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Tom's Story - Part Four

We got leave of course, and I was able to get home to Runcorn to see Nancy and to Wrexham to see my Mother and family. Nancy came up to South Shields and stayed with people who had befriended me and my shipmates (the Sick Berth P.O. and the Supply P.O.) and she came aboard the Belfast. It was great to have her come aboard and see ‘my’ Ship and meet my shipmates.

We were at South Shields quite a time. A lot was being done to the ship and our stay there were the happiest days I spent in the Navy.

But all good things come to an end and we were told we were off to sea again. After ‘working up’ and exercises in and around Scapa Flow we were destined for the Far East. Our hearts sank, no hope now for demobilisation. So off to Scapa Flow yet again, only this time it was so strange as there were few warships there - it seemed deserted - a few destroyers, drifters, submarines, but no capital ships - we were the biggest ship there at the time and the senior ship.

The war against Germany was coming to an end - at long last. Hitler was dead, the 3rd Reich was finished, only the mess to clear up.

One day, to my surprise (we non-commissioned ranks were not told much), we were at Scapa Flow, when into the Fleet Anchorage sailed a number of German E boats, a submarine (U boat) and various other small German craft, to surrender.

I was summoned to the quarterdeck (my office was adjacent) and told to receive the German Officer who would be surrendering. They came aboard, accompanied by a few seamen. The Officers were taken to the Captain’s cabin and I was detailed to ‘keep an eye’ on the seamen. I took them to my office. I shall never forget them. They stood rigidly to attention and were perspiring freely. They were afraid, not knowing what was to become of them I suppose. They spoke no English and I spoke no German, so there they stood, like ramrods.

When the business with the Captain was completed the Seamen joined their Officers and left. I personally do not know what happened to them, but understood that they and their ships were escorted somewhere else and the men made prisoners-of-war, but not for long I suppose as they had been defeated and would soon be sent back home to Germany.

Little did I realise then that I was to encounter a similar episode in the Pacific.

Off we sailed at last, bound for the theatre of war in the Far East as a ‘Private Ship’, that is not attached to a Fleet or Squadron, but to act on our own, raiding wherever possible, Japanese shipping.

Our journey took us first to Gibralter, then Malta, Alexandria - through the Suez into the Red Sea, and Colombo and Ceylon (near Trincomarlu).

From Colombo our war in the Far East began. Sailing in the Indian Ocean we were attacked by the Japanese ‘Kami Kazi’ fighters. Only a couple and they did no damage to us, in fact they were poor at their job - the Japs were running out of steam too by now as the U.S. Forces were really hammering them and driving them back from Island to Island to their own country and our Forces in Burma were on the attack again, forcing the enemy back.

We sailed around a lot, searching for Jap shipping, but no luck. All we came across was a mine or two and abandoned landing craft, which we sank as they were of course, a menace to shipping. Actually it was quite a boring time.

Then one day, great news and hearty cheers, the Americans had dropped the atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima and within days the Japs had surrendered. It was all over bar the shouting.

We were at this time somewhere off New Guinea and we were ordered to Freemantle in Western Australia. On our arrival at Freemantle, we were greeted by the ringing of bells, ships in the harbour flowing their sirens and what seemed all the people from Freemantle and Perth lining the banks of the harbour waving flags and cheering. It was a wonderful sight. I learnt later that all the local papers had written an account of our exploits, particularly about Sharnhorst and ‘D’ day and knew that we were arriving.

Once we had tied up at the harbour walls the first thing that happened was a huge lorry drawing up alongside, a man came aboard and approached me and wanted to know how many people we had aboard. I was not prepared to tell him and was about to order him off the ship when the Commander joined me and wanted to know what the trouble was. Before I could explain to the Commander this man told him that the lorry contained a parcel for each and every man aboard. Such was the very warm welcome we received. In addition to this, when we eventually got ashore for a spot of shore leave, each and every man was taken off by Australians as their guests. The Sick Berth P.O. and the Stores P.O. and myself were taken by a very nice family who wined and dined us and then took us to their home for the night, entertaining us like Royalty. The streets of Perth were crammed with people and they made an awful fuss of us - it was quite embarrassing. Their war was over too and they were rejoicing and celebrating as only Australians can. We all had a wonderful time.

Our stay in Freemantle and Perth was brief and we were soon off again, this time to Sydney. What a lovely voyage we made through the Australian Bight. It was here that I first saw the fantastic bird the Albatros. What a sight as these very big birds, with their huge wingspan cruised along with the ship. I shall never forget them.

Our welcome at Sydney was, if anything, even greater than that at Freemantle. We were spoilt.

Again, our stay in Sydney was brief, but I must record here how beautiful Sydney harbour was. During this brief stay we sailed under the famous Sydney Bridge, and later on shore leave I both walked and rode over the Bridge.

We were taken into the Blue Mountains by buses for a day by groups of local people and shown the sights of this beautiful area. Here, at Sydney, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, such a change from wartime conditions.

However for us, the War was not finally over. We sailed again, this time to join up with the American 7th Cruiser Squadron, but we never did get into their company, but to our delight we met up with and were joined by our old friend H.M.S. Argonaut of the 10th Cruiser Squadron.

