大象传媒

OCT 1943 鈥� MAR 1945
The following are the excerpts from the wartime diary of P/JX 380709 A/LS A.B. John Dolphin
All dates are first arrival.

October 21st 1943 鈥淏ARI ITALY鈥� Perfect Adriactic.
Very near the 8th Army鈥檚 Front Line we have been joined by yet another Destroyer 鈥淗MS ILEX鈥�. Same thing here daytime help the Army, night time out, over and up the Coast Line of 鈥淵UGOSLAVIA鈥� looking for German Shipping.
While we were out one night, 鈥淏ARI HARBOUR鈥� was bombed with the loss of 17 Ships. 鈥淗MS QUAIL鈥� was mined while entering Harbour a week previous. We lost our Sister Ship 鈥淨UAIL鈥�. We left the Harbour at 1800 Hrs.

DAWN 鈥淪ANGRO ESTUARY鈥� Hazy with smoke.
鈥淎 FAKED COMMANDO LANDING鈥� For a while the 8th Army came to a halt, it was at a large river, on the other side German Tanks.

November 20th 鈥淪ANGRO RIVER鈥�
Staged a Dummy Landing 2 Ships 鈥淗MS QUEENBOROUGH鈥� and 鈥淗MS RAIDER鈥� sailed in with black smoke coming out of our funnels to within 陆 mile range of the river mouth at Dawn.We fired every Gun we had at the German side of the river. Jerries withdrew, got out Tanks across. From the ARMY HQ a letter of 鈥楯olly Good Show鈥�.

November 17th 1943 鈥淢ANFREDONIA ITALY鈥� Sunny Adriatic
BRING YOUR OWN GUNS WITH YOU.
A harbour just behind our front line, to call in for Orders for future bombardments to help the 8th Army, also to keep our fresh water tanks full for we are about to take with us on night patrols. Some 8th Army lads, who have asked to come in with us while they are on their rest leave (It was a good nosh-up they were after, plus sippers of rum). I thought that 鈥淛IMMY LEE鈥� would have been one.

While in 鈥淢ALTA鈥� after escorting the bombed 鈥淲ARSPITE鈥� there. For some reason we alone were ordered to paint the whole Ship PURPLE before going up into the 鈥淎DRIATIC鈥� from then on we were known as 鈥淭HE PURPLE TERROR鈥�.
To get to 鈥淧ALASTINE鈥� we had a train ride from 鈥淎LEX to 鈥淭EL-AVIV鈥� over the SINAI鈥� desert. Was hot during the day and cold at night. No glass in these trains.

December 2nd 1943 鈥淏ARI HARBOUR鈥�
German Luftwaffe Raiders from 鈥淵UGOSLAVIA鈥� explodes 鈥楪ENERAL DOLITTLE鈥橲鈥� Ammunition (M Gas Bombs for 15th US 8th Strategic Air Force) Ships, killing many MN Sailors, sinking 17 Ships 鈥淏ARI鈥� time of raid 1935 until 1950 hrs.

December 15th 1943 鈥淎LEXANDRIA EGYPT鈥� very warm during the day cold at night.
After those hectic 6 months in the 鈥淢ED鈥� the Ship needs a boiler clean and the crew a rest. Half the Ships Company go on leave for 7 days. The other half start cleaning and painting Ship until they return. Some men spent their leave in 鈥淐AIRO鈥�, the rest in 鈥淛ERUSALEM鈥�. I had 7 wonderful days spent looking around the 鈥淗OLY LAND鈥� from our 179 Army leave camp at 鈥淣ATHANYA鈥� with orange groves.

BIG GUNS OR DIVE BOMBERS?
After our refit in 鈥淎LEX鈥� we, and 鈥淗UNT CLASS鈥� Destroyers had Patrol work off 鈥淭URKEY鈥� to do around the Islands of 鈥淜ASOS鈥�.
鈥淜ARPATHOS鈥� and 鈥淩HODES鈥� all known as the 鈥淒ODECANESE鈥� but we were stopped from going up there after 7 Destroyers failed to return off Patrol. The Destroyers (Hunt Class) were Greek manned. One a night for 7 nights failed to return.
February 10th 1944 鈥淪UEZ CANAL EGYPT鈥� Sunny and hot.
I was a helmsman for 9 months (QM) passed through the canal (Dawn) on our way to the FAR EAST. I was QM at the time of passing through and did 4 hours at the wheel, the passage through took all day. 2 Days later we had gone right down the 鈥淩ED SEA鈥� with lights on, Port Holes Open and no fear of Subs. This was the only Sea this could be done in war time at night. Sea air at night coming into our Mess Decks was a welcome change.

