大象传媒

This article, presented here in 8 chapters plus an introduction, is the naval autobiography of Alec Kellaway. Alec served in the Royal Navy from January 1936 to November 1947. His story shows what life was like training for the Navy immediately before the war as well as service in a wide variety of ships during the conflict. The book was written by Alec himself and has previously been published on the HMS Hood Association web site (www.hmshood.com) and in the HMS Cossack Association newsletters.

I was There! Where? Chapter 5d - Coastal Forces

Returning to Freetown from an escort duty one of the engines was playing up. The shore staff decided that there was valve trouble. The cylinder heads were removed and one head had loose valves seats. Now the recommended procedure for valve seat replacement was for the cylinder head to be heated by immersion in boiling water and when hot a new valve seat that had been frozen in a freezer would be placed into the cylinder head and the sudden change in temperature between the two metals would result in a perfect fit of the valve seat. This could not be carried out on 279 as we did not have the facilities so the next best thing was tried. The valve seat was placed in the fridge, the cylinder head was heated by blowlamp, and the valve seat was then inserted in the block, a nice sharp tap, a cooling off period, success! The engine was then built up, finely checked over, the OK given, and attempts were then made to start the engine but with no success. After many attempts and many checks it was decided to take 279 into the river and at high speed on one engine try to kick-start the other engine. No luck whatsoever, back to the mooring. The engine would have to be stripped down to find out the fault. The first parts to be disconnected were the two large exhaust pipes. As soon as these were separated from the engine the reason for our failure to start appeared; the joints between the two surfaces had been renewed by one of the stokers, these being cut from a large sheet of heat resisting material, but he had not cut out the centres. Thereby stopping any escape of exhaust. These centres were cut out, the pipes re-connected and the engine started up right away. It is surprising how a little slip like that could cause so much work and frustration. Any way back to operational duties.

After one escort duty and 279 was along side the tanker our seaman gunner lined his three pounder gun on a battleship that was anchored near the Edinburgh Castle and carried away with enthusiasm pulled the trigger forgetting that he had not unloaded the gun, fortunately for our gunner the shot missed the battleship and no one noticed the fall of shot. The battleship was the Queen Elisabeth, she gave tremendous service during WW11, she had survived from the Great War had been given a complete overhaul and it could be said apart from the new battleships joining the fleet she was the most up to date of our ten battleships.

I had by this time gained my engine room motor certificate and the relief for Bungy had arrived. The CO called me to the wardroom after his return from the main office to say that on ML 209 there were difficulties between the motor mechanic and fellow crew members. It was decided that the motor mechanic should go to the shore base, this could only happen if I agreed to take over as mechanic on 209. As I had now gone back to number two on 279 I took the offer of 209 without any hesitation and I was transferred over.

Now 209 was slightly older than 279 and did not seem so well built. This showed the difference in boatyards. However she was very seaworthy and the engines were exactly the same. I did however share the cabin with the coxswain, which I could not do on 279, as I had not been her official mechanic. The crew greeted my arrival on 209 with enthusiasm and I was nicknamed PO EAK. EAK being my initials.

The CO was different to Denis Booth in that he was very uncommunicative and kept himself aloof from the crew. Several escorts were done to Takaradi and back with no major problems and on one return to Freetown we found our moorings had been shifted up river to a new base in a more sheltered bay. The only problem there was the canteen was about 2 miles away, but transport was provided.

One day 209 had just returned from escort duty, the CO had made his report to base and on his return brought with him a motor mechanic. He then said to me to show this chap around the boat then to get my gear together as I was to go to the Edinburgh Castle for return to the UK. I queried why the hurry as normal procedure was for at least to have a day or two together. The skipper then said that the three stoker POs in the flotilla had to be returned to the UK immediately and that was that. Of the three POs I was the only one doing mechanic鈥檚 duties.

Edinburgh Castle was an old liner though her size made her an excellent base at Freetown, which was a very busy place with ships of all types moving in and out at various intervals. In fact Freetown was a mustering place for convoys and warships of all classes came into refuel during their movement around the Atlantic. Accommodation on the Edinburgh was spacious, the meals were good and in the evening we had cinema shows. During the day there was very little we could do but wait for a ship to take us to the UK. So much for our hurried departure from the flotilla. The three of us were called upon to do canteen patrols ashore, this was only from 2pm to 6pm. After about two weeks we had to collect our gear for transport to the ship taking us back.

