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This article is a transcription of a book written by Jack Taylor who served in the Royal Navy throughout World War 2. Jack saw service in a wide range of ships and in many theatres of the war. Another article, written by Jack, about the loss of H.M.S. Hood can be found on the H.M.S. Hood web site www.hmshood.com

A Destroyer and Aircraft Carrier at War
Chapter 2, U-Boat contact!

The following months up to Christmas 1939 we did a lot of routine work 鈥� escort duty to the Battle Fleet and nursemaid duty to convoys. It was during this period that the aircraft carrier 鈥淐ourageous鈥� was lost on the east coast and many lives were lost. Our losses in the first 4 months up to January 1940 were very heavy including H.M.S. 鈥淩oyal Oak鈥�. By 1940 we had settled into a routine 鈥� submarine patrol and convoy duty on the Western Approaches. We were based at Devonport for a while and managed to get shore leave watch and watch about and it was very nice to get all night in a bed for a change. Onboard we slept in hammocks which was very convenient as they could be stowed away every morning. Also they were very comfortable to sleep in and, if lashed properly, could also act as a life preserver. Stowed in nettings around the inside of the mess deck the gave some protection from shell splinter. They would also float and one could hold onto them if the ship was sunk.

After a short spell in harbour it was back to sea. The weather in January 1940 was very cold and the seas were running heavily. The little ship tossed and rolled and great waves broke over the bows and water crashed down on us and the mess deck was awash with water slopping about. Everything was damp and miserable. As the galley was oil fired and the weather was rough as could be cookie could not flash up his stove so it was corned beef and bread for lunch, bread and jam at tea time and bread and cheese for supper. I will give our cook his due, if it was ever so slightly possible to light up the stove he would do so. It goes to say what sort of a man he was because he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for keeping us fed when at action stations for hours on end. He was a welcome sight struggling along the deck with a mess kettle full of sandwiches and a fanny full of hot Kye (cocoa). We were some 42掳 west picking up a homeward bound convoy from America, 鈥淓lectra鈥� with other destroyers was zig zagging about herding the convoy, which was only a 10 knot one as the speed of the convoy was controlled by the speed of the slowest ship.

We had some 36 ships in the convoy and day in, day out for the destroyers it was ASDIC pinging around searching for U-Boats. The nearer home we got the more we had to be alert. It was not long before we saw 鈥淓scort鈥� with her contact flag hoisted to the yardarm. Orders came over the Tannoy, 鈥淒epth Charge crews close up!鈥� The ASDIC pinging switched to a speaker on the bridge and we could all hear it 鈥� PING, PINGGG, PING. The convoy altered course and 鈥淓scort鈥� made her run over the target. Depth charges were dropped at different depths in a pattern of 5. One off the stern, then another off the stern at the same time. Two are fired from either side of the ship and then one more dropped from the stern. This gave a diamond pattern with one in the middle. Leading Torpedo Operator Barrett was in charge of this and he always layed a good pattern. Within a few seconds the ocean erupted. We had followed 鈥淓scort鈥� over the target area. Ten charges were dropped, 5 from each destroyer but no kill. We searched for an hour but no echo was recorded so we rejoined the convoy.

Dusk was closing in and we were piped to Dusk Action Stations. This is a period at sea when visibility is very low. Once it got dark and we were accustomed to it we got 鈥渇all out Action Stations, resume tow watch cruising, duty watch close up.鈥� Once again, down on the mess deck where it was warm off came our seaboots and duffle coats. Someone had made some tea and we settled down to smoke, chat or write letters. Some were sleeping as finally we all did as we were next on watch.

It seemed that we had only just closed our eyes when the action alarm sounded and we tumbled out of our hammocks. We normally slept clothed with the exception o sea boots, duffle coats and head gear, so it did not take long to get closed up.

What a sight greeted us! The convoy had been attacked and one tanker was ablaze from stem to stern. This silhouetted the whole convoy. Every now and then destroyers depth charges to keep the U-Boats down. A mighty crash and another ship is hit. We move in for survivors. Off to our starboard a destroyer opens fire with her 4.7鈥� guns. She has found a U-Boat on the surface. All night the action lasted and we lost 4 ships of our convoy. Many survivors were picked up.

During the Spring of 1940 we were on submarine patrol off the north of Scotland and we were having a spell of nice weather. Starboard watch were at cruising stations, the ASDICs were pinging away and the war seemed many miles away. The sun was shining and the off duty watch was going about normal sea routine clearing up, cleaning paint work. 10.30 came the pipe 鈥淪tand Easy,鈥� and off we went for a cup of tea and a tickler. A tickler is a hand-rolled cigarette. The tobacco was bought from the Pusser鈥檚 stores, one shilling and sixpence for a one pound tin. 鈥淥ut pipes鈥� had sounded and the Port Watch returned to sea duties. Suddenly a call from the lookout. 鈥淎ircraft bearing Green 45掳 High.鈥� All eyes turned skyward. As the aircraft came closer everybody relaxed as it was an Anson of Coastal Command on patrol like us. Signals were passed and the Anson circled the ship and headed away. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, the aircraft started to fall and we were helpless to do anything but watch it crash into the sea. Captain Buss immediately gave orders to increase speed, heading for the crash site. The lifeboat and the whaler were made ready. 鈥淟ower away!鈥� came the order. The boat was lowered to two feet above the water, the boat鈥檚 crew waiting for the order to slip. This was done by the Coxwain of the boat releasing the retaining hooks allowing the boat to drop into the water. The tiller of the whaler is held hard over to the ship鈥檚 side. This is done so the rudder pushes the whaler away from the ship as it hits the water. 鈥淪lip!鈥� came the order and away went the boat. We could see three men clinging to the wreckage. Jumping nets were lowered over the ship鈥檚 side ready to bring the airmen inboard. We were shouting, 鈥淒on鈥檛 let go! Hold on!鈥� but two of the men tried to swim to us but the weight of their flying suits was too much and we lost them. The one we did save was named Fox and he was the only single man in the crew. I never did find out why they were not wearing life jackets.