February 12 鈥� 17th 1944 鈥淎DEN South Yemen鈥� Very hot and windy.
The Governor General cam onboard 鈥淗MS QUEENBOROUGH鈥� to be taken on his round of inspection of 鈥淧RIM鈥�, DJIBOUTI鈥� and 鈥淏ERBERA鈥� all in British and French 鈥淪OMALILANDS鈥� which we were greeted with each visit with a Band. So many hours stay in each Port with no leave given. On the way back to 鈥淎顿贰狈鈥� we called at a weather station called 鈥淐AMEL鈥� in the 鈥淩ED SEA鈥� when we dropped anchor here, 鈥淐AMEL鈥� in the 鈥淵EMEN鈥� well over the 100s this was no doubt the 鈥楬OTTEST鈥� place so far.

鈥淎顿贰狈鈥�
The Troopship Cooks had orders to make for 鈥淨UENBOROUGH鈥橲鈥� crew a huge cake. That went down well on arrival at 鈥淎顿贰狈鈥� For safe escort, and the Wrens, ATS, WRAF鈥檚 and Crew gave us a grand wave, and fingers up (Not like That! Like that 鈥榁鈥�).

February to March 1944 鈥淚NDIAN OCEAN鈥� Perfect and tropic.
On completion of the Governor鈥檚 inspection we proceeded to 鈥淚NDIA鈥� 鈥淏OMBAY鈥� to escort out a Troopship (name has left me) to take to the following places 鈥淐OCHIN鈥� then onto 鈥淢OMBASA鈥� KENYA and it was here we had 7 days leave. Then onto 鈥淒IEGO SUAREZ鈥� MADAGASGAR, pass the 鈥淪EYCHELLES鈥� on our way to 鈥淎顿贰狈鈥� with her. After leaving the Troopship there we refuelled and set off for 鈥淐EYLON鈥�.

March 19th 1944 鈥淐OLUMBO JETTTY鈥� CEYLON Tropic very hot.
A chest of Ceylon tea could be sent to you home for just 拢2 from here. My pay was just 拢4 every two weeks. We now join up with the 4th Destroyer Flotilla in Harbour, after 2 days rest up we all 8 Fleet Destroyers go out to sea to drop over every depth charge we had.

Then after the last was exploded we all turned to head back to harbour. We returned through our own wakes all the way back slowing down to pick up fresh fish that the hundreds of charges had killed. There was every kind of fish you could think of on the surface, a line and a bucket to bring them inboard. We had fish for days after.

Them charges were TNT then replaced by RDX powder ones in Port. RDX had more power than TNT. RDX 鈥� Research Department Formula 鈥榅鈥�.

March 25th 1944 鈥淭RINCOMALEE鈥� CEYLON Perfect and tropic.
MANY SWIMS
This is one of the Worlds most finest natural harbours in the eastern waters. We have now joined the 鈥淔ar Eastern Fleet鈥� flag ship 鈥淗MS RENOWN鈥� (see below).

During the 9 months that we used this harbour for our base the following has happened. 鈥楧鈥� Day Landings, a new floating dock sinks in 鈥淭RINCO鈥� harbour with 鈥淗MS VALLIANT鈥� in it at the time. I was sent on 鈥淗MS RENOWN鈥� in 鈥榊鈥� Turret for 3 weeks 15鈥� Gun Training. On Car-nicobari Islands raid, north of 鈥淪UMATRA鈥�.

