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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Clive Bishop of the CSV Action Desk, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Newcastle on behalf of Frank Bloxham and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

After leaving school I joined the Royal Navy on December 19th 1929 and was trained for a year and a half at HMS Ganges, Shotley, Sufolk. Training was completed in April 1931 when I left to join HMS Repulse (Battle Cruiser).

I joined HMS Cumberland (County Class Cruiser) and spent time cruising a 600 mile stretch of the Yangtse river from the Yellow Sea to Hankow.
Between 1935-37 I served on HMS PC74 (Patrol Craft) which was then attached to HMS Osprey at Portland. The functions of HMS Osprey was to develop ASDICS (Anti Submarine Detection Committee) - later known as Sonar. We used to go out, off Portland Bill, in the mornings with the scientists and follow a submarine. The technology was a bit different to what you would expect today and it was pushed to the ship on the top of a simple wheel barrow.

At the end of 1937 I moved to Chatham. In March 1938 I left for China to join HMS Duncan (Destroyer) as Flotilla Leader. The Flotilla was based in Hong Kong and visited many countries in the far east. During the Summer we moved to North China, Wei Haiwei Island.

I was in Shanghai when war was declared but there was no war time action in that area. We moved on to Alexandra, for a week or two, then on to Malta for two — three months when the ship was overhauled. A lot of the time was spent checking shipping for contraband for the Germans. When leaving Malta we were scheduled to escort HMS Barham (Battle Ship) back to the UK. There were four Destroyers as escorts, we were on HMS Duncan.

As the convoy was turning off Northern Ireland, heading for the Clyde, HMS Barnham (Battle Ship) collided with HMS Duchess (Destroyer) and turned her over. Most of the crew were trapped.

I stayed on HMS Duncan and travelled to Sheerness. From there I joined a convoy escort group at Methil, Fyfe. The convoy was to go to Norway. One of the merchant ships in the convoy rammed HMS Duncan. She was nearly cut in half and started sinking. We were towed by another destroyer back to Invergordon, where the ship was pumped out and temporarily repaired over a two month period after which it was towed to Grangemouth. The crew went back to barracks at Chatham and I was part of what was known as a naval shore party.
My first activity was with a group of about 60 men who were sent by two double decker buses to Dover, we were not told what we were going to be doing or where we were going but were issued with 45mm pistols. We were eventually sent to board a destroyer bound for Boulogne. I don’t actually know why we were there but there was one incident where I had to go to a vantage point on one side of the river to make a signal to men on the other side. I had to use semaphore flags and was told that every letter had to be undertaken very slowly so that it could be clearly seen. I was very concerned about being a sitting target for the Germans.

We returned to Dover and then on to Chatham for a few days then back to Dover where I boarded another Destroyer heading for Dunkirk, Lord Gort’s headquarters. We moved into the next village called La Panne for two or three days where I had to sent signals via an Aldis lamp. Before going ashore at La Panne we were given a loaf of bread, a tin of Bully Beef and a bottle of rum. Wheb Lord Gort returned to England we were told to find our own way home.

I boarded HMS Keith , she was destroyed and I was picked up by a tug and was dropped off at Margate. I got a bus back to Chatham for a few weeks stay. The next move was from Rosythe to Northern Ireland, in HMS Gardenia (flower class corvette) and join the North Atlantic Convoys for a month or two.

In 1941 I was based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, for six months and returned to the Liverpool Docks, after supporting, a slow convoy. This convoy suffered submarine attacks for two or three nights and when we reached Liverpool there were only four ships left out of thirteen.

Between 1943- 44 I worked ashore at Chatham. In 1945 I was sent to the Far East, Sydney, Australia and was attached to the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet offices.

Discharged from the Royal Navy in November 1945

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