大象传媒

Where鈥檚 My Ship?
by John Raymond White
(submitted on behalf of JR White by his niece)

The following is as accurate as I can recall. A great deal of which I鈥檒l never forget, indeed, I wouldn鈥檛 want to. This is a true account of my Royal Navy Service life which lasted for three years and four months. I assure you all in advance, this is no tale of 鈥榙erring-do鈥�, much more a travelogue.

I joined the Royal Navy on the 14th September 1943 at Reading. I was sworn in and packed off to 鈥楬MS Duke鈥� at Malvern. This was a shore establishment, ie; a boot camp, where 9 months training was condensed into about 6 weeks. At the completion of our training there, we were all offered the chance to choose what we preferred to do. I chose a motor mechanics course.

We were sent off to the Royal Navy Base, Portsmouth. Some of us were then sent on, to an overflow camp at Belmont Park, Bedhampton, near Havant. After a few days there I was sent off to Isleworth, Middlesex, to start my course. We were taught at Frazer Nash. Anyway, after three months of a nine month course I failed on the electrical side and I was sent back to RNB, Portsmouth, thence onto Belmont Park camp.

I was drafted out shortly afterwards to 鈥楬MS Revenge鈥�, to do a stokers course at Southampton. Not long after joining the ship she sailed to the Gareloch on the Clyde. During this course I was taken ill and sent to Mearnskirk Hospital, where I stayed for 14 weeks. Then on to Ardgowan for a fortnights convalescence. Then back to the Gareloch to rejoin my ship. I discovered we were sailing shortly, for Plymouth. On arriving there I was sent home on sick leave. On return to my ship, I continued my course, which I passed.

I was kept on as Ships Company but I wanted to see some of the world so I applied for a draft. Denied. Tried again, a little later. Granted.

After a few weeks of going here and there I found myself aboard 鈥楾he Patroller鈥�, an American liberty ship converted to an Escort Carrier. I never did see any aeroplanes on it. Our destination was Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). We sailed into Grand Harbour, Malta and stayed for about 4 days. On my
word of honour, I met my Uncle Jack there. He was in 2nd/4th Battalion Royal Hampshire Regiment, convalescing in Malta, from wounds he received in Sicily.

We pushed on through Suez then on down to Ceylon. We arrived round about sundown; I went on deck to take a look. Yee Gods, the smell coming from the island was lethal. Rotting vegetation, I guess. We went ashore next day, being informed that we were to join LST 3037. We went up country about 8 miles to a shore based naval station, 鈥楬MS Mayina鈥�. After a few days we mustered, there were, if my memory holds well, a Coxswain, a Petty Officer and 7 of us Ratings.

We left Ceylon went over to India, then by train to Madras. We were put into St. Georges Barracks. After nearly a week there, on again by train (of course), to Bombay. On this part of our journey, at one stop we were invited to come into a tent by the Salvation Army. They did us proud! An excellent cooked dinner and before we entrained again they offered each one of us an envelope, on which to write the name and address of our next of kin. They undertook to send this on with an enclosed letter saying we were all well and of high morale. I thought how very kind and considerate they were. They were the only organisation that did anything for us. I鈥檝e never forgotten their kindness and I have always responded to their charitable collections, and will continue to do so, as I鈥檓 certain it will go to good. Bless them.

We pushed on, or rather rode on to Bombay and entered 鈥楬MS Braganza鈥� barracks, another RN shore base. We were there only 48 hours as we were informed that LST 3037 was in Calcutta.

In Bombay, payday at last, we鈥檇 all been strapped for cash since Ceylon. I received the magnificent sum of 75 rupees or 鈥榗hips鈥� as they were called. Tommo, my best mate, had 100 rupees in one note. On entering the NAAFI, 鈥業鈥檓 paying鈥� he said. He tossed the note on the counter and the person dealing with the cash never turned a hair. The change came at once. Poor Tommo! He鈥檇 been hoping to cause a spot of bother finding change. We had a good laugh on him, but Tommo just took it, and laughed with us.

On to Calcutta. Oh dear, LST 3037 had sailed for Singapore. We had been quartered in a Private House called 鈥楬MS Chilwa鈥�. This was the place where men were trained who went into Burma to harass the Japanese behind their lines.

We kicked about Calcutta for about a week or more then we were ordered to go to Kitapore Docks 18 to join LST 157. She was American owned. Our first port of call was Chittagong where we loaded Indian troops and several types of vehicles.

