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This story is transcribed by me , Graham Shepherd , from notes following discussions with Edward Walker , and will be added to the site with his permission . He understands the sites terms and conditions .

As autumn drew onwards it was decided that “ Renown “ would enter the Floating dock ( which “ Betony “ had escorted ) for modified overhaul , but before she could do so “ Valiant “ attempting to enter for some minor examination , had an accident which “ broke her back “ . As a result , the Dry dock was not available and we were ordered to Durban for refit , arriving during the afternoon of 18th December , the first welcome being accorder by “ The Lady in White “ , Mrs Perla Gibson , singing her heart out on the hillside overlooking the entrance to the harbour .

During the passage the Padre had opened a “ Travel Agency “ which enabled every member of the ships company to say what kind of leave he would like and to indicate his travel companions . On arrival he was first ashore to liaise with the SAWAS ( UK equivalent WVS ) and , by 23rd December half the ships Company had been distributed through South African Homes and , on their return , the other half had their experience of South African hospitality , which I , myself , found to be overwhelming .

With five fellow Officers , including the Padre , I ventured to Basutoland to Qachanek , an administrative outpost of the Empire where homes of the European ( and South Africa ) Staff were thrown open for our entertainment . There followed fourteen days of horse riding , tennis and evening parties , interspersed by a very moving service of Matins in the local Church , let by the Padre . On our last evening we were entertained by the locals who alternated turns in their own language and in English . At the conclusion they knew all three verses of The National Anthem as well as we did .

In Durban itself most of us found “ Uphomers “ — families who took us in . On balance “ Happy Jack “ did rather better than the Officers , who , by and large , were expected to pay their way . All good things come to an end and in the afternoon of 26th February 1945 we set course for Trincomalee with the sound of Mrs Perla Gibson’s voice fading as we went along .

We arrived at base on 7th March and set about the task of bringing ourselves up to fighting efficiency again . However , our expectations of further activity in the EASTERN fleet were dashed , for we were no longer required and that we were to exchange 500 ratings for a similar number who had completed long periods of service in the Theatre and who were due for courses and overseas leave .

Some of these reliefs were carried out in Trincomalee , the remainder in Colombo , when on 30th March ( Good Friday ) I was OOW of the forenoon watch and was advised that “ SEAC’s “ barge with affirmative flying was rapidly approaching the ship . Moments later I was receiving SEAC — Lord Louis Mountbatten — who told me “ the ship looked so good I thought I would come off and have a glass of sherry with the Captain “ . This was the first of my three meetings with this distinguished Sailor .

It was then that an urgent signal was received ordering “ Renown “ to return to the UK “ with despatch “ — which translated means as quickly as you can . It seems that Home intelligence indicated that either the “ Admiral Scheer “ or the “ Lutzow “ might be ready to make a break from the Baltic for South America and that no Capital ship of ours remained in home waters capable of catching them . “ Renown “ was therefore ordered home to deal with the situation . ( In the event both ships were heavily engaged in the Baltic and were disabled by the RAF ) .

Meanwhile our 500 passengers were brought to realise that they were members of a fighting ship with a reputation to maintain and there was much wailing and knashing of teeth during our passage home . We reached Scapa Flow at 07-20 on 14th April 1945 having covered 7,600 miles from Colombo in 14 days 14 hours total time ( including a stop at Gib. for fuel — and Wardroom sherry ! , or just 306 steaming hours ( during the passage of the Med. I was permitted to act as 2nd OOW on the bridge , with the ship steaming at 291/2 knts ; it was a most exhilarating experience to have control of this wonderful vessel ) .

By VE day we had moved to the Firth of Forth and we secured to buoys just above the Forth Bridge at South Queensferry ( some of our wives were able to join us for a short while ) . Here on 10/11 May , German Officers were received on board with due formality prior to their Naval surrender of Norway ( I was obliged to surrender my cabin to one of these senior Naval Officers ) .

Thence , westabout to Portsmouth arriving on 13th May , securing at the Railway Station Jetty in the Dockyard and then de — ammunition the ship . This suited me down to the ground for by this time my parents were living in Bognor Regis , which was a short train ride away and my wife was able to come down from Birmingham and stay with them , my fellow Officers “ Standing in “ for some of my duties . By this time my father was CO of the Bognor Regis Detachment of the AFC and I arranged a visit to the ship for his unit . I recall with pride the way in which they marched through the Dockyard to the gangway .

A training role was envisaged for her next deployment and , in the meantime with this in view , we embarked a number of members of the Chinese Navy in preparation for their taking over the light cruiser “ Aurora “ which had been sold to their Government “ Renown “ proceeded to Plymouth on 23rd July ( embarking a number of the SCC of Wellington college , the Old School of the then Commander ) and on arrival were ordered to “ Paint ship “ to a reasonable condition of smartness in the prevailing circumstances .

We were told that we , in “ Renown “ were to be the meeting point between HM King George V1 and President Truman ( on his return from the Potsdam Conference and en route to the USA ) . I had been considering an application for a permanent Commission ( unsuccessful ) and had ordered an OOW telescope which had arrived on the day before the “ Great day “ — 2nd August 1945 . The Commander sent for me and instructed me to “ polish the thing up “ and to place it in the Admirals cabin at the disposal of HM . I placed this onerous task on the shoulders of my RMA — and gathered that half the RM Detachment had had a hand in its burnishment and in due time placed it in it’s appointed place . ( I have no photographic evidence that HM actually held my telescope , but in the evening the Captain sent for me , and seating me with a very large gin in my hand said — using my nickname for the one and only time — “ Hookie “ I am instructed to thank you for the loan of your telescope “ . Such is Majesty served . ( I believe that , during lunch on board , Hm was informed that the Atom bomb was to be dropped for the first time ) .

“ Renown “ then moved alongside in Devonport Dockyard and on 26th November moved to within sight of Saltash Bridge . It was there that I left her in June 1946 for release from active service wef 30th June 1946 .

Thereafter I was able to join the Royal Navy Supplementary Volunteer Reserve and subsequently one or other of the lists of what became the Royal Naval Reserve , retiring in March 1977 in the rank of Lieut. Cdr. RNR , having been awarded the VRD in 1965 .

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