大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Elizabeth Perez of Stockport Libraries on behalf of Leslie Atkinson and has been added to the site with his permission. He fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

Leslie Atkinson had served on the "H.M.S. Volage" escorting other ships in the Scapa Flow area from 1943 鈥� 1944. Then the ship was sent to join the East Indies Fleet.

In February 1945, we left Plymouth and our first port of call was Gibraltar, then Malta, then Alexandria, through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea to Aden in the Yemen, then to Columbo, in Ceylon, before sailing round the island to our base at Trincomalee. The harbour was truly, spectacularly huge with quite a small entrance. The facilities for Jack Tar were a large fleet canteen (two bottles of beer each) and a hospital. It had one advantage over Scapa Flow 鈥� the weather was great and one could wander about in what seemed tropical bliss. There was also the delight of swimming over the side of the ship, when work was done.

We started our operations from 鈥淭rinco鈥� more or less in the same routine as Scapa Flow, escorting carriers making strikes on 鈥楯ap鈥� bases in Sumatra. We also carried out bombardments on oil installations at Sigli without any retaliation attacks from the Japanese.

After some weeks of this routine, we joined up with 鈥淗.M.S. Saumarez鈥� and 鈥淗.M.S. Rapid鈥� and sailed to the area around Nicabar and the Andaman Islands. Our mission was to search for and destroy Japanese supply ships to these islands. None were found during the first few days, but the delight of cruising in and out of these tropical islands was something I would not have missed for all the tea in China. I couldn鈥檛 decide whether I was disappointed or glad that so far nothing had been found. We reached North Andaman and the flotilla leader (the 鈥淪aumarez鈥�) decided to check the harbour of Stewart Sound. Their instructions were that 鈥淪aumarez鈥� would enter first followed by 鈥淰olage鈥� and 鈥淩apid鈥�. Naval intelligence had reported nothing of any significance in the way of Japanese firepower.

All was well until 鈥淗.M.S. Rapid鈥�, the rear ship, entered the harbour, then Japanese 6鈥� guns opened up. The 鈥淩apid鈥� was hit several times and was dead in the water. Her boiler rooms had taken a direct hit. The 鈥淰olage鈥� immediately began laying a smoke screen around the 鈥淩apid鈥� and also engaged the Japanese battery with our 4.7 guns. The 鈥淪aumarez鈥� raced back and tied up alongside the 鈥淩apid鈥� and started to tow her to safety. During this engagement, whilst laying the smokescreen, the 鈥淰olage鈥� was hit three times and although the steering gear was put out of action, the secondary steering gear was deployed, by the prompt action of L/S Curry, and all three ships were able to escape the bombardment.

We were told to make our way to Akyab in Burma and on the way there, the 鈥淩apid鈥� was able to slip the tow and resume sailing under her own steam, after a super human effort by her and the 鈥淪aumarez鈥檚鈥� engineers. Arriving at Akyab, the 鈥淰olage鈥� and the 鈥淩apid鈥� were given emergency repairs and after five days were joined by two more ships of our flotilla, 鈥淗.M.S. Virago鈥� and 鈥淗.M.S. Vigilant鈥�. The 鈥淩apid鈥� was ordered back to 鈥淭rinco鈥� and then on to Simonstown (South Africa) for more extensive repairs. The 鈥淰olage鈥�, along with the 鈥淪aumarez鈥�, 鈥淰irago鈥� and 鈥淰igilant鈥� were ordered to resume the patrol. On the second day out of Akyab, the elusive Japanese supply convoy was sighted. Two large merchant ships and two escorts. We went to action stations and raced at full speed for the convoy. Meanwhile two R.A.F. Liberators appeared on the scene and proceeded to attack the merchant ships. We stood off and watched. One of the aircraft went in very low and appeared to strike the mast of a merchant ship at the same time as he released his bombs and did a cartwheel before crashing into the sea. The other aircraft withdrew and left us to deal with the rest of the convoy. As the R.A.F. had sunk one merchant ship, the other one and the two escort vessels were quickly dealt with. The courage of the Japanese seamen on the escorts was remarkable. As their ships were sinking they never stopped firing their guns at us until the water closed over them. We stopped to pick up survivors, but this proved very difficult as the majority of them did not want to be rescued. However the 鈥淰olage鈥� did manage to pick up thirty-two out of the water before giving it up. While we were carrying out our rescue attempts, one of the Japanese sailors in the water was seen to have a small shell, banging it on the side of the ship. Chief engineer Lt Commander Norman gave an order for the engine room to turn the engines over and the suicidal seaman was washed away.

The flotilla was re-formed and set off back to 鈥淭rinco鈥�. Some of the survivors had been wounded, and one of the forward mess decks was turned into an emergency hospital. All the prisoners were issued with cigarettes, soap, toothpaste, towels and food. Some of them seemed happy enough to be rescued and others were quite surly. It took us about three days to reach 鈥淭rinco鈥� and on the way one of the prisoners was found hung in one of the toilets by the bandage off his leg. When we were within sight of Ceylon, another jumped overboard and vanished, so on arrival at 鈥淭rinco鈥� there were only thirty prisoners to hand over to the military.

Having oiled and vitalled the ship, we were ordered to Durban (South Africa) to have the shell damage repaired. We crossed the Indian Ocean calling at Adu Atoll, the Seychelles and Madagascar, before arriving at Durban. We were sung into the harbour by the famous Lady in White. We tied up alongside and were told that as most of the ship鈥檚 side would have to be removed, we would be billeted at Camp Assegai on the outskirts of town. Lorries would fetch us each day from camp to the ship for any work required and take us back every afternoon. Buses were also supplied at night to take us into town for shore leave.

