大象传媒

I was in the Post Office as a communications Officer so could not join up without the right to return to my job after the war. Was conscripted in 1941 aged 20 years sent to HMS Collingwood shore based training centre for the Royal Navy at Fareham, Hants. Trained as a telegraphist and the course was for six months learning morse code and wireless proceedures. The course was very hard and many failed and so were sent for training as seamen. Met my best friend Jimmy Shortland who I am still in contact with today, also a former Post Office worker. Both of us requested to go on minesweeping trawlers. We were sent to Lowestoft, Suffolk on different trawlers shadowing the telegraphists already on board for 6 weeks. Once fully trained we were sent to Great Yarmouth, Jim to HMT Clotilde and me to HMT Tamora. We were minesweeping shipping lanes on a stretch between Great Yarmouth and Cromer, Norfolk. The shipping lane sweeps were known as 'E-Boat Alley' because of the raids from German Torpedo boats to sink coastline shipping. We were there in March 1942 and the weatherhad been freezing. Imagine being on a trawler with no heating and cold artic winds. Jim and I decided to volunteer for overseas postings. Back in Lowestoft we found ourselves being kitted out for service in the Mediterranean. At this time the 8th Army was under threat from Rommels troops. We were put on a train with other servicemen and travelled to Greenock on the Clyde. It was late in the afternoon when we boarded a ferry and were taken to what we thought was a big transport ship. As we got closer we realised it was the legendary Queen Elizabeth liner, all 84,000 tons of her. Within 2 days the QE1 left Greenock escorted by several destroyers and a Sunderland Flying Boat. The liner was estimated to be carrying 17,000 servicemen. Somewhere in mid Atlantic the destroyers left us and we proceeded South on a zig zag course on our own. The Sunderland had covered us for the first 24 hours. Left on our own I remember the liner speeding at a thunderous speed and standing watching at the stern the tidal waves it was creating in its wake. The estimate was aprroximately 40 mph. It outstripped in speed any destroyers or naval vessels. On its own it was less vulnerable to attack by enemy craft or U-Boats. First stop Freetown to take on fuel and supplies. It was stifling hot. Within 24 hours we sailed again making for Simonstown the Naval base at Cape Town. Again after fuelling and taking on further supplies we headed to Port Said, south of the Suez Canal. Our route North to Eygpt was through the Madagascar Straits. Prior to reaching Cape Town the ships newsheet announced Montgomery had launched his offensive against the German AfrikaCorp and was pushing them back to Tobruk. From then on the AfrikaCorp was retreating towards Tripoli. Once disembarked we were sent to 'Rest Camps' based by bitter salt lakes not far from the Suez Canal. Here we went to Alexandria to the Navy Barracks, HMS Camerata. Here Jim and I parted. Jim to HMS Beaufort and I went to HMS Janus. I was on Janus for several months but she was in back shape and went for a refit. All personnel taken off except for engine crew. The rest of us went to barracks and I volunteered for Special Party 'X' not knowing what I had signed up for. I went to Tripoli in Libya where I set up and manned a Navy Wireless Station. The remnants of the German army was cleared from Tripoli but still some delaying action going on. We then were sent on a ship hugging the Eygptian coast. Landed at Tripoli by landing craft due to German wrecks in harbour.

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