大象传媒

A LIFE ON THE OCEAN WAVE AND BEYOND
Wartime experiences of
ARTHUR SMITH PO/X 4250
PART ONE
On reaching twenty years of age, I joined the Royal Marines, on a twelve year engagement. From my home in Coventry, I travelled to the Recruiting office, in Birmingham, and then to Queen Anne鈥檚 Mansions, in London, to be sworn in, and given the King鈥檚 shilling.
After passing a medical inspection, I with the others present at that time, proceeded to Deal, in Kent, to enter the Royal Marine Barracks, to be formed into 361 Squad, for training under Colour Sergeant H.L.Ball.
One month after our arrival at Deal, WAR was declared, with Germany,on the 3rd september 1939.
My initial training, covered a period of six months, ending on the 13th February, 1940, when I was transferred to the Royal Marine Barracks, Eastney, Portsmouth, for Naval Gunnery training. This encompassed a further three months, thus making my total training period, nine months , in all.
On 19th May 1940, I found myself posted to H.M.S.Peregrine, an airfield, just outside Portsmouth, to guard bomb dumps, within barbed wire enclosures, in the middle of the field. We slept in tents.
When off duty, we were permitted to fly on practice flights, on one of which I took part, a mock raid on Fratton Park, I found to be a thrilling experience.
On 7th September 1940, I was drafted to Alexandria, in Egypt, to join the ship鈥檚 company, of H.M.S. RAMILLIES
From October1940,to January 1941, we cruised the mediterranean, the period when the Italians, entered the war. They soon reported us 鈥渟unk", on many occasions. They must have been mortified, when we entered the Atlantic to take up Convoy duties, between England, and Canada, in January 1941.
On our first trip, after leaving the sunny Med, the ice froze on the gun barrels, to a depth of six inches, and, shortly before arrival, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the ship鈥檚 side was damaged in collision with the underwater part of an ice berg. We then had to proceed to St. Johns, New Brunswick, for repairs in dry dock. Hence we had a respite of a few days.
We continued to escort convoys, on the same route, taking about three weeks for each crossing, as we had to accommodate the slower vessels. This meant, that RAMILLIES, was to some extent, a 鈥渟itting duck鈥�. Fortunately, we had Destroyers patrolling the perimeter of the convoys, the latter consisting of one hundred vessels, at most times.
In October 1941,the German Pocket Battleship, 鈥淪CHARNHORST鈥�, was reported sailing out into the Atlantic, whereupon we were called upon to make chase. However, before we could make contact, she had slipped back into Brest, for refuge. Following upon that incident, we proceeded to Reykjavik, where the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, came on board to give us his congratulations, for the part we played in the Atlantic.
From Iceland, we proceeded to Birkenhead, to undergo some minor repairs, giving us the opportunity of some more leave. Following upon this much enjoyed period of leave, we found ourselves bound for South Africa, via Sierra Leone, where we anchored, in Freetown. On arrival in Capetown, we immediately learnt of some trouble in Madagascar, and soon received orders to proceed to the area.
On the voyage, there was formed a Royal Marines Landing Party, and upon arrival at the island, we fired a couple of broadsides, and sent them in. The landing party met little resistance, so we moved on to Diego Saurez, where the governor came aboard. After this, while lying at anchor in the harbour, we were hit in the bows by a torpedo. Immediately we raised anchor, and, laying all the anchor chains on the quarter deck, steamed STERN FIRST, ALL THE WAY BACK TO DURBAN, and dry dock.
Whilst the repairs were being carried out, the whole ship鈥檚 company, were granted a fortnight鈥檚 leave, within South Africa. We were given the choice of country, or a town. A Coventry shipmate, Bill Buckley, and I, spent this leave on an orange farm just outside Pietermaritzburg. It was quiet, but a well earned, and refreshing, break.
Upon our return to the ship, we moved out into the Indian Ocean, calling at Columbo and Trincomalee, Ceylon. This was the time of the fall of Singapore, to the Japanese.
The vessel now set off on our homeward journey via the Red Sea, the Suez Canal, Gibralter, and the Bay of Biscay, arriving back in Portsmouth, on the 10th October 1942.
Here, the ship was paid off, the Commission having been completed, and, having been posted to Portsmouth, I was given three weeks leave, during which I was married.the date being the 24th of October 1942 .

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