大象传媒

JUNE 1942 鈥� SEPT 1943
The following are the excerpts from the wartime diary of P/JX 380709 A/LS A.B. John Dolphin
All dates are first arrival.

June 29th 1942.PORTSMOUTH ENGLAND Sunny and Warm:
At Newcastle I volunteered at 17/18, I entered the 鈥淩OYAL NAVY鈥� to do 12 weeks seamanship and gunnery training at 鈥淗MS COLLINGWOOD鈥� (FAREHAM). 7 days leave at home before joining my first ship. Then returned to 鈥淪TOCKHEATH TRANSIT CAMP鈥� HAVANT HAMPSHIRE, to await my first draft.
I am now know as an 鈥淥RDINARY SEAMAN鈥� . Troop train from Euston station overnight to St Enock, 鈥淕LASGOW鈥�. Met by RN lorries to be taken to 鈥淕REENOCK鈥� John Brown鈥檚 Docks.

November 16th 1942 GREENOCK SCOTLAND Day after a day of heavy rain.
In 鈥� John Brown鈥檚 Docks after 4 days on Depot Ship 鈥淐ARRICK鈥� (wooden sailing ship).
I was drafted on board my first ship 鈥淗MS CELANDINE鈥�
A Flower Class Corvette K75 (During my last 4 days on Depot Ship) 鈥淭he Queen Elizabeth鈥� came into the 鈥淐LYDE鈥� from North Africa with wounded on board. I helped to ferry them ashore to may awaiting ambulances. The QE was Laid Off amid river, we used small motor boats from alongside .

1st Ship Corvette K75 1941
Built at 鈥淕RANGEMOUTH鈥� Firth of Forth HMS CELANDINE K75 was one of the first Corvettes to be built 1940/41 they were know as the 鈥淔lower Class鈥�
For all were named after flowers, They could ride them high North Atlantic waves better than any ship of its type in any Navy. Their Sailors too (in time) turn sharper than a 鈥楿鈥� boat in high seas.

November 18th 1942 LONDONDERRY NORTHERN IRELAND Dull overcast.
Called in to take on Veg and fresh water, also to top-up our fuel tanks before we escorted Convoy over the 鈥淎TLANTIC鈥� to 鈥淣OVA SCOTIA CANADA鈥�.
Met Convoy off 鈥淣ORTH CHANNEL鈥� NORTHERN IRELAND, 58 ships the day after at dawn. The ships came from out of the 鈥淢ERSY and CLYDE鈥�.

Sailing in a small ship the size of a trawler on those 鈥淣ORTH ATLANTIC鈥� rollers made me sick often. Coming back I was 100% OK.

Nov 29th 1942 OFF 鈥淣EWFOUNDLAND鈥� Fog banks (cold November)
A day out from 鈥淪t Johns鈥� the Convoy and its Escorts were allowed to break radio silence for the first time since leaving 鈥淒ERRY鈥� when our Mess Deck speaker was put on for the pick up of Canadian radio stations, we all heard for the very first time 鈥楤ing Crosby鈥� singing 鈥淚鈥檓 dreaming of a White Christmas鈥�.

November 30th 1942 鈥淪t JOHNS NEWFOUNDLAND Snow and frost but dry.
Peeled off from Convoy to refuel and await an outward bound Convoy out from 鈥淣OVA鈥� bound for 鈥淟IVERPOOL鈥�. We refuelled alongside a captured German Oil Tanker that once supplied the German Pocket Battleship 鈥淕RAFSPEY鈥�, now topping up the tanks of Escorts calling in at 鈥淪T JOHNS鈥� harbour.

I made friends with a family called 鈥楻EES鈥�, twice who invited me to their hom. Mr Rees worked in a bank, Dad and Mum sent their Son a food parcel to Scotland.

December 20th 1942 鈥淩EYKJAVIK ICELAND鈥� Dark and cold (dawn 10am).
鈥淩EYKJAVICK鈥� in the winter time, dawn 10 鈥榦鈥� clock sunset 3 鈥榦鈥� clock what short grey days during the winter months . Girls swim in the harbour hot water springs.