Then on to Singapore. After unloading troops and cargo there, we were ordered round to Changi Creek.

When we came ashore, we walked straight into a Japanese POW camp. There was a high barbed wire fence, half moon shaped down to the beach. There was a Royal Marine guard in the camp. Every night, on our return to our ship it was, off caps and show your pay books. Oh yes! There had been another break out. I often think that the rebels who fought against us later to free Malaya probably had some help from these escapees. Just a thought.

Then, after a short while in Changi Creek in LST 157, we actually went aboard the ship we鈥檇 been pursuing LST 3037 at Singapore. During the time on LST 157, on reading a local paper I spotted a small paragraph to wit: General Tomoyuki Yamashita (I think that was his name) known more informally as 鈥榯he Tiger of Malaya鈥�, was executed on the gallows in Changi gaol. The report added that his ADC (aide de camp) was in attendance. 鈥淗oist on his own petard鈥�, so to speak. The lord only knows how many poor souls were sent there by him. Such a small paragraph, it hardly caused a ripple.

We stayed with the ship then and it felt like we鈥檇 come home after such a long journey. There was considerable doubt as to the future of our ship. The skipper spoke to the ships company over the tannoy; he told us he was going ashore to discover her fate. There was a clear possibility that LST 3037 was to be sold to the Chinese Mercantile Marine. That was a very strong buzz. However, when the skipper returned to the ship he informed us that the ship was ordered to return to the UK and pay off.

Eventually we left Singapore, we put into Trincomalee (Ceylon) and twas there I parted company with my best mate Tommo. He鈥檇 been ordered ashore to make room for a rating who had been out there a lot longer. I was so damn sorry to see him go. We were good mates and got on well together. I sure hope he had and is still having a good life, like I am.

On our return to the UK we put in at Plymouth and were then sent to the Clyde. I returned to Royal Naval Barracks (RNB) Portsmouth, hopefully for demob. However, after I had the leave due to me, I was in RNB when I was called to the drafting office. I was ordered to join 鈥楬MS Mystic鈥� at Londonderry. At that time no one knew what she was but she turned out to be a mine sweeper.

So I go up to Stranraer and over by ferry to Larne, then into barracks at Belfast. Eventually onto Derry I was picked up by a drifter and taken out of harbour to join the 鈥楳ystic鈥�. Imagine my surprise when the very first member of the crew I met was Stoker Andrews, who I鈥檇 last seen at 鈥楬MS Duke鈥� during training. And now, imagine how I felt when I discovered that it was him that I had come to replace. I can assure you of the merriment that it caused on the stokers mess deck. We all had a good laugh about it. Quite a novel way, I thought, to be introduced to my new shipmates, who I got on with very well.

We used to sweep for mines 10 days then 5 days in harbour. The flotilla got quite a good number of them. But alas a few years on, after the war, I read in a daily paper that a tramp steamer had struck a mine in the Irish Sea and had sunk, with a certain loss of life. I know from personal experience that every effort was made to clear the sea of them. I guess its fate when these things happen.

Well, we finished our tour of duty up there and we sailed for Plymouth, Chatham and Portsmouth. There was one sweeper from each depot. Ours, of course, was Portsmouth. Into RNB again. This was the last time. Demob, for me, was now imminent.

I enjoyed my so called war service to my country, but I鈥檓 all too painfully aware that my contribution to Victory was far less than the youngest boy or girl in the land assisting wherever they could. I am not proud of this undeniable fact. My only defence is that I obeyed orders as I was taught. I guess it鈥檚 just the way the cards were dealt.

I often wonder how I would have reacted in a sea battle. Would I have disgraced myself and thereby caused the contempt of my shipmates, which of course would have been unbearable? Or would I have buckled down and done my job and my best? I guess I鈥檒l never really know. I would really like to have found myself out, so to speak.

Well that鈥檚 about it folks. Glad you鈥檝e read my tale. Believe me it was one wonderful experience. I look back with gratitude for what happened to me and I also think back to what might have been. I am an Octogenarian now, and it鈥檚 all so long ago but I remember so much of it so clearly.

I offer my thanks to whoever rules these events in our lives. I wish all of you the very best of what life can offer, believe me I鈥檝e had more than my fair share. Au Revoir. God Bless you all!

J. R. White (Knocker)
Ex- Royal Navy.

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