The motor launches were loaded with the kit of various personnel and with kit and persons would take us to the ship taking us home. What a surprise we had when we neared the ship, she was one of the scruffiest ships I or my mates had ever seen. Anyhow she was to take us back to the UK so who cared? The ship was a French vessel that had been converted to transport Italian prisoners of war and was now on her way back to the UK being used as a troop ship. Her name was the Cuba. The accommodation was cramped, the mess arrangements were no more than could be expected of a prison ship. We three POs were allocated mess arrangements with the travelling naval ratings. As we were entitled to our own mess and a messman we had to make representations to the transport officer about this. After discussion he realised that we should have the same privileges as sergeants anyway as there were no cabins left, we three agreed to stay with the ratings but our meals would be in the dining room provided for the sergeants. The Cuba sailed away from Freetown and sailed unescorted back to England taking about eight days, making detours to avoid the known U-boat areas, she made black smoke all the time her boilers were fired by pulverised coal which appeared to lack proper combustion.

There was not much to do on the journey back, impromptu concerts were held in the dining room. Fresh water was for drinking only. In the toilet areas all water was salt water, we had special soap for showers or washing. Our rum ration ran out after two days, in all the thought only of returning home made the trip bearable.

Our arrival in the Clyde brought us in the hands of His Majesty鈥檚 customs, there were many of them and after they had done a token vetting of the hundreds of soldier, sailors and airmen we were free to report to our respective transport officers. We three POs were taken ashore to the nearest train station and dispatched to the Coastal Force base at Portland near Weymouth. The journey to Weymouth was very uncomfortable, trains were packed and there were no facilities for a meal or drink. On arrival at Kings Cross station in London no transport had been arranged to take us to Waterloo station. We had to carry all our gear up and down and through the underground train service to Waterloo.

At Waterloo we did manage to get a few sandwiches and a tin mug of tea provided by volunteer ladies in their makeshift canteen. Arriving at Weymouth we were met by the naval patrol and given transport to HMS Attack on Portland Hill, there we had a late meal and just signed in until the next day. We had a quick medical were allocated to the POs mess before seeing the Engineer officer in charge of all engine room personnel. The engineer I recognised as being the officer in charge of new entries when I enlisted in 1936, I mentioned this but as thousands of engine room personnel had passed through his hands he could not remember me from so many faces.
He briefed us to his intentions to keep us in coastal forces though we should be returned to our depots for fleet use. He went on to say that he was short of experienced staff and that we would be given boats of our own when we had completed the power operated gun turret course that took about three days. On the next day we were taken to a classroom, introduced to the motor mechanic instructor who said that the course would start the next morning and that we could do what we wanted until then.

The following morning we attended the class and were put through the operation and maintenance of power turrets. By the end of the day the instructor had been over the same subject so often that we three along with the newly enlisted mechanics were bored to tears and there was still another two days to go. Anyhow on the second morning the three of us did not turn up for the class, just moping around the base.

The third morning we presented ourselves in the classroom, as it was examination day and we had to take the exam, the instructor who was junior in seniority to us questioned why we were absent the day before and on being told our reason for skipping class said that if anyone of us failed the exam then the three would be put on report. The exam was taken and us three came out 1st, 2nd and 3rd. A good indication that the course was too long.
From there we went back to wait for our draft and hoped that it would be a good one. A few days later we were given our orders for joining our respective boats. While we were waiting to go one evening I was given a patrol in Weymouth. On reporting to the officer in charge I was told to take the patrol along the seafront in Weymouth and to visit each public house, making myself known to the landlord as a contact should there be any drunken behaviour. This was a very good idea because in most pubs visited I met someone who knew me and against regulations I was plied with a few pints. At the end of the evening after the pubs had been cleared the patrol was given night accommodation and it was very lucky for me that I did not have to report to anyone. I was slightly unsteady on my feet.

The next day the patrol was returned to base and I was told that I would leave the following day for Felixstowe in Suffolk to take over ML 100 as motor mechanic. That day my two mates and I were put on the train, I going to Felixstowe and my two mates to Yarmouth, Norfolk. We journeyed so far together and I had to change trains. On saying our farewells we parted never to meet again.

Alec's Story continues in Chapter 5e - Coastal Forces

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