we were hit by a mortar fired from the headland at Honfleur. This was made good by a wonderful repair carried out by a small ship along side, a metal plate was held against the hull over the hole. Rivets were then fired in to keep it in place.
From Honfleur we went around the coast to the Mediterranean and a few days leave in Sardinia. From Sardinia we oversaw operation DRAGOON at Ajaccio in southern France on 15th August 1944.
In the course of these operations I visited a tremendous number of ports in and around the Med. As part of my involvement in the North Africa landings I circumnavigated Africa, visiting Sierra Leone and Simonstown in South Africa. On a rail trip from Simonstown to Capetown we were struck by the fact that many if not all of the little coastal villages bore the name of Cornish seaside towns.
After D Day landings and a short spell of home leave we set out on the long journey to India, passing through the Suez canal for the second time. Sailing down the Red sea, one of the most vivid memories from my life not just from my service years- is of the is the approach to India through the morning mists, rising through the swirls of mist was the beautiful gateway, the Bombay arch. This lovely sight was accompanied by the sound of rejoicing navigators whose course was spot on.
After a short spell of leave in Bombay, where as an impressionableyoung man I was somewhat dissapointed at the great difference between the natives standard of living and that of the rulers.
Going south we stopped at Cochin, an area of inland Lagoons that was very beautiful, then on to Sri Lanka- or Ceylon as it was then .
In Sri Lanka we had a short spell of leave and were addressed by Lord Louis Mountbatten. Then it was on to Calcutta for drydocking and urgent repairs, strangely one of my sharpest memories of these years is of the clerk of the works in Calcutta docks. He was distinguished among the other workers by having a rolled up black umbrella which he constantly carried.
We moved on to make our last landing at Akyab, we were beaten to it by the advance on land of the British troops based in Burma. we went further south and up river to the capital Rangoon. Here I witnessed another tragic incident, the ship ahead of us ran over an undetected mine.
Yeta again we were pipped at the post by advancing land based forces.
We set sail for home, stopping in Sri lanka where the NAAFI played host to VE day celebrations which were both vigorous and joyful.
By this time I had risen to become in charge of the bank of CHYFEX machines on board. I was retained on board when the main crew and other personnel had left to return the machines to a secure location in Scotland. After this I had the pleasure of accompanying the skeleton crew as we took HMS back home to Le Harvre.
She was returned battered, without pomp or ceremony. Where she is now or what happened to her I do not know.

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