Together we sailed into the Pacific and one day we both were directed to Formosa (now Taiwan) to take off the Island’s British and Colonial P.O.W’s. On the way we were joined by H.M.S. Glory, an aircraft carrier and a hospital ship. H.M.S. Belfast, being the Flagship, led the way.

Entering the mouth of the river leading to the harbour of the main part in Formosa (I forget the name) was the beginning of a frightening experience. We had left the hospital ship out in the Bay with H.M.S. Glory, who was to give us air cover if we encountered trouble as the Japanese were still occupying the Island and being the fanatics they were, a lot of them refusing to surrender, anything could have happened. H.M.S. Argonaut accompanied us.

It was a very overcast day with low cloud, and raining. The waters were dirty brown and looked filthy - it was all so miserable looking and foreboding.

The seaway had not been cleared of mines and all the ships personnel not required below decks were ordered to wear lifebelts at all times. Everyone was at Action Stations (thought we had finished with this action ). Both sides of the embankment were heavily manned by Japanese troops and guns were trained on both our ships as we very, very slowly nosed our way up river to the jetty. One false move and we would be sitting ducks. No way could those two ships have turned in that River and best a retreat. Fortunately we got safely to the jetty by a harbour wall and tied up. Argonaut astern. On all the warehouse roofs were Japanese troops manning machine guns, rifles, and automatic weapons. We too showed our teeth. Our 6" and 4" guns were trained on them. Marines and sailors manned the upper deck, also armed facing the Japs - but not a shot was fired. Very soon after bething, a Jap staff car rolls up and stops and out get about 4 Japanese Officers in full dress with those horrible swords at their sides. A gangway was lowered for them to come aboard. I had to man the gangway as the Acting Master-at-Arms with the Commander. On stepping aboard the usual military etiquettes were observed, then they unbuckled their belts with their swords and handed them to me. The Japs were then taken below to the Captain. I was given to understand later that the Japanese Commanding Officer wished to surrender to us but our Captain could not accept the surrender because of the very intricate political situation out East. It had been ordered that the surrender should be made to the Chinese, whose Island it was before the Japs invaded it.

This left us in a nasty position but a contingent of Royal Marines from Belfast and Argonaut went ashore (fully armed) escorted by Jap soldiers, to a P.O.W. camp and the P.O.W’s were released and brought to the harbour and transported to the hospital ship. The P.O.W’s were in a terrible state, half dead and looking like skeletons (another Belsen). The sight of those poor men so upset one young Royal, Marine that he attacked some Jap soldiers and had to be forcibly detained in case all hell broke loose.

We were in this position for three days getting the P.O.W.’s off and it was a hairy time, especially at nights when the Japs still manned their guns on the warehouse roofs and our chaps, still fully armed, manned the upper deck! Several shots from small arms were exchanged but no harm done. It was just the nervous tension on both sides causing people to be trigger happy at an unusual sound or movement.

The Chinese were on their way so we were ordered to move out, which we did and jolly glad to do so. I had never in my life seen such a depressing place.

Off we sailed. The hospital ship with H.M.S. Glory had gone by now so we thought we would be joining up with the American 7th Cruiser Squadron. We did eventually. Belfast and Argonaut, steaming ahead with the American Cruisers following.

We ran into a terrible storm, a cyclone could be seen ahead. We tried to skirt it but the edge of it caught us and gave us a real buffeting. The Americans in their much lighter cruisers suffered damage. I remember seeing signals passed between the Senior American Officer and our Captain Royer Dick. The American asked how we were faring in the storm and Royer Dick tersely replied "What storm?". As veterans of Arctic storms we were fairly well used to that sort of thing but the poor Yanks had not experienced that kind of weather and seas of that nature.

Once again however, we were detached from this American Squadron and we and Argonaut were ordered to Shanghai in China.

On entering the mouth of the huge river Yantse-Whangto, which leads to Shanghai, the river banks were a mass of Chinese people on both sides of the river, waving, cheering and letting off fireworks. Both ships had manned the sides for entering harbour, sailors and marines with flags flying. It was a stupendous sight. Our welcome here was equally if not better than the welcome we had received in South Shields after ‘D’ day and at Freemantle and Perth after the Japanese surrender.

For the first three weeks in Shanghai it was one big celebration and we were feted everywhere and given the freedom of the City.

On first anchoring in the River opposite the famous Shanghai Beach, marines and sailors from both ships, fully armed, had to go ashore to take a large number of Japanese fanatics who had barracaded themselves in a large tobacco factory on the outskirts of Shanghai. I was with this party and on approaching the factory the Japs were faced with the ultimatum of surrendering or being blown to pieces by the guns of Belfast and Argonaut - they decided to surrender!! I’ll not forget the long line of those sullen looking Jap troops as they came out of the building. I hate to think what became of them when handed over to the Chinese Authorities.

About three weeks after we had berthed, along came the American 7th Cruiser Squadron. Up till then we had had a marvellous time, being entertained and entertaining them in return. I was befriended, along with my two Petty Officer friends, by a family - a wealthy white Russian gentleman who was a jeweller, his wife, an English lady and a friend of theirs who was also English. They lived in a fine place just outside Shanghai with dozens, or so it seemed, Chinese servants. We lived well and very cheaply. I found the Chinese people so friendly and helpful, they were charming.

On the arrival. Of the Yanks, things changed. Prices rocketed because of the spending ability of the American servicemen.

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