´óÏó´«Ã½

NAVAL HISTORY OF G.T.H GREEN: RETURN TO MALTA, BEFORE DEMOB, 1945

After about 10 months of this, the dreaded order came for me to return to Malta. I was sorry to leave there, it had been the best time I'd had since the war started and I knew that it was back to sea again. Having said goodbye to old friends I went aboard the Italian warship Pricipeppo Regima. The Italians were now working for us. I said working as opposed to fighting, as we had taken over he Italian fleet, so were using this cruiser to ferry people to Malta. It was a pleasant trip which did not take long. There was no enemy activity.

Arriving in Malta, I went to the draft office, who told me to settle down for a period before coming back to England. I did not like Malta a lot. It was hot with a very dry wind blowing the sand allover the place. I went sightseeing to old churches etc. The only excitement was when one’s turn came round to be Petty Officer of the night patrol around the harbour. This duty came about once a fortnight. When mine came I would choose six of the biggest chaps I had got available. Then resplendent in a white hat, belt, and gaiters, we would march round the streets of the city looking for sailors who were drunk or causing trouble.

I recall an incident where a drunken sailor had got on board the Admirals barge and refused to come off! This was what we were there for of course. I went on board the barge and looked down the hatch and there was this drunken Irish sailor prepared to fight the world, if need be. I could see he was a much bigger man than I and knew he could cause me some trouble. There was only room for one man at a time down the ladder and in the true tradition of the navy the Officer leads! So taking a deep breath down I went. His first punch missed me and I hit him as hard as I could with my truncheon (a thick stick like the Police use). He faltered and one of my big chaps carne down and sat on him. We handcuffed him, took him ashore and into the 'Brig', naval term for prison. We never saw him again.

A week after that, my draft carne through for me to go to the U.K. The voyage home was like a pleasure cruise, not from comfort but very little enemy activity. I arrived back in Devonport and was given 14 days leave. This I really enjoyed, it had been such a long time away from home. Then back to barracks waiting for the next draft. It was about a week when the draft came through and it was a bit of a shock. I was going to a naval airdrome in Malaysia as Petty Officer of the wireless station.

My first port of call was to be HMS Golden Hind stationed in Australia. But all this came to nothing, my draft was cancelled. They had dropped the Atom bomb on Japan. It was allover in a couple of weeks. I was then drafted to Toward Castle, Dunoon, in Scotland to the combined operations base as an instructor. By this time we all knew that the war was OVER and it would only be a matter of time before we were demobbed. .We spent our days going out into the loch and exercising with L.C.I's (landing craft infantry). These little flat bottomed boats were used for landing infantry on beaches. They were terrible in a rough sea.

The Captain sent for me on one occasion to tell me that I had been granted the ‘Good Conduct Long Service Medal’. It is a solid silver medal with my name and official number inscribed on it. This medal is given after 12 years of service (if you have been a good boy) in the regular Navy. However, war service counts as double for R.N.V.W.R (Royal Naval Volunteer Wireless Reserve). I had then served over 6 years so I had the medal, It was given to me on a Sunday Parade with all the pomp and ceremony of a Naval Parade. I was very proud. I then received other medals, the Victory Medal, Atlantic Medal, Africa Star, Italy Star, 1939-45 Star Defence Medal, General Service Medal.

The following week the Captain sent for me again to ask me if I would sign on for a further 5 years. He tried very hard to change my mind, but I wanted to come home. A fortnight later I was drafted to Chester to receive my last payment and to get my ticket home also to collect my Utility Suit. They gave us a suit, shirt, tie and a pair of shoes. It was awful stuff. In exchange they had my hammock, kit bag and all my naval gear and so on to the train for good old Brum.

It was marvellous coming home but years of danger and excitement had taken their toll. I found it very hard to settle down. It took years before I came to be a civilian again, instead of a sailor. However, I must regard myself as very lucky to come through so many scrapes and near misses, especially when my official number adds up to 13, it was lucky for some!!

The following are names of ships I served in:-

HMS DRAKE (Devonport Barracks Aug-Sept 1939)
HMS CERES (Light Cruiser (eventually sunk) Sept 1939-1940)
HMS WHITEHALL (V & W Class Destroyer)
HMS EGRET (Sloop (eventually sunk))
HMS VANITY (V & W Class Destroyer)
HMS VALOUROUS (V & W Class Destroyer)
HMS WOLFHOUND (V & W Class Destroyer. Damaged at Dunkirk)
HMS JAN VAN BRAKEL (Sloop)
HMS FORESIGHT (Nearly sunk in Barents Sea, Russia 1941. Finally sunk in Mediterranean in the Pantanaria Straits, Aug 12-13 1942 (Pedestal Convoy). The last convoy to reach Malta before the seige was lifted. The Foresight was an ‘F’ Class Destroyer of the 7th Destroyer Flotilla mainly used as escorts for the bigger ships.)

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Anastasia Travers a volunteer with WM CSV Actiondesk on behalf of George Green and has been added to the site with his permission. George Green fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.