大象传媒

As a Royal Fleet reservist, my father was called up in August 1939 and joined the leading destroyer flotilla leader H.M.S. Exmouth, as a leading signalman. He was part of the guard of honour when King George VI boarded the ship on the Reserve Fleet review in Weymouth Bay. Thereafter, the ships dispersed and were already at sea at their war stations when war was declared.

On Tuesday 23 January 1940, my mother was expecting a telegram from Dad to say he was coming on leave. Instead, the telegram was from the Admiralty, informing her that he was missing, believed drowned on war service. The Exmouth had in fact, been torpedoed by a U-Boat off the N.E. Scottish coast and sunk with all hands on 21 January 1940. Exmouth was the 5th destroyer to be sunk in the war. Dad was the first casualty from Stanley and his name appears on the commemorative plaque by the doorway at Stanley Church, along with 8 others who gave their lives at some time during WWII.

I was 17 years old at the time and took Dad's death very badly. I felt I was wasting my time going back and forth to work in Leeds each day - when but for those connected with the Navy, no one for the as yet knew there was a war on. Not realising at the time what a devastating effect it must have had on poor mum, I volunteered for the Navy when I was 18. Subsequently called up in 1941, I trained as a telegraphist , took an extra course in German U-Boat wireless procedure and eventually joined the Tribal Class destroyer H.M.S. Punjabi, on arctic convoy duties.

After a particularly hazardous trip, I was stricken with acute appendicitis. Fortunately we were only 2 days out from Scapa Flow when I was immediately transferred to the hospital ship 'Isle of Jersey' leaving for Aberdeen. My appendix was removed in the Naval Hospital there and I was sent home on sick leave. Imagine my surprise at seeing Jim Fox coming out of mum's gate as I walked down Moor House Avenue. Jim, who lived down West Hall Hill and was my school chum at Rothwell Grammar School (now Rodillian School) was, by remarkable coincidence, a signalman aboard the same ship as me. It turned out that the Punjabi had been rammed and cut in two by our own battleship 'King George V'. The chap who had taken my place was one of the 47 casualties.

Jim was home on survivors leave. After my sick leave, I reported back to barracks but as I had no ship to go to, was immediately sent home again, on 14 days survivors leave!

I served in another destroyer for about 18 months and finished my service career on a shore wireless station intercepting Japanese wireless signals, in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

I arrived back home on Christmas Eve 1945 and was officially 'demobbed' in February 1946.

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