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 6b - H.M.S. Skate

Once when the Skate was returning from Iceland we ran into a terrible heavy sea, so heavy that the sea was breaking on both sides of the upper deck. There appeared to be no leeside and seawater poured into the after boiler room through the fan intakes on deck. These intakes had shutters that when in place would prevent the rough seas from entering the boiler room. The normal practice being that the shutters would be closed on the weather side of the ship though at the time in question though the outer shutters were closed the heavy seas broke all over the deck and entered into the boiler room. That gave a depth of water that ran over the top of our shoes to ankles depth. My stoker and I had this for about three hours before the bilge pump had cleared the excessive water. One good thing came out of this, I developed a very sore throat which laid me up for about three days and when in Londonderry I did a day duty in the engine room, when one of the stokers asked if it was permissible to smoke, and I said 鈥榊es, carry on鈥�. Now at that time I did smoke and on being offered a cigarette I lit up, took one puff, said I did not like it, put the cigarette out and did not smoke from that day on.

During the spell of Londonderry to Iceland and back we did not have the opportunity to go ashore in Iceland. Our main trips ashore were in Londonderry. Towards the end of January 1944 it was decided that the Skate should be transferred to Devonport for in that area German (E) Boats were proving a menace to the build up of ships required for D-Day. The Skate having a very low silhouette was considered suitable against this (E) Boat menace.

On our way from Londonderry we were diverted to a Scottish Loch to be used in a training programme for future COs in submarines. Now this exercise, which was for only about four hours, was no problem for the Skate who working with two other Destroyers had to steam at high speed in line ahead, Skate being the last in line. The programme was that a prospective submarine commander would have these three ships steaming towards him and he would have to surface his submarine behind the last ship. However we were steaming at high speed when we were suddenly involved with a crunching bang under the hull. It appeared that the submarine had surfaced too soon and had run into our propellers. Emergency operations took place but the submarine surfaced safely with a badly damaged conning tower. We in Skate had two damaged propellers and buckled shafts. After a local enquiry into the incident the Skate at a very low speed escorted the submarine to Barrow where both vessels entered into dock for extensive repairs. Skate was in dockyard hands for about three weeks while both propellers and shafts were replaced along with extensive boiler cleaning. Each watch of hands was sent on leave.

Two instants of note happened towards the end of repairs. At one time after the shafts and propellers had been refitted it was found that the starboard shaft was jammed. To try and release this a heavy wire strop was passed around the shaft then connected to the dockside crane. On the crane taking the strain on the wire the action should have been to turn the shaft in its bearings. However before the shaft moved the stern of the Skate was lifted off the dry dock cradle and landed back down again with a resounding thump. The vibration through the boat breaking crockery in the foreward messes. Anyhow the shaft was freed and no other damage was done. It was a marvel that the crane could lift the Skate鈥檚 stern only a fraction without serious damage being done to the crane.

The other incident concerned the three boilers, which through oil entering into the water supply needed chemical cleaning. This cleaning was done by a special process and it made a good job of cleaning the boilers. When steam was raised for Skate to go on trials a problem arose just before we were due to sail as the feed water pumps supplying water to the boilers suddenly lost suction. This meant a hasty shut down of the boilers to try and find the cause.

The main and auxiliary water pumps were dismantled and it was found that the chemical cleaning agent had eaten away the ebonite piston rings of each pump. These rings were replaced and after trials Skate sailed to Devonport.

One outcome of the boiler cleaning, which was done by a special cleaning operator using a chemical cleaning agent that was pumped around the complete boiler water system at a given temperature. The engineer doing the cleaning on completing the work left Skate for another task and he was on Barrow train station when he suddenly collapsed, after receiving medical attention it was said he had inhaled fumes from the chemicals being used. Luckily for him he soon recovered with no lasting effects.

