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Tom's Story - Part Two

It was going to be a nice change to sail in warmer climates after the Russian Convoys. Atlantic Patrols - plus Bismark episode and up in those terrible cold, freezing, frightening seas.

After calling at Gibraltar we covered the North Africa landings (known as Torch) covering (as we seemed destined to do so on more than one occasion, the American forces who, though brave and courageous were completely inexperienced in warfare and had to be helped out of their troubles so often) the landings. This was my first experience of invading enemy territory (I experienced others later in my service).

One memorable episode was after the landings had been secured. 500 of us were landed on the coastline dressed in gaiters and belt and armed with rifles with fixed bayonets. We marched to the sound of kettle drums beaten by Marine drummers in front for five very hot and exhausting miles, through villages and townships to Mers-el-Kabir, near Oran. With drums playing, flags flying and bayonets fixed we put paid to any likelihood of an uprising behind the front lines by natives who were Vichy French. (Vichy France was the group of unoccupied areas but greatly influenced by the Germans). Vichy France never forgave the Royal Navy for sinking their Fleet off Oran and Mers-el-Kabir after their surrender to Germany. The march was great fun to us but the heat nearly put us all out as it had been a five mile march and we poor sailors were not trained or equipped to march on land.

We spent some time in Oran and Algiers and in the latter Port we were subject to one of the heaviest air raids on North Africa by a combined force from the Luftwaffer (German Air Force) and the Italian Air Force. There were a number of American ships also in the harbour and many tankers comprising a convoy for Malta. The raid lasted several hours throughout the night and we were in constant action on my gun - God knows how many shells we fired. The Americans - as usual - made a mess of things by opening fire too soon, giving our positions away then firing across the British fleet, causing alarm and damage. However the raid came to an end, all warships had survived the attach but tremendous damage had been done and several tankers hit and which subsequently blew up. It was not a pleasant sight. One tanker was hit and blew up not very far from us and it was horrifying and sickening. The German and Italian Air Forces did not get away scot free, many of them never got back home.

We returned to Gibraltar on one occasion to refuel, re-ammunition and get supplies. One morning I was detailed with a party to unload a lighter containing 14" shells for our big guns. The lighter lay on the ship’s port (left hand) side, near my gun position but some way forward of it. The shells weighed a ton each and had to be slung aboard by a derrick, or crane. My job with a few others, was to secure ropes around each shell and then hook it on to the crane’s lifting hook to be hoisted aboard. This was quite a primitive method but where we were berthed there was no modern lifting gear for these shells. We had been about half way through the job when we were attacked by a lone Italian fighter. Air alarms were sounded and everyone closed up to their Action Stations. We in the ammunition lighter, left to our own devices, had to scramble out of the lighter up a ladder at the ships side. I was the last to leave the lighter and by this time the Italian fighter had targeted the ammunition lighter and attacked it. By this time I was on the upper deck when he opened fire. I ducked and bullets rained on the ships side. I crawled on my belly and got to my gun turret and asked the Gun Captain why the hell we didn’t open fire on this fighter - I don’t remember feeling afraid at the time I was just blazing with anger, feeling a personal grudge as though it was me and me alone he was after. The Gun Captain told me we were not allowed to use our heavy guns and anti-aircraft weapons in the harbour as it could be dangerous to the inhabitants and that the military shore defences would do the job - and they did - they shot the b….. Italian down.

It was about this time I had to go before the Ship’s Captain to be rated up (promoted) to an Able Seaman, having passed my exams with very high marks - so the Captain told me as he congratulated me on achieving the highest marks an Ordinary Seaman had obtained on that Ship in its service. Laughable really because in theory I was perhaps good or above average but in practical work I was very ordinary.

One of the most exciting episodes was when we boarded and captured an Italian cruiser, the Luigi Cordorna. We sailed from Algiers and made for Taranto. I was still a gunner on the 5.25" guns on K.G.V. During one evening we were told the Italian Fleet had ventured out of harbour at long last and we intended to bring them to an action. The R.M. had been trying to catch the Italians at sea for a long time but they seldom ventured out of their harbours and when they did, once they knew the R.N. was at sea searching for them they speedily returned to their harbours.

However, on this occasion they were out manoeuvred and as dusk fell we had them within range but the Admiral and Captain decided to play cat and mouse with them throughout the night and go in and attack them at dawn so we were closed up at our Action Stations all night.

It appears that the Italians realised we were within range of them and in their confusion they sailed in a huge circle with us (the Fleet) following them, rather amusing really. As dawn broke we were shocked and surprised to see them surrendering to us without a shot being fired. We now know that they really had no stomach for a fight, they were a defeated country and only the Germans kept them at it and they were glad to be out of it.

I was detailed as a member of a boarding party to board the cruiser ‘Luigi Cordorna’. We were 20 strong with a Lieutenant in charge - 10 engine room personnel and 10 seamen. We were only one of several boarding parties assigned to other Italian ships.
We boarded the cruiser and took up our positions. Engine room personnel in the engine rooms and us seamen on various parts of the ship. My position with another seaman was on the Bridge. We were armed with rifles and bayonets only.

There was no trouble, some of the Italians were sulky and obviously upset but most accepted the situation and co-operated with us.

Once under way we made for Malta, screened by the K.G.V. and destroyers. Some of the other captured ships were taken to Alexandria in Egypt. I think we were sent to Malta to show the Islanders our ‘prize’ and boost their morale and it certainly did that. We were the best part of 4 - 5 days, if I remember right, getting to Malta and when we got there and anchored in the harbour we had a tumultuous reception and were feted by the Maltese. They made a tremendous fuss - quite naturally, after what they had endured at the hands of the Italians and Germans.