The reason the lifeboat was called away is that on that command the nearest men to the boat will get in and man the boat. The difference between 鈥淎way Lifeboat!鈥� and 鈥淎way Seaboat!鈥� is this: a Seaboat has a regular crew and coxwain. If that is called they are the men to man their own boat. The call Lifeboat being an emergency means anybody nearby.

Everybody was a little down having lost the two airmen. Signals were sent and we were relieved on station and made course for Rosyth to land our guest.

A few days in port for a well earned rest and a bit of shore leave. After three days in port it was back to the old routine 鈥� patrols in the North Sea, escort duty to capital ships protecting them from submarine attack.

It was now May 1940 and I had my 21st Birthday on board and at the little Norwegian port of Haarstadt. Sippers of rum all round the mess and quite an eventful day. We lost several destroyers that month: 鈥淲essex,鈥� 鈥淲akeful,鈥� 鈥淲hitley.鈥� Our leader H.M.S. 鈥淓xmouth鈥� was lost in the Moray Firth with no survivors early in January 1940.

We were now doing many patrols over the Norwegian Coast. Submarine contacts were made and we expended a lot of depth charges. Although we never managed to force a sub to surface and claim a kill, I am sure we put down quite a few without actually seeing them. We were moving down the Norwegian coast in company with two capital ships, 鈥淩odney鈥� and 鈥淩enown鈥� and the destroyers in a 鈥淰鈥� formation with the capital ships inside made us into an arrow formation. The destroyer 鈥淐odrington鈥� had taken over as our leader. Suddenly we had a warning, 鈥淎ircraft, Aircraft!鈥� Dead ahead a formation of Stuka dive bombers had appeared. Behind them were Heinkels and we quickly closed up to Action Stations. Then all hell let loose. Ships in the fleet put up a terrific barrage. A stick of 8 bombs fell alongside the 鈥淐odrington.鈥� At first we thought she had gone but as the water that was thrown up subsided, there she was guns blazing! Leading Seaman McGrady, Captain of 鈥淎鈥� gun was putting up a steady rate of fire, Able Seaman Cole and Able Seaman Albon were handling the 0.5鈥� machine guns with expert timing. After about 20 minutes we got the order 鈥淐ease Fire!鈥� The sky was black with smoke from shell bursts and, there in the middle, was one solitary Stuka diving sat the 鈥淩odney.鈥� We saw the bomb released and hit the 鈥淩odney鈥� port side deck near the funnel. That was the only casualty of the whole action. No planes were downed but we never lost any of our fleet. The report came in from 鈥淩odney鈥� 鈥淪uperficial damage, 1 Marine killed.鈥�

Our sister ship 鈥淓scort鈥� was sent to the Mediterranean and was torpedoed off Cyprus. H.M.S. 鈥淓sk鈥� struck a mine off the coast of Holland and the Navy was taking a hammering.

At last we were ordered to Immingham for a D.2, which was a boiler clean. Cheers all round! At least three weeks in port with seven days鈥� leave each watch. I was in the first leave period and travelled from Immingham to Halstead in Essex where my parents lived. Even then I was on a train that got machine gunned on the way down. Fortunately, nobody was hurt.

Mum and Dad made a big fuss of me. Dad, being an 鈥淥ld Contemptable鈥� rfom 1914 was so proud when we used to go out for a drink in the evenings in the Oak, Halstead. Mr and Mrs Nicholson were the landlords. In the small town of Halstead I was the only sailor among all the khaki of the Army. After my first day home, my brother James arrived home for a few days. He was in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. It was a pleasure to see Dad鈥檚 face when we used to take him down town and he would meet some of his friends. He would say, with eyes shining, 鈥淢y two sons.鈥� My elder brother George was exempt from military service as he was employed as an inspector of armaments at Woolwich.

My seven days鈥� leave went all too quickly and I had to say my farewells again. Back at Immingham the old ship was getting new look. The after funnel had been cut down two feet which gave her a rakish look. Also, the after torpedoes had been removed and a 3 pounder anti aircraft high angle gun had been shipped. We were having to defend ourselves more and more from the constant air attack.

With her boilers clean, a new coat of paint and re-ammunitioned we were once more ready for sea.

Jack's story continues in Chapter 3: Collision!

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