Convoy on the way to Britain scatterd on the night of the 15th 鈥� 16th after battling with an Atlantic Hurricane the worst in living memory at that time. We read this fact when we docked in 鈥淟IVERPOOL鈥� from the YMCA papers there. I still have a clipping from one.

Escort vessels had to take turns to leave the scattered Ships to make for 鈥淚CELAND鈥� to refuel. Normally we would have used any Oil Tanker in the Convoy while in transit over. Out of 100, 15 Ships lost by 鈥楿鈥� Boats on this trip. 16 Subs detected and destroyed.

December 24th and 25th SAILING ALONE DOWN 鈥淭HE IRISH SEA PAST THE ISLE OF MAN鈥�
Arriving in 鈥淕LADSTONE DOCK鈥� just in time for our Xmas Dinner in the YMCA hut there. (we were low on provisions by then) Church Bells ring for the first time.

December 25th 1942 LIVERPOOL GLADSTONE DOCK Sunny and Crisp
Off 鈥淏OOTLE鈥� , XMAS DAY 鈥淟IVERPOOL鈥� When the Dockers saw us coming up the 鈥淢ERSEY鈥� to enter 鈥淕LADSTONE DOCK鈥� they gave us all a cheer, thinking that by the look of us we had been in action (the fools).

Arrived all battered up from the Hurricane that we found between 鈥淚CELAND鈥� and the 鈥淗EBRIDES鈥� A distance of 800 Mls. We had lost a port lifeboat, 2 carley floats and dislodged our AA Gun plus caved-in hull plates.

The ship was towed over the 鈥淢ERSEY鈥� to 鈥淏IRKENHEAD鈥�, 26th for repairs. It was here that I last saw her. Sent home on 4 days leave, then back to 鈥淪COTLAND鈥�.
At the end of the war she was scrapped.

The Ship I Fell In Love With 鈥淪he veered off Death鈥� 2nd Ship
She was one of 8 to be built (2 of the 8 were sunk) All were 鈥淨ueenborough鈥� Class. This was surely a lucky ship 鈥淗MS QUEENBOROUGH G70鈥�
From now on we really saw life, we got to know what a 鈥淲ar Time Navy鈥� was all about. She was to be my home for 2 years 4 months.

She was put together on 鈥淭YNES鈥� SWAN HUNTERS 鈥淲ALLSEND鈥� 1941/43 and well made she was too. She was about to take, and full out speeds needed.

February 7th 1943 鈥淕OUROCK鈥� CLYDE 鈥� RAILWAY JETTY Sunny

From Depot Ship 鈥淐ARRICK鈥� I鈥檓 drafter on board a new fast fleet destroyer (38 knots) 鈥淗MS QUEENBOROUGH G70鈥� (lead ship below).

as one of her crew, alongside 鈥淕OUROCK鈥� railway jetty. Painted on a new camouflage No. 7 for we were to join the 鈥淗ome Fleet鈥� in 鈥淪CAPA FLOW鈥� when ready.

The OLD R.N. BASE to make you forget civilisation. 鈥淧ENTLAND FIRTH鈥� 鈥淪CAPA FLOW鈥� the worlds worse naval base, nothing but nothing there except sheep, ships and chips, plus the cold North Winds, and the water was cold for the water polo matches between Destroyers Battleships.

February 14th 1943 鈥淪CAPA FLOW鈥� 鈥淥RKNEY ISLES鈥� Misty and rain showers.

Joined 鈥淗OME FLEET鈥� including two American Battleships 鈥淯SS ALABAMA鈥� and 鈥淯SS SOUTH DAKOTA鈥� who had helped to escort the First American Army over the 鈥淎TLANTIC鈥� to land in 鈥淢OROCCO鈥� (Operation Torch).

Time spent in 鈥淪CAPA鈥� was 鈥榃orkin Up鈥� Ship鈥檚 Company to full fighting standard on this new Destroyer . Torpedo and Gunnerie training off 鈥淭HE OLD MAN OF HOY鈥� (We missed it).

