大象传媒

HMS BELLONA D-DAY

Bellona was a modified Dido class class Cruiser named after the Godess of War.Her motto was "Battle is our Business " Her main armament was 5.25 guns in twin turrets
She was commisioned around Sept 1943 having been built at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company's shipyard at Govan on the Clyde.At that time a battleship ,an aircraft carrier and several destroyers were being built at Fairfields as well as Bellona .At that time over 50 warships alltogether were being built on the Clyde .As a Petty Officer Higher Submarine Detector I stood by the ship while she was being fitted out and stayed with her till the end of war in europe,
Bellona parcipitated in several Russian Convoys both before and after D-Day. Prior to D-day she took over channel patrol in place of HMS Charybidus which had been sunk off the Channel Isles by a radio controlled bomb .On arrival at Plymouth Bellona was fitted with equipment for jamming the radio signals that controlled the bombs.
Bellona and 7 destroyers ( Tartar an RN tribal class the leader and 6 Canadian tribals named after indian tribes) .The code name for the force was "Snowwhite and the seven dwarfs were the channel patrol.
During the day the force anchored in Plymouth Sound as air defence of Plymouth .At dusk under cover of darkness and maintaining radio and radar silence the force would proceed at full speed to the french coast to keep the German Narvik Class destroyers bottled up in Brest . The force would return to Plymouth by daylight. By day the RAF would patrol the channel and by night Plymouth .
To our surprise we were suddenly ordered to proceed to Bangor Northern Ireland where we were given 36 hrs leave each watch
I and some of my messmates went ashore booked b&b drank draught porter in the local pubs then went to the Lido to swim and sunbathe.In the evening we went to a club for dancing.This was our only real run ashore since commissioning .Other warships also assembled at the anchorage.
Eventually we were briefed about D-Day and the ships proceeded to Normandy .As soon as we cleared harbour, paravanes ( A mine counter measures device ) were streamed then as we got into to the channel we went to action stations .I was the action 1st Operator on the Asdic (sonar) and as far as I can remember operated in the mine detecting mode as we approached the beaches .
Bellona's duty was to help to support OMAHA beach the american sector . The american battleships Texas and Arkansas were also there .After the initial bombardment we were allowed to go to breakfast in relays On my way to the mess I heard the SRE (sound reproduction) speakers come on . It was Frank Sinatra singing his song I Didn't Sleep a Wink Last Night . I don't know if it was a 大象传媒 broadcast or a record .
As the landing ships were further off shore we saw the landing craft from the ships pass by on their way to the beachead .One stopped because they said ther was a rope round the screws .In the distance we could see the Mullberry Harbour .
Seeng the Rocket Ships close inshore firing salvo after salvo of rockets in quick sucession was an awesome sight .
As the army advanced Bellona fired her guns well inshore at targets spotted by aircraft and forward observation officers onshore There was a Fleet Air Arm Officer and an Artilliary Officer in the operations room who communicated with them
The stench of burnt cordite permeated the whole ship. On several occasions Bellona returned to Plymouth to get more ammunition and change the gun barrels because of wear.
At night Bellona went close inshore and did the night firings .The gunners mate said that the ammuniton was of recent design and was flashless .Gunflashes from the older ships would have given their position away
The Captain was a Navigation Specialist and insisted that I operate the Echo Sounder when operating in shallow waters He wanted it set to read the depth of water beneath the keel

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