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This article, presented here in 8 chapters plus an introduction, is the naval autobiography of Alec Kellaway. Alec served in the Royal Navy from January 1936 to November 1947. His story shows what life was like training for the Navy immediately before the war as well as service in a wide variety of ships during the conflict. The book was written by Alec himself and has previously been published on the HMS Hood Association web site (www.hmshood.com) and in the HMS Cossack Association newsletters.

I was There! Where? - Chapter 5f Coastal Forces

I could not under stand why the operation was aborted, it was possible to stop the centre engine and run on the other two engines, we could still have power for three quarter maximum speed, should there be any trouble from German boats there were our gun boats in the area to give protection.

I did have time to talk to the stoker who was on watch at the time and he had noticed the pressure drop about one and half hours before I went to investigate. This one and half hours was so accurate to define as the recordings in the engine logs were made every 15 minutes and in the centre engine log it was recorded that six entries showed a decrease in oil pressure. Had the stoker called me on the first of the readings it may have been possible to save the bearings and the operation.

The outcome of this was a full enquiry as to the abortion of the operation and the failure of my stoker to call me when the oil pressure first dropped. My stoker was put on a charge of neglect of duties and was given the option of taking the base commander’s punishment or a court martial.

He accepted the first. At Commander’s defaulters the stoker pleaded guilty but could offer no reason why he had not called me. The Commander on going through the stoker’s records said that in his opinion the stoker, who had been on ML 100 since the early days of the war, had become so aware of recording the engine readings every 15 minutes of operation that he had been mentally blinded of the fall in pressure and, therefore, it had not registered in his mind. However the seriousness of the situation warranted a punishment of 14 days stoppage of leave with extra duties. The Commander also arranged for all engine room staff who had been on the ML since the start of the war to be returned to their main depots, this meant a complete change of my stokers and leading stoker. The failure of my centre engine was the only time an operation was aborted whilst I was in charge of the engine room department.

Nearly all the time I was at Felixstowe we laid magnetic mines. These mines, around 6 foot in length and about 18 inches in diameter, of which each ML carried six, were laid in a set pattern and on being released from the ML sank to the bottom of the sea. A soluble pellet would dissolve and release the timer on a time clock which was set for a pre-determined date after the mine was laid. The German mine sweepers would sweep the channel and declare the area safe, but our mines would not have been ready for detonation until after the channel had been swept. Any ships passing over the mines at a later date would in all probability be damaged or even sunk. One time the MLs took out a batch of conventional pimple mines, each ML carrying eight mines. These were released from the MLs and would sink to the bottom of the sea where the mine was released from its mooring to float up several feet below the sea surface suspended on its wire from the mooring. These mines were contact mines and a vessel running into them would be in trouble.

Anyhow on this only time we sailed with this type of mine on board, we were going up the coast towards Great Yarmouth when my port engine cracked a water jacket, this then put the operation out for that night and the three MLs put into Lowestoft for repairs to my engine. Our CO went ashore for orders and on his return said that the operation would be carried out the next night. We could go ashore for leave but under no circumstances should we mention our cargo of mines. The next morning we had to go up river to refuel, this meant that to refuel we had to pass through the swing bridge that spanned the main road with traffic held up while the bridge was open.

There were many people watching the three MLs passing with their mines fully exposed for anyone to see, so much for security emphasised the night before. That night we carried out the operation as planned.

Shortly afterwards ML 105 went into dockyard hands for routine maintenance and her motor mechanic was told to stand by should ML 100 have to go out on an operation as I was to go on leave for seven days. I had only been home about three days when I had a telegram recalling me. Now this was perplexing as I could not understand why the recall. I soon found out when I reported to the CO. During my absence ML 100 had to cross from Felixstowe to Harwich and it was left for my leading stoker to run the engines on this short journey. One of the engines developed main bearing trouble, the leading stoker on reporting to the CO said that the trouble was there before I went on leave, hence my recall. I had to give a written report to the CO and with evidence from the shore based engineers there was no way that the defect was there prior to that short journey. That dealt with the situation but I never got the leave I lost.

On checking with my leading stoker and stokers I found that the leading stoker on starting up the engines revved them up to a high speed before the lubricating oil had a chance to circulate. Unfortunately a main bearing on one engine failed. I could have reported this but I left things as they were.