Repairs to the ship and various updates to the armaments took four months. During this time, all the crew were given two separate fourteen days leave to be spent at a place of their choice. I chose Pretoria. I don鈥檛 know why, but it turned out to be an inspired choice. The local people threw open their homes to us and I鈥檒l never forget their generosity and hospitality. We were treated like heroes.

Back in Durban, another member of our flotilla had arrived 鈥� 鈥淗.M.S. Virago鈥� for repairs to damage during the sinking, with the rest of the flotilla, of the Japanese cruiser 鈥淗ugaro鈥� in the Malacca straits. I was pleasantly surprised to bump into a childhood friend from my neighbourhood (Steve Diffley) during one of my nights ashore at Durban 鈥� he was serving aboard the 鈥淰irago鈥�.

Our repairs completed, we left Durban, most reluctantly I might add, to sail back to 鈥淭rinco鈥�. We arrived there to find the place choc-a-bloc with all sizes of ships. The build up was for the invasion of the mainland of Malaya. We fell into the routine of exercises to prepare for the invasion and of course swimming over the ship鈥檚 side. Then came the news of the atom bomb attack on the Japanese mainland. The big question on everyone鈥檚 lips was 鈥榃ill they surrender?鈥� At last it was announced that the war was over. The place went wild. Aircrews of the many aircraft carriers were firing 鈥榁erey Lights鈥� in all directions and hose pipes were spraying all and everybody, no matter what rank, with water on the occasion of visiting other ships.

Skylarks over, a huge armada set sail towards the coast of Malaya. As no one was certain what sort of reception we might receive, it was decided that the fleet would anchor in a large bay in the Nicobar Islands and there we waited for word to proceed to Penang, when the Japanese agreed to surrender.

When the day for the surrender arrived, accompanied by the battleship 鈥淣elson鈥�, we arrived off Penang. The 鈥淣elson鈥� was too big to enter Penang harbour, so Admiral Hooky Walker transferred to the 鈥淰olage鈥� from the 鈥淣elson鈥� and met the Japanese officials on board the 鈥淰olage鈥� and signed the articles of surrender. That done the Admiral went back to his ship and accompanied the rest of the fleet down the coast to Singapore and the 鈥淰olage鈥� was ordered to tie up at Penang to act as the radio communications ship for the occupation forces when they were landed.

We spent four weeks at Penang, which was quite a nice place. Plenty of bartering went on as the natives were short of everything, cigarettes were top of their want list and some lucrative deals were struck, silks and jade rings were snapped up for a few cigarettes. During our stay a number of dead bodies were found floating in the harbour and as they had all been badly beaten it was assumed that the locals had been getting their own back on the collaborators.

One day the Chief E.R.A. told me to accompany him and the engineer officer to a motor car parked on the jetty. We all got in and set off inland, our destination I was told was Penang Airfield. It seems that the R.A.F. had arrived and found the airfield without electricity; there was a generating system, but no-one knew how to operate it. So they called on the navy. We arrived and were escorted to the powerhouse. We were confronted by the largest diesel generator I have ever seen, and it was made by 鈥淢irlees and Co. Stockport鈥�, my home town. After checking for booby traps and filling it with diesel, we started it up and got the whole system working. We then gave two R.A.F. Sergeants a brief run down on the system and made our way back to the ship.

With our time up at Penang, we were ordered back to 鈥淭rinco鈥�, and each watch was given seven days R and R at a rest camp up in the hills at Byatalawa, calling at Kandy on the way. Back in 鈥淭rinco鈥�, the ship prepared to sail on a 鈥渟how the flag鈥� mission to Calcutta. On the way we called in at Stewart Sound to show we had no hard feelings and to have a look at the armament that caused us such trouble. We were unlucky, it appears that the powers that be didn鈥檛 like their ships knocked about so they sent the 鈥淨ueen Elizabeth鈥� a battleship to administer a spanking. The battery was wiped out with one broadside.

Carrying on with our journey I was surprised to find that Calcutta was a hundred or so miles inland up the River Hoogly. We arrived and tied up at Calcutta and looked forward to some time ashore. Our stay at Calcutta lasted about seven days. I can鈥檛 say it was the nicest place I鈥檝e been to, but it was different, with sacred cows wandering all round the streets and getting in everyone鈥檚 way. The Bazaars were exciting with the bartering going on and we took the opportunity to spend our meagre pay on a few souvenirs. Before we left Calcutta, I decided to visit the infamous 鈥淏lack Hole of Calcutta鈥�. I walked down the main street 鈥淐howringee Street鈥� for about two miles to get there. It turned out to be a small square whitewashed building about twelve feet square. This then was the place of history, where over a hundred British people were packed to suffocate and die during the Indian Mutiny.

Leaving Calcutta, we made our way back to 鈥淭rinco鈥�. On arrival we waited to find out our future, as all kinds of rumours had been started. Finally we were told the 鈥淰olage鈥� with the rest of the flotilla, would be sailing back to the UK. But certain members of the crew would be drafted ashore to be replaced by ratings whose time was up. It was very sad to be saying farewell tot he unlucky ones, shipmates through all we had been through, but I was cheered by the thought that I was on my way home.

We left 鈥淭rinco鈥�, and made our way up the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal to Alexandra then to Malta and Gibraltar. On the way from Gibraltar to England, the 鈥淰olage鈥� was detached from the flotilla to go to the assistance of a French fishing vessel, in difficulties, in the Bay of Biscay. We escorted the vessel to the nearest port and continued on our way to England.

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