I remember being on board the Italian cruiser quite vividly. As the Italians were at that time prisoners of war (not for long as Italy surrendered soon afterwards) we did not have much to do with them and they kept themselves to themselves. Of an evening they would gather on the ships forcastle and sing and drink wine. Their singing was so nice - operatic stuff - and one of them in particular had a very fine voice and it was a pleasure to listen to him, singing away in the lovely Mediterranean evenings. It was something to remember. We took the cruiser on to Alexandra and no sooner had we 20 men and the officer boarded K.G.V. we were told to fall in on the Quarterdeck to be seen by a group of theatricals from E.N.S.A. We were filthy, as on the Italian cruiser we had had no opportunity to bath, shave or change clothing and although the Italian cruiser was a beautiful ship, the Italians themselves were not particular when it came to personal and ship cleanliness. Amongst the E.N.S.A. party were John Mills and John Miles, plus a female chorus and singers, etc. We were not very pleased to be viewed by anyone in our condition, dirty and tired, so their visit did not go down very well. However, they did put on a show for the Ship’s Company that evening. But to see the boarding party which had ‘captured’ an Italian cruiser was something they could talk about.

Our next adventure was the invasion of Sicily. The K.G.V., in company with her sister ship H.M.S. Howe, with cruisers and destroyers were detailed to cover the American landings in South-west Sicily. We escorted them there - they landed O.K., and we then prepared to return to Algiers. After a few hours sailing the whole Squadron turned around and headed back to Sicily. We were told the Americans, as usual, were in trouble and were being held on their beach-head. On arriving back we were off the coast of two towns, Marsalla and Trapani and we bombarded these two places for several hours and caused tremendous havoc. I remember so well seeing, as night fell, the two towns blazing and flames reaching into the sky, almost like one big red flaming ‘V’ for victory sign. It was a tremendous sight. After the bombardment the Americans got under way smartly and history records how Montgomery’s 8th Army quickly over-ran Sicily.

This was the third invasion we had covered. The other two being the capture of the two small Islands near Malta, Pantelleria and Lampedusa, but they had not amounted to much action from us - the Italians were not very keen on fighting when they hadn’t got the Germans with them.

One other episode I remember well was when I and one other seaman were trapped in our Mess- deck . For some reason (unknown to the lower deck personnel) we had sailed from Scapa Flow with our escort of destroyers and did a search along the Norwegian coast with its hundreds of fjords. We had entered one fjord and all was very quiet. Only a few were closed up at Action Stations, mostly the close weapons (pom-pom and aerlikons) crews. I was for some reason I do not now remember on my Mess-deck, with this other Rating - probably there to clean, etc., when suddenly the bugle sounded off ‘Action Stations’ but before this other chap and myself could even get to the ladder to ascend to the next deck the hatch was closed and the clips put on and there we were, trapped. We presumed we were likely to be under attack from U boats as we knew there were some about and if we had been torpedoed and hit where we were then it would have been the end of us for in no way would a Captain jeopardise his ship for a few sailors when the ship and its compliment of about 2,000 men was at stake. So there we sat, frightened and hoping and praying it was a false alarm. It transpired that a U boat had shadowed us and was about to enter the fjord when it was detected and driven off. After about an hour we were greatly relieved to hear the clips of the hatch being opened and the heavy clang as the hatch itself was flung open. The Petty Officer in charge of the Damage Control Party, whose job it was on Action Stations being sounded, to close and secure all watertight doors and hatches, was not very sympathetic and just told us in future to move more quickly and get out. While it lasted it was most unpleasant as we knew what had happened to other ratings on other ships that had been torpedoed.

When we returned home from the Med. I was seen by my Division Officer, a Lt. Commander, and told I had been selected to go on a course at Portsmouth to qualify for a Regulating Petty Officer. I could have refused it but was not given much opportunity to do so as the D.O. said it was a good opportunity to get on in the R.N. It means a shore base for the duration of the course and perhaps a chance of some leave to get home to see Nancy.

So I was drafted and made the long tiresome journey to Portsmouth Barracks where I joined up with about a dozen other A.B’s - all ex-policemen. We were immediately put on a strenuous course, Naval Laws, seamanship, gunnery, damage control and power of command drills. It was non-stop, morning, afternoon and evenings (it was a rush job as there was a shortage of Regulating Petty Officers). Three weeks of real hard work, exams to pass as Leading Seamen and then more exams to pass at Petty Officers. I passed, and I excelled at the Power of Command which meant taking a squad of 30 men on the Barrack Square and drilling them. Fortunately I had a penetrating voice - a real Sergeant Major’s voice and I could command the squad from right across the Barrack Square - I loved it too - I always enjoyed drills even as an Ordinary Seaman in training at Collingwood when I joined the R.N. I think there is no finer sight than to see a squad of men marching and carrying out intricate manoeuvres.

We passed out on a Friday morning, given leave passes for 48 hours, which meant we had to report back to the Barracks at 23.59 hours on the Sunday. We had been issued our new uniforms, peaked cap, white shirts and collar, black ties, reefer jackets, etc. What a change from the seamans rig of bell bottoms, jersey and collar, so familiar to all people. We were now Petty Officers and entitled to many privileges and were subject only to Master-at-Arms.

Off I got to Runcorn and home to Nancy, excited at the thought I may be drafted to a shore base where most Regulating Petty Officers go, and would be able to get home more often - not to be for me. On returning to Portsmouth Barracks on the Sunday night I was met by a Master-at-Arms and told I had been drafted to H.M.S. Belfast and was to join her at Scapa Flow immediately.

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