|
HMS Queen Elizabeth
Website © Copyright IMM - MMIX - All Rights Reserved |
If you enjoy this siteplease consider making a donation.
Home
Add Your Story
Features
Submissions
Schools
Information
World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII
HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Queen Elizabeth was a Super-Dreadnought battleship, launched on 16 October 1913 at Portsmouth, Hampshire. She saw action during the Great War. She had a displacement of 27,500 tons , was 645 ft 9 in (197 m) long with a beam of90 ft 6 in (27.6 m) Her top speed was 24 knots (44 km/h) and she had a crew compliment of 950 during the Second World War. At the outbreak of the Second World War she was in the middle of a refit at Portsmouth, because of enemy bombing she was moved to Rosyth to for the refit to be completed. In May 1941 she joined the Mediterranean Fleet. On the 18th of December 1941 She was mined, along with HMS Valiant by Italian frogmen whilst in the harbour at Alexandria, Egypt. None of her crew lost thier lives. The ship sank low in the shallow water, but was able to maintain an illusion of being fully operational soconcealing the weak British position in the Mediterranean. She was raised and some repairs were undertaken then sailed to the United States Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia arriving in September 1942. Repairs were completed in June 1943 and HMS Queen Elizabeth was sent to the Pacific, where she served from 1944, taking part in raids on Japanese bases in Indonesia. She returned to Britain in July 1945, and was sold for scrap in March 1948.
List of those who served on HMS Queen Elizabeth during The Second World War
- Rear Admiral Claud Barrington Barry DSO Read his Story.
- Seaman William Gregg Read his Story.
Rear Admiral Claud Barrington Barry DSO HMS Queen ELizabeth
My father joined the navy as a cadet in 1904.Becoming a Submariner in 1914 he commanded various submarines in the war including C14.D4 and R12 Between the wars he commanded two J boatslent to RANthen K22,K26 ,Thames and Medway,attended Staff college and was Chief of Staff to Flag Officer Submarines 1939 saw him as NA to 2nd Sea Lord and then commanding HMS Queen Elizabeth and Then Valiant As a Rear Admiral was Flag Officer Submarines 1943-44 and then Naval Secretary followed by Director of Dockyards He died on the 27th Dec 1951 4 days before Retirement. His final Rank was Admiral
Seaman William Gregg HMS Birmingham
I am trying to find my uncle, William Gregg. He is my mother's brother and served on the Queen Elizabeth when it was sunk in 1941 in Alexandria Harbor. My mother and William were raised in an orphanage in Lee Hill Cottages, Lanchester, County Durham. My mother has a memory of William visiting her wearing tropical whites at some point. She said that after the Queen Elizabeth had been mined, he also served on the HMS Birmingham, and possibly the Repulse. He told her that he worked on the dynamos on the Queen Elizabeth. My mother is almost 90 years old and in failing health. She would love to hear what became of her brother. They lost touch during the war because she had been moved in the Land Army. As a footnote to William's service, she regaled me of tales of Italian divers sinking the Elizabeth and the heroic efforts of British wartime seamen.
Can you help us to add to our records?
The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them
Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area?
If so please let us know.
Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.
Celebrate your own Family History
Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.
Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.
We are currently conducting a survey of users to improve the website, please could you spare a few moments to complete our survey?
The Wartime Memories Project is a non profit organisation run by volunteers.
This website is paid for out of our own pockets and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources.
If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running.
Hosted by:
Website © Copyright IMM - MMIX
- All Rights Reserved