May 19th 1944 鈥淓XMOUTH GULF AUSTRALIA鈥�
NO ONE SET FOOT ASHORE
First time we set eyes on 鈥淎USTRAILIA鈥� 鈥淪ECRET RENDEZVOUS鈥�
No one left their ships here, There was nothing but a red dusted shoreline in the Gulf that sheltered this big Fleet while drinking the Tankers dry like sows with a liter of piglets. It was over 鈥淪UMATRA鈥� and 鈥淛AVA鈥� that we saw the most wonderful sunsets ever we have seen so far, not to be forgotten.

This was jus a wild uninhabited coast line of 鈥淲ESTERN AUSTRAILIA鈥�, a Gulf that sheltered our Fleet Oil Tankers and their fast Escorts for a mass Fleet refuel rendezvous.

After we had made attacks on the Jap held Ports of 鈥淪ABANG鈥� 鈥淪UMATRA鈥� and 鈥淪URABAIA鈥� JAVA with us was the US Carrier 鈥淪ARATOGA鈥� and the Dutch Cruiser 鈥淭ROMP鈥� The Fleet repeated these air raid and strike bombardments on the way back to 鈥淭RINCOMALEE鈥�.

鈥淎ULD LAND SYNE鈥�
鈥淪ARATOEA鈥� affectionately know as 鈥淪ARA鈥� by every Matelot who served with her. She was unique in many ways, The 鈥極ldest鈥� carrier afloat and the 鈥楤iggest鈥� carrier in the World.
For seven weeks she was with the 鈥淓ASTERN FLEET鈥�. The day she and her three destroyers left the Fleet, big and small close beam she passed down the Port side of the 鈥楩leet鈥� for three cheers. She lies now on the 鈥淏IKINI LAGOON鈥� bottom (July 1946 鈥楢鈥� bomb test.

September 4th 1944 鈥淎DDU 鈥� ATOLL鈥� 鈥淪outh Islands of Ceylon鈥� Tropic.
鈥楢 SCAPA WITH PALM TREES鈥�
After months of near strikes and bombardments on Jap held Islands we were in this Atoll refuelling when we alone were ordered out to a point in the 鈥淚NDIAN OCEAN鈥� to look for survivors from a torpedoed Oil Tanker.

We were known to be the fastest destroyer in the Fleet, 38 knots +. We got there and looked all day and all night even with search lights on. We found nothing at all, on sending out on the RT this fact our new orders were to proceed to 鈥淔REEMANTLE鈥�.

鈥楥AT AMONGST THE PIGEONS鈥� Bloody hot.
U.S.N and R.N. submariners were getting along fine in the hot west coast base, until we arrived!? A Destroyer and only one amongst subs so it had to be when we got our shore leave for a few hours in their club, we were not welcomed so we left our calling card, a wrecked club and a few bloody noses (both sides).

November 22nd 1944 鈥淔REEMANTLE WESTERN AUSTRALIA鈥� Dry and sticky.
This is a 鈥淏ritish鈥� and U.S.N. submarine base for the 鈥淚NDIAN OCEAN鈥� hunting grounds. Calling in this Harbour for water, veg and fuel we all thought we had to return to 鈥淭RINCO鈥�, but what a grand surprise to us all when the orders were to proceed to 鈥淪YDNEY鈥� (civilization at last) YARHOO.

We had a very rough passge through the 鈥淕REAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT鈥�, when we got between 鈥淣EW ZEALAND and 鈥淎USTRALIA鈥�, we were OK.

A WATER MELON RELAXING
PUB TIMES 4 till 6pm
鈥淪YDNEY鈥� had been a 鈥淯NITED STATES鈥� NAVEL BASE鈥� up to us coming in and no rain for 7 years here in N.S.W. (quote Sydney Mirror) what 9 months 鈥淭RINCOMALEE鈥� and 鈥淚NDIAN OCEAN鈥� duty can do to some men, but the girls here went 鈥楴UTS鈥� for us BRITISH.

November 28th 1944 鈥淪YDNEY N.S.W. Perfect.
鈥淕ARDEN ISLAND鈥� Nr Bridge. We found ourselves the only BRITISH 鈥淢AN-O-WAR鈥� SHIP in this 鈥楳AGNIFICENT HARBOUR鈥�, we were made welcome no matter where we went in the City. We did not know it at the time our Fleet was weeks out, and were to join us later. 鈥淟OONA PARK鈥� helped as there were 700 marriages while the Fleet was in Sydney.

