大象传媒 - WW2 People's War - HMS Manxman

HMS Manxman - The Ship's Cat

by alexanderkasterine

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Contributed by听: alexanderkasterine
People in story:听: Captain Robert Kirk Dickson
Location of story:听: Mediterranean 1943
Background to story:听: Royal Navy
Article ID:听: A2576072
Contributed on:听: 28 April 2004

My grandfather Robert Kirk Dickson joined the Royal Navy as midshipmen in 1911 with his brother Archie. Archie was killed on the HMS Queen Mary at the Battle of Jutland aged 16. Robert saw action on the HMS Canopus in the Falklands and then at Gallipoli. During WWII, Robert was Captain of the HMS Manxman, a minesweeper. They were operating in the Med, around Malta. One time Robert ordered the ship to be disguised as a Vichy France ship so as to help them break through a German blockade near Malta. They put in a third funnel and dressed up in Vichy France seamen's uniform including as a final touch, putting an outfit on the ship's cat. They made it through the lines and back again during night. Robert got a DSO for his troubles.

I would love to hear from anyone who knew my grandfather or served under him. I did not know him as he died in an accident at his home in 1952. Despite missing him by 14 years, I feel very fond of him.

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These messages were added to this story by site members between June 2003 and January 2006. It is no longer possible to leave messages here. Find out more about the site contributors.

Message 1 - HMS Manxman

Posted on: 28 April 2004 by paul gill - WW2 Site Helper

Hello Alexander. I had hoped someone from the Manxman would appear on the site as I have already written a story about your grandfather!
A2110005

At first sight, some may feel surprised that I included this part of the story at all but I had no hesitation.
It is what happened, attitudes have changed and shock is nothing to be ashamed of.

My father, Reg Gill was looking after someone suffering from serious post truamatic stress and good management by your grandfather allowed the victim to recover quickly.
Reg very much admired his action.

After writing the story Reg told me that they were put on the liner so that Manxman, arriving at night, could hide behind it away from Spanish view.

I'd be delighted to hear more from you.

best wishes

paul

Message 1 - Your grandfather.

Posted on: 28 April 2004 by paul gill - WW2 Site Helper

You may already have this but if not,
^{About links}

gives details of his service and papers he has written.

You may also be aware of the most unexpected part that Canopus played in averting a major defeat in WW1.
^{About links}

With the 2 battlecruisers helpless, she fired a practice shell out to sea which persuaded the Germans not to attack. Churchill needed the victory.

Perhaps the most important result for a dud shell ever achieved!

paul

听

Message 2 - Your grandfather.

Posted on: 03 September 2004 by alexanderkasterine

Dear Paul

Thank you for taking the trouble to post a message on the site. I have just printed off the story to read this weekend at home. It is really amazing to have a response like this. I have not checked this for a few months, so I apologise for not getting back to you before. I subsequently found out that my grandfather was on HMS Benbow at Jutland. I just read a great book on the battle published last year. Bringing the whole thing to life. It must have been truely terrible experience for some of those young men. Archie his brother died on the Queen Mary. The Benbow did not come under much fire being 20,000 feet away fromthe Germans and well protected with armour. He subsequently went on to be teh ADC for Jellicoe and a close family friend. What a life. Strange that world is so far in the past but also very close.
He also writes in his diaries about the South Atlantic campaign and how they raced back from a terrible defeat off Peru/Chile thru the Magedellen Straits (how many young men in 1914 had the chance to see Patagonia?) and to the Falklands. He then describes the battle in detail.

Also describes later action in the Dardenelles how he was in the observation post at the top of a destroyers watching how shells would land on Turkish villages and evaporate everything - then shells would come flying back through the rigging.

Well bye for now and I hope you pick this up sometime.

Kind regards
Alex

听

Message 3 - Your grandfather.

Posted on: 06 September 2004 by paul gill - WW2 Site Helper

Alex, I hadn't looked at the site for a bit ..but when I did, I noticed your response was just 16 minutes earlier. Any trip through the Mediterranean was a potential nightmare and your grandfather had perhaps the least sought after post in the RN. He was lucky to survive.

Reg remembers the whole incident very well. He alsos remembers the ship and particularly, the mine laying tracks which went through the compartment where the army personnel were. On boarding, they were told the ship was Welshman but it was quite routine to disinform medical personnel about non casualty related matters. The HMS Arethusa article specifically refers to Manxman at that time.

^{About links}

The Manxman arrived at night and hid behind the Louis Pasteur lineur so she wasn't visible to the Spanish.

Your grandfather would also have been familiar with the problems of coaling as most ships used this in WW1. This was a crucial technology which disappeared as soon as oil burning ships appeared. It seems as far off as sailing ships.

^{About links}

gives a good description from which you realise that the speed of the ship depends on the distance of the coal bunkers from the furnaces, and that endurance and seaworthiness are incompatible!

paul

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