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My time on board HMS Rajah

by IWM_Launch

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Contributed by听: IWM_Launch
People in story:听: Charlie Monteith
Location of story:听: HMS Rajah - the Pacific
Background to story:听: Royal Navy
Article ID:听: A1931104
Contributed on:听: 29 October 2003

I volunteered for the Navy when I was 16 and lied about my age because I'd always wanted to be in the Navy. I joined the catering branch, three days later I was on the aircraft carrier leaving Greenock. The HMS Rajah was lent to the British Navy by the Americans.
We had no idea where we were going until we got to the Panama Canal, which we passed through with very limited room to emerge into the Pacific.
I didn't come back to England for two years. We had to spend our leave in Santiago California. We went to Hollywood and stayed in Wiltshire Boulevard in a building similar to a YMCA. We were treated very well by the Americans and got the chance to met film stars. Mary Pickford - an English actress who was a darling of the time - threw a big party for us at her house in Beverly Hills. She gave us English tea and Hawaiian dancers put on a performance. We also met Jimmy Gleeson - another very famous actor of the time - and we swam in his swimming pool.
Our main duties were taking planes out to Guam and bringing wounded American marines back to Santiago.
On our last trip out we went to Guam, we was recalled back to Santiago and shortly after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

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Message 1 - Your time aboard HMS Rajah

Posted on: 08 June 2004 by PaulaS

H.M.S.RAJAH

Dear charlie
I have just started doing my fathers side of our family tree. I was born just after the war, and of course like so many children then heard many tales of my fathers adventures in the Navy. As I grew older it was the "Oh no not the war again dad" syndrome. Now I just wished I had written everything down as I am so interested in my families history now. I have found the he too was also on HMS Rahjah from May 1944 to August 1945. His name was William Walter Beaconsfield Stone. Is there any possibility that you may have known him.He was a stoker, then Petty Officer. I am sure there were hundreds of sailors on your ship, but I do have an autograph book with some filmstars names in which I am sure dad told me he had met, very like your story.
As it is 60 years to the day of D.Day you and your compatriates in the services are in our minds.But for all of your sacrifices my life would not have been as great as it is. I have made sure my children and grandchildren will always respect this. I hope my little contribution in the shape of my family tree, with as much about my father and his life as I can collect, will be handed down to my decendants for rememberance. Hoping that I may hear from you and wishing you well
Paula Sloane

听

Message 2 - Your time aboard HMS Rajah

Posted on: 16 November 2004 by WriterTommy

Dear Paula,

I served on HMS Rajah, From August 1944 to august 1946 as captains writer.
I don't remember your father.
As he was a stoker we would have been in differant messes.
For most of this time the ships company comprised 120 officers and men, From december 1944 to august 1946, the shipwas on detached service with the US Pacific fleet.
We ferried aircraft and personal from San Diego California via Pearl Harbour to Guam in the Mariana Islands.
If you require more information on the ship and its voyages i will be pleased to supply it .
Success in your investigations
Gordon Tucker

听

Message 3 - Your time aboard HMS Rajah

Posted on: 21 December 2004 by regularIMPRESS

Dear Mr Tucker,

My father was one of the many Fleet Air Arm personnel who were taken to the far east aboard HMS Rajah for the proposed Island hopping towards Japan which would require airfields to be established.
He was an aero engine Artificer. His rank at the time was leading seaman. It's unlikely that either yourself or other ex crew members would have known him as he wasn't ships compliment.
I have a couple of photos taken by one of the ships own aircraft while at anchor in Grand Harbour, Malta. The picture shows HMS King George the Fifth leaving harbour and dwarfing the tiny grey shape of the Rajah next to it. I also have two air to air images of Rajah's aircraft which were taken around this time. One shows a Fairy Barracuda escorted by Chance-Vaught Corsairs, the other shows a Fairy Swordfish, a type which my father flew in a few times when pilots were doing engine checks.
I believe my Dad also came back on the Rajah after service in India and Ceylon. His most vivid memory of the return voyage is of tough 14th army jungle soldiers, who were being transported home on the ship, being reduced to wrecks by terrible sea sickness.
I will post the photographs on the website when I discover how!

My father was then Leading Seaman Denis Fagan, FAA

Regards, Paul Fagan.

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