At Devonport we joined up with the local escort group and were constantly at sea convoying ships in and around the south -west coast of England. This gave us a respite from the heavy seas of the Atlantic. We were so busy that at times we only had enough time to take on fuel and stores before we were away again. At one time we were moored at the buoy when signals were flashed to the Skate 鈥榃hy are you not underway?鈥� it would appear that sailing orders to Skate had been sent by motor launch, this boat being coxswain by a Wren who presented the orders to the quartermaster, who chatted up the Wren, placed the orders in his pocket. The motorboat left and the quartermaster was attracted to some other task and forgot about the message. It was not until the signals flashed across the harbour enquiring why the Skate was not on its way, that the quartermaster remembered the orders in his pocket 鈥� too late to save him from punishment.

On returning to harbour from one convoy when we were taking on fuel my mate 鈥楾ubby Luff鈥� was called to the CO鈥檚 cabin. Tubby was the senior Catholic aboard and the local Catholic father was visiting the Skate and wished to see him. After a few welcoming words the father asked Tubby if he had been to mass lately, to which Tubby replied no because we had been in and out of harbour so often there was so little time spent ashore. On hearing this, the father told Tubby that the Pope would not be pleased, to which Tubby replied what the father and the Pope could do and stormed out of the cabin.

The very next day we sailed, meeting near Brixham the local fishing boats of which one came along side and traded us some fresh fish. Tubby and I were cleaning some of this when the CO came along the deck, on seeing Tubby he said 鈥楪ood morning PO Luff and how is the Pope today鈥�, before he went on the bridge.

Our C O was a Naval Voluntary reserve officer and very well respected by his crew, he came from a wealthy Scots family and when his wife presented him with a son he sent for our Chief coxswain asking how many Chiefs and POs there were, on being told fourteen he gave the Chief ten bottles of whisky for us to celebrate his new son.

I had by now passed for my boiler room certificate and as I was nearing my 2 years as a PO I requested to take the Chief Stoker鈥檚 exam knowing that I would have to wait until Skate was in dockyard hands again. One afternoon while in the dockyard our engineer came aboard in an unpleasant mood. He saw me on deck with some of my fellow POs and walking straight up to me said 鈥� Tomorrow go to the Rear Admiral Engineers Office and sit your Chief鈥檚 exam.

'For God鈥檚 sake don鈥檛 fail.鈥� It would appear he had been severely reprimanded by the examiners because four junior engine room artificers had failed their exams for which he had recommended them. The next day I presented myself at the place, was given a paper from which I had to choose questions.

This took up to lunchtime and after lunch I reported back. I then sat in front of three Warrant engineers who reading through my answers asked questions about my remarks. They on being satisfied passed me to another office to be questioned verbally by a Commander (E).

The Commander told me I had passed the written test, he would now question me to ascertain my suitability for promotion. The questions revolved around all aspects of engineering. Fortunately my experiences on Skate helped me through the questions. I had spent quite some time with him before he was called away, saying that he would return in a few minutes. At another table in this office sat an Engineer Commander who said to me if you do not make a mistake soon you will be here for a long time. When the first Commander returned to carry on with the questioning I answered a few and then hesitated on one, which I could have answered. He then explained the answer to me and then said congratulations you have passed.

I returned to the Skate and the next day our engineer sent for me to say that I had passed with a VG mark and wished me luck. I could not stop myself from saying that about six months earlier he had said that I was no good to him. He laughed and thanking me went to the wardroom.

Skate was having problems with cockroaches. It was decided that the crew would be sent on leave one weekend while the dockyard staff sealed the boat and fumigated it. The cockroaches had been a big nuisance, it was such that when meals were laid out on the table they would help themselves to the food. Anyhow we returned to the Skate and what a relief, not a cockroach in sight.

Preparations went ahead to get the Skate ready for sea. Steam was raised. After all systems were tested we left harbour. All seemed well until heat had been restored throughout the boat when low and behold out came the cockroaches that had hidden in the boat鈥檚 lagging and defied the fumigation. The only good of the exercise being that the crew had had weekend leave.