March 2cd 1943 鈥淐ASABLANCA鈥� 鈥淢OROCCO鈥� Sunny and Warm
Have joined a convoy off the 鈥淐LYDE鈥� bound for 鈥淪OUTH AFRICA鈥� We left convoy to escort into 鈥淐ASABLANCA鈥� the two American Battleships and after 2 hour refuel stay we rejoined convoy off the 鈥淐ANARY ISLES鈥�

U. Boats were plentiful from now on to 鈥淐APE TOWN鈥�, more so near to 鈥淔REETOWN鈥� we got plenty of depth charges over the side but no kills.

MY FIRST FOREIGN PORT; No Shore Leave.
We pulled in along side many sand bagged AA Guns American GIs all over this Port, they thought we were a Cruiser. In this French Harbour was the French Battleship 鈥淛EAN BART鈥� with large shell holes in her hull. The 鈥淩OYAL NAVY鈥� shelled this Harbour to stop the French Ships joining up with Germany, such as the 鈥淰ICHY鈥�, sister ship the 鈥淛EAN BART鈥�
鈥淩ICHELIEU鈥� came out to join the 鈥淔REE FRENCH NAVY鈥� and 鈥淩OYAL NAVY鈥� until the end of the war.

OUR VERY FIRST TIME OVER 鈥淭HE EQUATOR鈥� WE WERE TO REPEAT IT OVER 2 YEARS 11 TIMES.
鈥淭HE DOLDRUMS鈥�. No wind, flat sea, it wasin these parts we had 鈥淔lying Fish鈥� for breakfast daily. Every kind of fruit you could think of to be found here in their dusty dry leaf covered markets (鈥淒OLPHINS escort you into the 鈥淐APE鈥�).

Mar 8th 1943 鈥淔REETOWN SIERRA LEONE Sunny and very hot.
Convoy called in here to take on fresh water for long trip South to the 鈥淐APE鈥� In doing so crossing the very hot 鈥淓QUATOR鈥� we all went through the 鈥淐rossing the LINE鈥� Ducking. For most of us it was our first time on the 鈥淓QUATOR ZONE鈥� The sea here was like a mirror smooth with no wind 鈥� The 鈥淒OLDRUMS and escorted by 鈥淒OLPHINS鈥� to the 鈥淐APE鈥� (Cousins)?

March 23rd 1943 鈥淐APETOWN SOUTH AFRICA鈥� Perfect.
鈥淪IMONSTOWN鈥� JUST AN ELECTRIC TRAIN RIDE DOWN THE COAST TO 鈥淐APETOWN鈥� 1 HOUR.
Convoy safe in harbour, escorts despatched to Navy Base of 鈥淪IMONSTOWN鈥� to refuel, then escorts alone sailed around the 鈥淐APE鈥� to bring back a new convoy from 鈥淒URBAN鈥� (The windy City) and a great place to 鈥渏ump ship鈥�. One of our crew did just that (Jock) and was never seen again, was from Glasgow.

鈥淩ICHELIEU鈥� (French) 鈥淪OUTH ATLANTIC鈥�
Her guns could fire at a range of 23 miles. 16鈥� Calibre.

Marcch 29th 1943 鈥淒URBAN鈥� 鈥淣ATAL SOUTH AFRICA Perfect but windy.
Convoy to bring back from here bound for the UK, was the two British Battleships 鈥淗MS WARSPITE and 鈥淗MS VALIANT鈥� alone with cargo ships and the French Battlewagon 鈥淩ICHELIU鈥� calling at CAPETOWN鈥� for more ships.
The French 鈥淩ICHELIU鈥� was the finest Battleship (in desighn) that any of us had ever seen before. (38,750 tons of 鈥淟a-Moure鈥�). She had a big fan in her funnel for smoke.

鈥淪IMONSTOWN鈥� Electric train service between here and 鈥淐APETOWN鈥� when we went on 12 hour shore leave while in dock.

April 2nd 1943 鈥淪IMONSTOWN鈥� 鈥淭HE CAPE鈥� Perfect
We left the convoy in 鈥淐APETOWN BAY鈥� until all ships were ready and loaded for sailing. Were Dry Docked to have our stern repaired, have our stern damaged up in 鈥淒URBAN鈥� when the wind caught us while pulling alongside jetty. It blew us stern first onto a ship a tied up British Hospital Ship, hitting her for 6 broadside on, denting our plates.

