大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by a volunteer from CSV on behalf of George Andrews and hasbeen added to the site with his permission. Mr Andrews fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

It was 1945. The war in Europe was almost over. I was onboard HMS Formidable in the Pacific Ocean. I was 25 years old. I had been in the Navy since 1941. I was in the ADR (Aircraft Direction Room). The ADR would plot the fighter routes, and talk to the pilots, getting information from them when they were intercepting the Japanese. The pilots would say 'Tally Ho!' when they intercepted the Japanese...

In the ADR, I would wear earphones connected to the RADAR. I would stand in front of a large vertical circular map that was transparent and which was covered with grid references of 360 degrees. The report from the Radar would say 'Bogies bearing 0 3 0'. And then they'd estimate the distance: for example 16 miles. I would then plot that on the circular map with coloured pencils, red, blue.

Then the two Flight Directional officers (Port and starboard) (FDO) would then talk to the pilots - who were already airborne - and direct their flight to intercept the Japanese who could be flying in to attack the ship from all angles.

We had a plotter up on the Bridge where the captain was on the ship. That plotter had a little fox made and would put that on the grid and shout 'tally ho!' cause he liked shouting that to the Captain!

Japanese Kamikaze fighter planes would come in and we normally would shoot all of them down. The British Pacific fleet was working with the US Navy.

But on the 4th May 1945, one managed to hit the ship. He came over the portside, went across the flight deck, swung down the starboard side which meant the guns couldn't follow him, flipped over and crashed right in the middle of the flight deck into the 'island' which is the nerve centre of the ship. The Japanese plane pierced the flight deck and distintegrated.The bomb exploded and penetrated into the boiler room. There was a huge jet of steam and fires in the hangar and caused loads of destructuion. Men were injured and some were killed. A friend of mine had his right arm blown off. He was on the Bofors Gun on the island.

At the time, I was inside at my action station which was in the ADR. If it had been another 10ft to starboard I probably wouldn't be here now - I would be bured in the Pacific. One of our mechanics - Petty Officer Jupp - was coming down the ladder just after the plane hit and a lump of shrapnel hit him under the arm. He was awarded the DSM for that. The Captain got a DSC for the campaign.

Anyway, the Captain sent a signal to the Flag Officer (Sir Philip Vian) onboard The Indomitable to reassure the fleet that we were ok. He sent the message 'little yellow baskets!'. (Which is a polite way of being rude!)

They got fires under control and put a plate over the flight deck. Propped it up and poured quick drying cement into this hole and wield a plate over that. And within an hour they were landing aircraft again so we were operational.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.