227346 Robert Nicklin Royal Navy HMS Dorsetshire I volunteered at the age of 17 for the Royal Navy in 1940 and saw action on my first ship which was damaged by bomb and machine guns. It was in action against the Bismarck on HMS Dorsetshire firing 240 rounds of 8" shells. After putting three torpedoes into her and watching her sink we rescued 84 survivors. We bombarded the North African coast and took part in the landings in Madagascar. There was also lots of action in the Mediterranean, including three Malta convoys. With another destroyer we sank 13 enemy ships in an action lasting three hours. On my return to England I was just in time to take part in the Normandy landings on the cruiser HMS Emerald who, with other British warships, bombarded the shore batteries on the French coast. We were hit by a bomb and sustained only slight damage. We returned to Pompey [Portsmouth] for repairs and then went back to the landings, returning to England after things had settled down.
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