May 10th 1943 鈥淕OUROCK鈥� 鈥淐LYDE鈥� Dry with clouds.
Convoy safe in 鈥淐LYDE鈥�, 4 days leave given. Escorts during stay had orders to change their camouflage, for all eyes were on the 鈥淢EDITERAINEAN鈥� we did not know it at the time the invasion of 鈥淪ICILY鈥� was near. After our leave at home, we set sail for 鈥淪CAPA鈥� again, for gun and torpedo shake up (we still missed 鈥淭HE OLD MAN OF HOY鈥�)!? God help us!

May 14th 1943 鈥淒URHAM STATION鈥�
Snow was still on the ground when I arrived at 鈥淒URHAM鈥� station on my way home for my short leave. Trains to 鈥淏ISHOP AUCKLAND鈥� ran daily from 鈥淒URHAM鈥�.

June 24-27th 1943 鈥淕IBRALTER鈥� 鈥� MEDITERANEN鈥� Age 19 Warm and very sunny.
Spent 19th birthday in 鈥淕IB鈥� arrived in the 鈥淢ED鈥� with part of the 鈥淗OME FLEET鈥�. 鈥淗MS HOWE鈥� and 鈥淗MS ANSON鈥� with others to join up with the over worked big force 鈥溾�橦鈥� FLEET鈥� . We were all to slowly inch our way down the North African coast to 鈥淢ALTA鈥� to meet up with 鈥淗MS RODNEY鈥� and 鈥淗MS NELSON鈥� and Heavy Cruisers of the other 鈥淢EDITERAINEAN FLEET鈥�. Out from 鈥淎LEX鈥� one Air Attaack off 鈥淐APE BON鈥�.

In dry dock here was the Cruiser 鈥淗MS PENELOPE鈥� (Pepper Pot). She had been torpedoed holed below the water line. When we were going ashore we stopped to look down into the dock, the water was being pumped out, and was half way down the torn ragged hole in her side. It was at this point that we got the smell of dead bodies, they were the Cruiser鈥檚 torn remains of stockers (pitiful).

鈥淐APE BON鈥� Germans鈥� 鈥淟AST STAND鈥� on the Continent of 鈥淎FRICA鈥�.

鈥淭鲍狈滨厂滨础鈥�
We passed close to 鈥淐APE BON鈥� 鈥淭鲍狈滨厂滨础鈥� there we could see scores of smashed Guns/Tanks, the German 鈥淎FRICA KORPS鈥� retreated from North Africa here to cross over to 鈥淪ICILY鈥�, proud moment seeing that.

July 4-6th 1943 鈥淢ERS-EL-KABIA/ALGIERS/ORAN Perfect.
鈥淔LEET鈥� called in these French Bases to show the BRITISH FLAG and to get what remained of the 鈥淔REE FRENCH NAVY鈥� to join us for the big show that was soon to come from these Algerian Ports.

鈥淢ALTA鈥� UP THE CREEK (Grand Harbour)
Beer was still on the ration here 1 bottle by ticket per person daily. The ship tied up next to us, the Destroyer 鈥淣UBIAN鈥� (see below) had a near miss during one of the

last Air Raids. Her Officers鈥� cook was killed in the after galley flat of the ship. Blast from the bomb came through one of the galley port holes killing him.
Lucky again, it could have dropped on our side being a stone jetty.

July 8-10th 1943 鈥淢ALTA鈥� George Cross Island. Sunny Warm Perfect.

鈥淢ALTA鈥� had ships in all of its harbours and outside off its shores, and more coming.
The very last week of Air Raids on 鈥淢ALTA鈥� but now there was a first class Ack-Ack being voiced on the Island, from all the Battleships and Escorts. There were no more Air Raids on 鈥淢ALTA鈥�. The 鈥淔LEET鈥� had gone over to 鈥淪ICILY鈥� to keep it quiet. 鈥� INVASION.

