大象传媒

Our first major action happened during one of our many trips to Malta with a convoy. Admiral Vean was on the cruiser, Cleopatra. There were two more cruisers, the Carlisle and the Penelope and with the 4 destroyers, including the Sikh, this made up the escort to protect the convoy.

About a day after leaving port, we received a message to say that the Italian fleet was leaving port and was steaming in our direction. As we found later, the first enemy force, which came out, consisted of one eight-inch cruiser and three six-inch cruisers. After torpedo attacks through a smoke screen, we were able to drive them off but then Admiral Vean with our other two cruisers raced after them, as he believed two of their cruisers had been damaged. This left the convoy, of course, with only four destroyers to protect them. While they were away, the unsuspected battleship contingent bore down on the convoy. This consisted of the battleship, Littorio and two eight-inch cruisers and three six-inch cruisers - a battleship and five cruisers against four destroyers. The Sikh was the leader of the flotilla of destroyers. All our captain could do was to form the destroyers in line ahead; them between the convoy and the advancing Italian fleet, and lay a thick smoke screen to hide the convoy. This he did, and as we couldn't reach the Italian fleet with our own small 4.7 inch guns, we dived out of the smokescreen, turned hard to starboard, straight towards the battleship which was in the fore of the fleet and turning hard to port, fired our torpedoes and got back straight into the smoke screen. This we did a few times and succeeded in hitting the ship on the stern, setting fire to an aircraft, but as far as we could see, that was all that had happened. We were able to get back into the smoke screen, and luckily we were able to hold our position until Admiral Vean came back with the other two cruisers. The Italian fleet then turned tail and broke off the engagement. Now, I found out at a later date, which you'll hear about, that the Italian fleet withdrew because the weather was terribly rough, and the Italian crew were seasick! They had been in port too long.

The weather deteriorated even more. It was the worst sea I have ever been in actually. On our way back to port, the weather was so bad, that of the destroyers that got back, only our destroyer, the Sikh, was capable of turning round and going back to sea again. Even then the force of water landing on the fo'c'sle had bent the deck supports, so when you walked through the fo'c'sle mess room, you had to duck to get under the deck because it had been forced down by the force of water. The forward gun turret had big dents in it where the water had hit it; the breakwater was carried away. The waves were coming over the bow, landing half way down the ship, over the torpedo tubes. So it was really atrocious. I was a good sailor, thank heavens; I used to enjoy every minute of it. It was a bit difficult to keep your feet but they used to put ropes along the deck, that you could grab hold of to make sure that you weren't swept over the side. Happy days!

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