Around this time D-Day was approaching and Skate proceeded to Portsmouth where we picked up a convoy of military ships of all shapes and sizes. We cleared Portsmouth, went ahead of this motley of ships doing our anti-submarine sweep towards the French coast. It appeared that the invasion of Europe was on. The only thing against us was the weather. The weather deteriorated so badly that this attempt of the invasion was cancelled. The convoy was ordered to return to Portsmouth, the Skate being sent to Devonport. This took us into the next day and while we refuelled and took on supplies the invasion of Europe took place.

Skate remained in harbour until the following day when we were called for anti-submarine and E Boat sweeps of the invasion beach heads. Nothing took place in our patrol areas as most of the naval engagements were to the north or south of our sweeping area. We did get a signal to say that a German destroyer could be heading our way, this destroyer retreating from a naval action that had seen the destruction of the rest of its flotilla. In Skate we were a little perturbed as the German destroyer had about 5 guns 5.5 size and torpedoes while we had 1 x 4 inch gun and a 12 pounder. Thankfully the German was intercepted before it reached our area.

While working in this area Skate had to refuel quite often as we only carried about 300 tonnes of fuel. It was on returning from refuelling that in the evening a plane was seen to ditch in the sea near us and we went to pick up any survivors, a raft was nearby containing four airmen though every time we got close to the raft the airmen paddled away as fast as they could it was only after the airmen understood what was being broadcast over the tannoy system before we could get them aboard ship. The airmen were Canadians and thought we were a German ship trying to capture them.

The Skate was ordered back to Devonport the Canadians were landed and Skate resumed convoy duties to ships coming from America.

It was on one of these convoys that Skate came unfit for further service, we had proceeded into the Atlantic to escort a homeward bound convoy into British waters, I was on watch in the after boiler room and doing my normal inspection felt cold water spraying on to my neck now in a very warm place like a boiler room this is uncommon.

On a closer inspection I noticed a fine spray of water coming through the ships side, this I reported to the engine room and our Engineer Officer came to inspect he then reported to the Commanding Officer his appreciation of the leaking ships side and as we were inside our territorial waters Skate was sent to Falmouth for temporary repairs. It was decided that a cement box would be fitted over the leak this would allow the ship to proceed to Devonport for more extensive repairs.

We sailed for Devonport and on approaching the boom defence we were signalled that our degaussing system was not working 鈥� this electrical system was a series of wires around the ship supplied with electrical current from motors that gave a protection against German magnetic mines 鈥� it was fortunate for us that we did not encounter any mines.

In Skate it was found that the water spraying from the leak had entered the degaussing motor and put it out of action. We proceeded into harbour and berthed along side HMS Black Prince a very new Cruiser when one of our steam pipes fractured causing problems in the boiler rooms as the air intake fans to the boilers could not supply enough air for complete combustion of the fuel supply to the oil burners, causing great clouds of black smoke to cascade over Black Prince really making her black. The Captain of the Black Prince stormed on deck and using a few choice navy words said, 鈥済et that B------ thing away from here immediately鈥�. A tug arrived from the dock yard and taking us in hand took us to the docks.

We were berthed along side another tug that had been refitted and look, excellent with a new coat of paint. Skate had by this time repaired the steam pipe and steam was back to normal, when a stoker opened the steam valve to the bilge ejector - now Murphy鈥檚 law if its going to happen it will 鈥� the bilge ejector that had not worked for ages did, sending a dirty spray of bilge water over the tug. The tug鈥檚 Skipper was not very pleased and certainly let everyone know.

The authorities decided to put Skate in dry dock for inspection and after a good survey it was decided the Skate would be scrapped and her crew sent back to their respective barracks. I was returned to Portsmouth and after some leave I was drafted to H M S Loch Tarbert a new frigate being built in Troon Scotland

Alec's Story Continues in Chapter 7a - H.M.S. Tarbert

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