It was surprising that though the CO and I did not get along as individuals, he would ask my advice on matters regarding naval rules and regulations and never did he criticise my running of the engine room department. After we had completed one mine laying operation, in which we had been harassed by German naval units and I had to lay a smoke screen to enable the MLs to take evasive action, the CO when we were clear of the area gave me a bottle of rum to share around the crew. This took us all by surprise as it did not seem to be the CO’s nature. On returning to harbour I did tell the chief supplies petty officer of the CO’s gift and the chief supplied a replacement of rum to be given to the CO who much to our surprise told me to share it among the crew.

It may be wondered how I an engine room rating was doing a request from the CO which would normally have been done by the seaman coxswain. Our coxswain was on compassionate leave and there was no replacement available from the shore base. As I was the senior hand aboard the regulating of the crew was left to me.

Life on board was very monotonous, after the daily routine there was little to do.

We would have our mines loaded on at Harwich and we would return to Felixstowe to wait orders. The MLs would wait around many days before orders were given to carry out the operation. Each day the COs would report to the base for orders and around about 4 PM would say yes or no to an operation. I believe in my 8 months on ML 100 I only completed 10 operations. As each operation took about 14 hours one can see that we had a lot of idle time on our hands. If there was no operation on any specific evening the crew were given night leave. One trip we were approaching Great Yarmouth when the operation was cancelled. The boats put into Yarmouth and stayed for about a week before we sailed to lay our mines. This will give you some idea of the time lag.

After completing one successful operation and the boats were returning to base one of our gun boat escorts had been rammed by another boat and was in a very bad way, as the bow of the ramming boat had sliced into the engine rooms and put the engines out of action. It was decided that ML 100 would tow the damaged the boat towards the English coast until assistance arrived from base. After the towing gear had been rigged and the 2 boats moved ahead at very reduced speed I then noticed that the engines were not running at a speed to allow the dynamos to cut in. This meant that the main batteries were supplying the necessary electricity to keep the engines running and supply the boats’ electric requirements.

In itself this would not be a problem as there was a two-stroke auxiliary petrol engine that could charge the batteries. But alas this engine would not start. On examination of the two-stroke engine it was noticed that seawater had entered into the engine through its exhaust pipe and the engine was now useless. The CO was informed of the situation and it was considered necessary to try and increase the towing speed allowing the dynamos to just supply enough current to maintain the boat’s needs. It was realised that should the engines be stopped for any reason it would not be possible to start them again. An order was issued stating that only in an extreme emergency should the engines be stopped.

The tow proceeded slowly on its way, which at normal times would be about 5 hours from base, but at the speed of the tow more likely nine to ten hours. Suddenly it happened, something went wrong with the towing gear and it meant that to protect the propellers the bridge ordered the engines to be stopped. There was a dimming of all the electrics around the boat and there was no way that the engines could be restarted on batteries.

The CO and I discussed the situation and I said that it would be possible to take the radar batteries from their storage and transfer them into the main batteries storage. This would take some time as the main batteries would first have to be removed to allow the transference. This was agreed and my stokers and I did the necessary work. It was fortunate that the batteries were the same size, though the radar batteries were connected to give out 110 volts where the main batteries when connected gave out 24 volts.

After the transfer the engines were restarted, the towing gear having been sorted out and the boats proceeded towards England. I was able to charge up the dead batteries after they had been placed in the radar battery storage by using the other auxiliary engine which charged at 100 volts. The tow continued on its way and around about 10 am a tug arrived from the base and took over the tow. We then increased speed to arrive in Felixstowe in the afternoon.

It was decided by the base that ML 100 should be taken out of the water for a routine check and we sailed across river to Harwich and were hoisted on the slips in to the boat yard. The routine check turned out to be a more prolonged affair as the boat’s underwater fittings had to be completely overhauled and the brackets supporting the propeller shafts had to fitted with new bearings. This extra time in the boatyard was a godsend as the crew were sent on seven days leave. On returning to Felixstowe it was not long before we went out to lay mines an uneventful trip, we laid our mines and thankfully returned safely to base undetected by German forces.
ML 100 had been back in Felixstowe for about three days when the CO told me that I was to be returned to barracks. He did say that this was nothing to do with him but all Stoker Petty Officers had to be returned to their respective depots. I left ML 100 the next day after having spent a remarkable eight months with good wishes from the boats’ crews and the base staff as I passed through the gates to return to Portsmouth and new adventures.

Alec's Story continues in Chapter 6a H.M.S. Skate

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