February 5th 1945 鈥淎UCKLAND NORTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND鈥� Perfect.
鈥淗MS QUEENBOROUGH, QUIBERON AND QUADRANT鈥� all fast fleet destroyers were singled out of the 鈥楩leet鈥� to escort our 鈥楩LAGSHIP鈥� 鈥淗MS HOWE鈥� (Battleship) with the 鈥楥-in-C on board, Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser of the 鈥淧ACIFIC FLEET鈥�

鈥淎UCKLAND鈥橲鈥� Town Hall had things laid on for the crews of these four ships (I have a photo of these 4 Ships coming into 鈥淎UCKLAND SOUND鈥�), through and thanks to the N.Z. Army Transport Coy we stayed in 鈥淎UCKLAND鈥漟or 5 marvellous days. Nice people and place including a Garden Party at a road side Inn. Girls were there waiting for the Sailors.

April 7th 1945
鈥淵AMATO鈥� Sunk by US NAVY DIVE BOMBERS
The Japanese pride of their navy came out from 鈥淛APAN鈥� to put up her last fight off 鈥淥KINAWA鈥� but even though the B.P.F. and U.S.N. altered course to intercept her before she and her five escorting Destroyers could reach the Beach Head they were all sunk by the US Carrier Force, half way between 鈥淛APAN鈥� and 鈥淥KINAWA鈥�. Thus deprived the allied Battleships the last big Ship to Ship action of the war.

February 10th 1945
THE FLEET鈥橲 IN and 7 days leave given out for everyone> Mine was spent on a 鈥楽HEEP STATION鈥� some 300 miles in the Bush the Holcombes, Mr and Mrs J Holcombe, The Gardens, WEE WAA N.S.W. Our pennant No G70 is changed to the American system to D19 while in the Pacific Zone. After the war the 鈥楻N鈥� adopted it 鈥楧鈥� for Destroyer 鈥楩鈥� for Frigate.

March 7th 1945 鈥淧ITYILU MANUS ADMARALTY ISLANDS鈥� 鈥淓QUATOR鈥� Hot.
鈥淚NTO THE PACIFIC鈥� The whole of the B.P.F. sailed out of 鈥淪YDNEY鈥� to head into the 鈥淧ACIFIC鈥� to meet up with the 鈥淎merican Pacific Fleet鈥� F58 for something big.

We refuelled here in 鈥淢ANUS鈥� Some Japs were still on the Islands in the hills, all Guns must be at the ready while our stay lasted in this near Japan Islands. We watched the 鈥楽ea Bees鈥� making an Air Strip over the Atoll here.

First time I saw a machine called a 鈥楥at Skinner鈥�.

鈥淢ANUS鈥� 鈥淭HE FORGOTTTTEN FLEET鈥� (British Pacific Fleet)
Its Monsoon weather, the rain is very warm and it sure does come down fast and heavy. The lads with 鈥淧rickly Heat鈥� are running starkers around the 鈥淔lat Tops鈥� our lads on the destroyers are just letting it run off them on the upper decks. Rain is good for anyone with Prickly Heat.

March 20th 1945 鈥淯LITHI LAGOOON CAROLINE ISLAND Perfect evening.
We have now met up with the A.P.F. here, along with hundreds of assault ships with thousands of GIs aboard them. When we entered this Atoll like harbour line astern there was a loud cheer as we sailed closer to their Fleet.

In Naval History we were the LARGEST ALLIED FLEET EVER ASSEMBLED in one place, for the last landings of the war. TASK FORCE F58(US) and us F57(RN) plus ASSAULT SHIPS from the Islands. No one knew it was the last at the time.

As far as the eye could see Ships of every type the scale of Battle in which we are about to take part in was with us. More to meet up with at Sea converging on 鈥淥KINAWA鈥� from 鈥淪AN FRANCISCO, GUADALCANAL LEYTE and SAIPAN鈥�, in all a joint expeditionary force of 1,400 ships, 828 assault ships and 182,000 Troops.

March 27th 1945
At Sea non stop 31 days decoy force South of 鈥淥KINAWA鈥�

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