Before the INVASION of 鈥淪ICILY鈥� and before all ships were ready to leave 鈥淢ALTA鈥�, we and our Captain 鈥楧鈥� (鈥淗MS QUILLIAM鈥�) had some torpedo practise to do. She would fire one at us and we would do likewise with a dummy warhead fitted. They were set to go under the hulls and with a compressed air warhead. When they ran out of fuel the bounce up and down in the water with a smoke canister giving off their position. I was in our whaler rowing to retrieve our torpedo, but orders were slow and we over-shot-it. It came right through the bottom of our boat.
Off clothes to BUNG up the hole. Alas! We sank 鈥淨UEENY鈥� the lads shouted put in for survivors鈥� leave. Once more starkers!

July 10th 1943 鈥淎UGUSTA鈥� 60 MILES OFF.
You start to smell 鈥淪ICILY鈥� as soon of leaving 鈥淢ALTA鈥� the closer you get to it the stronger the smell of sweet burnt bracken and vineyards. It was in this small harbour while on recreation leave ashore (we rowed our own whalers to the beach), that we saw girls enter the farm barns to tread the grapes with their feet to help make wine. Vineyards all around us with the smell of bomb holes.

August 4th 1943 鈥淎UGUSTA SICILY鈥� Sunny and smelly.
After following up thr 8th Army and Bombarding when they wanted our help from the sea for the past two weeks, we had a rest in this 鈥楳ARTIAL LAW鈥� Town and harbour with Mount Etna as a back cloth.

It was in this harbour that we had a 7 hour lasting Air Raid on the whole FLEET that had formed up for the INVASION of 鈥淚TALY鈥� Sept 3rd. I was at action station on 鈥楢鈥� Gun in the 鈥楴UDE鈥� I was having a shower at the time.

鈥淨UILLIAM鈥� stood off while we went in close to the ITALIAN MAIN LAND to 陆 a mile off to shell a coastal gun turned on the advancing troops when out of the Sun came 6 Mets with a bomb each aimed at us. They were all very near. My Gun was 鈥楢鈥� Gun right across the Bows, we went right through a bomb water spout.

September 12th 1943 鈥淧ALERMO SICILY鈥� Warm.
A REST UP. Met up with the American 5th Army here.
Next the INVASION of 鈥淚TALY鈥� at the 鈥楾oe鈥�, right over the 鈥淢ESINA STRAITS鈥�
鈥淗MS QUEENBOROUGH鈥� (and our Captain 鈥楧鈥�) 鈥淗MS QUILLIAM鈥� were the very first Warships to pass through the STRAITS (RN that is). WE were bombed by 6 鈥楳E 109鈥檚 thank God they all missed, but we all got a dammed good wetting. 鈥淟UCKY SHIP鈥� (FACT).

September 9th 1943 Off 鈥淪OLERNO鈥� September 16th 1943 鈥淗MS WARSPITE鈥�, 鈥淯SS SAVANNAH and a 鈥淗OSPITAL SHIP鈥�.
Were all hit by Guided Flying Bombs they were called 鈥淔RITZ X鈥� first time ever used. They only had three, all hits. Thank God no more (while we were there).

September 9-16th 1943 OFF 鈥淪ALERNO (NAPLES BAY)鈥� Misty and warm
The night before 鈥淪ALERNO鈥�, ITALY SURRENDERS This was the start of our Night Patrols at this Headland Off 鈥淐ORFU鈥�

Sept 21st 1943 鈥淏RINDISI ITALY鈥� Sunny Adriatic.
From the INVASION of 鈥淚TALY鈥� we have been bombed 10 times (all missed), shelled 7 times. We have made landings at 鈥淪ALERNO鈥� and escorted from there the bombed Battleship 鈥淗MS WARSPITE鈥� back to 鈥淢ALTA鈥�.

Back to 鈥淢ALTA鈥� from there 4 Destroyers sped to the 鈥淎DRIATIC鈥�. To help the 8th Army鈥檚 fight up 鈥淚TALY鈥�. The 4 Ships 鈥淗MS QUEENBOROUGH,QUAIL, QUILLIAM and RAIDER鈥�. During the day we bombarded for the Army at short range. During the night Patrol work starting at 鈥淐ORFU鈥�.

FIRST TRUE 鈥淪TAND OFF鈥� BOMB. RADIO GUIDED GLIDER BOMB
鈥淔RITZ X鈥� 鈥� 1500lb 9ft long.
With wings and tail also red light for gliding .

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