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HMS Bedouin
HMS Bedouin was a tribal class destroyer, built by William Denny & Brothers of Dumbarton, Scotland she was launched 21 Dec, 1937.
During the operations off Norway in April 1940 she was patrolling off Baroy when she was attacked by the German submarine U-25, the torpedoes exploded some distance from target. The ship was lost on the 15th of June 1942 south of Pantellaria when the convoy in which she was sailing was intercepted by an Italian cruiser and destroyer force led by the cruisers Eugenio di Savoia and Montecuccoli. HMS Bedouin was completely disabled, but HMS Partridge managed to get under way once more, towing HMS Bedouin. When the Italian squadron later reappeared the tow was cast off as HMS Partridge endeavoured to defend herself. Eventually it was an Italian aircraft which finished off HMS Bedouin with an torpedo while HMS Partridge escaped. The aircraft was hit by one of the destroyer's guns and crashed into the sea. The torpedo hit Bedouin's engine room, blasting a hole clear through the ship. She immediately rolled over to port and sank with the loss of 28 men. At dusk, an Italian floatplane and a little Italian hospital ship picked up 213 survivors who were taken as Prisoners of War.
Sep 1939 Patrols
23rd Jan 1940 On the Move
23rd Jan 1940 On the Move
19th Mar 1940 Departures
20th Mar 1940 Raft
21st Mar 1940 Training
22nd Mar 1940 Tanker
23rd Mar 1940 Refuelling
25th Mar 1940 Guns Fired
26th Mar 1940 Rejoined
27th Mar 1940 Poor Weather
7th Apr 1940 Enemy Warships Sighted
8th Apr 1940 Enemy Occupation confirmed
9th Apr 1940 Patrol
13th April 1940 2nd Battle of Narvik
15th Apr 1940 Escort
22nd Apr 1940 Conference
23rd Apr 1940 Recconaissance
4th May 1940 Rescue
10th May 1940 Operation
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Those known to have sailed in HMS Bedouin during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Boyce Robert. Able Sea. (d.15th June 1942)
- Bradshaw DSM. William Harold. Tel.
- Bunyan Terrance.
- Chalmers Alexander.
- Chowles Alfred George. Ord. Sea. (d.15 June 1942)
- Chowles Alfred George. Ord.Sea. (d.15th June 1942)
- Clarke George.
- Croxon Maurice Desmond Paul. Able.Sea. (d.15th Jun 1942)
- Davis Cliff. Lead.Sea.
- Doyle Terence William.
- Edwards John. Able Sea.
- Gibbons Nicholas Powers.
- Harris Frederick George. Able Sea.
- Ives Sidney James. Stoker.
- Jones-Evans Robert. Off.Cadet.
- Lavis Joseph. Ord Sea. (d.15th Jun 1942)
- Mitchell Augustus.
- Preston Albert.
- Scurfield DSO, OBE. B. G.. Cdr.
- Towers Brian Marshall.
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
Records of HMS Bedouin from other sources.
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Want to know more about HMS Bedouin? There are:21 items tagged HMS Bedouin available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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Terence William Doyle HMS Bedouin I served on HMS Bedouin until sank and was then made a POW in Stalag 7A and 8B, I would be interested to hear from survivors particularly ones from the Bedouin, I have never attended a reunion as they were always in London, but would now like to.
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Terrance Bunyan HMS Bedouin My grandfather, Terrance Bunyan, served on HMS Bedouin. He was taken as a POW and held until the end of the war.
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Ord Sea. Joseph Lavis H.M.S. Bedouin (d.15th Jun 1942) Joseph Lavis is my Uncle Joe, my Mom's brother.
She was only 10 at the time of his death.
The family is from Port Saunders, NL and they all moved to Corner Brook, when the pulp and paper mill opened. At some point in time, the spelling of the last name Lavis became Lavers.
Josephine Kelly-Colbourne
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Able.Sea. Maurice Desmond Paul Croxon HMS Bedouin (d.15th Jun 1942) Maurice Croxon served in HMS Bedouin. His duty station was in the ship's engine room.
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Tel. William Harold Bradshaw DSM. HMS Bedouin My father, William Bradshaw, was born in Carr Vale before moving to Bolsover.
In his teens he worked in the coal mine at Bilsthorpe after his mother died of cancer in 1935. In 1937 his 16 year old brother was killed in a mine accident. After this he left home and joined the Royal Navy.
He served aboard HMS Bedouin, was aboard the HMS Lancaster (ex-USS Phillip) bringing the ship to the UK. He served in Combined Operations and was in the Lefoten Raid and Vaargso Raid before going to Madagascar. Here he was awarded the DSM.
Later he went to Burma. He was captured but escaped and made his way to Allied lines en route to the UK. He was in the landings at Anzio.
After the war he was posted to Bermuda, Daniels Head W/T Station. He left the RN in 1948 and joined ACSWS (Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service)which was part of GCHQ. In 1965 ACSWS was formally incorporated into GCHQ. Worked with GCHQ until 1982 when he retired.
His son spent 6 years at sea in the Merchant Navy as a Radio Officer before joining the Diplomatic Wireless Service.
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Lead.Sea. Cliff Davis HMS Bedouin Cliff Davis served on HMS Bedouin
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Off.Cadet. Robert Jones-Evans HMS Bedouin Robin Evans was my Uncle. He lived in Southport until his death, aged 69. He was a seventeen year old officer cadet on HMS Bedouin, and was rescued by the Italians and spent the war as a prisoner, but didn't have such a bad time. But he was always a charmer which probably helped.
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Albert Preston HMS Bedouin My father, Albert Preston, served on HMS Bedouin from 1939 until she was sunk off Malta in 1942.
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George Clarke HMS Bedouin My dad served as a cook on HMS Bedouin prior to her being sunk. Fortunately, he was in Iceland at the time of her sinking.
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Able Sea. Robert Boyce HMS Bedouin (d.15th June 1942) My uncle Robert Boyce served on HMS Bedouin and was one of the people killed when she sank. Does anyone remember him?
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Alexander Chalmers HMS Bedouin Sandy Chalmers, my grandfather, was posted to the Bedouin on 15th March 1939 (the day it launched) and served as a stoker until sank on 15th June 1942. My grandmother, having been informed by telegram that he was missing in action, learned that he had been captured by the Italians after a Catholic Cardinal visited the prisoners, noted addresses and followed through on his promise of a postcard.
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Stoker. Sidney James Ives HMS Bedouin Sidney Ives was born in south London on 10th September 1917. He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 27th May 1940.
He served on HMS Arthur, HMS Pembroke, and HMS Bedouin which was sunk by the Italians and was in the sea for 10 hours before being rescued and taken prisoner. He was later handed over to the Germans and was in a POW
camp for almost 3 years, he escaped twice but was recaptured both times.
He was also on the long march across Europe.
He lived on his own in Chatham, Kent but needed extra care, so moved to Pembroke House, a care home for
ex Navy personnel. He has short term memory loss but can remember lots
of stories of his time in the Navy.
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Brian Marshall "Bert" Towers HMS Bedouin My Dad served on the HMS Bedouin, he was one of the survivors when the ship went down, his name was Brian Marshall Towers, known as Bert. I have still the little brass mug that they use to issue the round of rum in, my dad had this in his pocket when the ship went down. I do know that one night when he was on watch, he saved the captains life in rough seas, as the Captain was washed overboard & my dad spotted him & raised the alarm. Years later at a reunion the Captain said he never knew who saved his life & my Dad said it was me sir. Sadly he is no longer with us.
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