大象传媒

My dad, Denis Rymer joined the Destroyer H.M S Faulknor on Christmas Eve, 1942 as a young seaman Stoker. He travelled from his barracks in Portsmouth up to Scotland on train then was transfered onto a bus which took him, and other new recruites over the Kyle of Lockalsh to Altbay. They stayed in a Castle and got drunk with some local Shepards who could only speak Gaelic. The next day the snow was still falling as they headed for Scapa Floe.
H. M. S. Faulknor was the Captain D of the 8th. Flotilla. When my Dad, and the other recruites joined the ship they were told that the Flotilla was going up the Fiords to find the German Battle Ship the Bismark at that time she was the most powerful battleship in the world.
Throughout the war the Faulnor was in action constantely. Some of the actions I know about include the Landings in Sicily, sailing up the Messina Straights at night with E.Boats and Destroyers. The ship also went into action at Anzio. further action followed including the Salerno Landings.
After helping the 5th Army to get ashore the Faulknor headed home back to Plymouth. She then went to the Channel Islands and saw the Germans surrendour to the Allied Forces. The ship then layed off Portland Bill watching the Doodle Bugs heading for London. Out in the channel ships of every size were heading over to France (6th June) H.M.S. Fury was lost to the German guns and she was used as a gun platform. The Falknor went back to Plymouth and took General Montgomery on board. Dad spoke to him a couple of times. His cabin was above the Plummer Blocks which Dad had been assigned to look after.
H.M.S. Faulknor was the only one of the F-Flotilla to survive the war. Dad had been in the ship for over 3 years and made many friends. After he was payed of, along with the ship in the River Dart he joined a "Yankee Frigate in Plymouth. He then sailed to Belfast and did a couple of Convoys in the Western before taking her back to America and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The ship hit a Hurricane and it took 3 weeks to get across. He spent 6 weeks in the States and finally came home, back to England in the old Queen Mary. Dad finished his time in the Royal Navy in the old Wooden Wall H. M. S. Implacable. This old French Battle Ship had been captured at the battle of Trafalgar and was used as a Boys Training Ship. Dad's mate, on board was Jim Collins who was Ex -Welter Weight Champion. Dad enjoyed Sparing with him and got involved with the P.T. Training. He was Demobbed in the summer of 1946 and came back home to Hull where he met my mother, Mary Horsley and his old school friend Joe Bannister. Dad spent his working life as a Steel Errector and enjoyed many hobbies including Woodwork and listening to and playing music.
Unfortunately, Dad died on the 2nd. May, 2005 after having an operation. This account of his time in the Royal Navy is taken from snippets of information he has left us. Eventually, I will be adding more detail and correcting any mistakes. I invite other anecdotes or pieces of information from others who might have served in H.M.S. Faulknor or from relatives of those men who put their lives at risk to defend this country from tyranny.

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