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HMS Raven, RNAS Eastleigh
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
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Want to know more about HMS Raven, RNAS Eastleigh? There are:-1 items tagged HMS Raven, RNAS Eastleigh 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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L/Sig. Thomas Alfred "Bagsy" Baker HMS Raven Fleet Air Arm My father Thomas Baker was known as Alf or Bagsy. He lived in East Ham, then moved to Leigh-on-sea Essex. He joined the Navy training ship Arethusa aged 13 and a half in 1931 when life was tough for all the boys. He then went to HMS Ganges 1933-1935, HMS Pembroke, Cairo, Woolwich, Victory, Kestrel.
He was assigned to HMS Raven in Eastleigh 1939 at the start of the war as Acting Leading Signalman where he met my mother on Eastleigh rec at the bandstand with his friend Charlie Taffe. Dad confided in his friend Bob Aggas that he was very fond of mum. Mum & Dad married in Eastleigh Parish church in September 1940. They had a few honeymoon days in Torquay, then dad was away for 3 years.
He served aboard HMS Grebe until April 1943, during which time he flew Albacore, Fairey and Swordfish as an air gunner flying scout over the desert observing enemy movements. He was happened to be aboard (not sure which vessel) just as the Germans were invading Norway. The inhabitants gave the Allies all of their valuables so the Nazis wouldn’t have them. Dad was given a bag of silver, but just as the ship was departing it was torpedoed. Unfortunately, he jumped one way and bag went the other.
Once back home, he had a medical which showed a shadow on his lung which landed him in a sanatorium for best part of a year. It was actually because he had had double pneumonia and pleurisy when he was a child.
After hospital discharge, he was mainly based in HMS Daedalus, still flying the Swordfish. All during Dad’s career he gained many qualifications, including the German language. Because of this, he was lent to the German Air Arm in Bremen during the late 1950s. Then he served with RNAS Lossiemouth late 40s early 50s, living in Nissen huts the Army and RAF didn't want. He served on HMS Bulwark 1963-65 during another crisis. Dad’s last posting was HMS Seahawk (Culdrose, Cornwall) where he retired in 1968. We returned to Hampshire in 1976. Dad developed cancer and passed in September 1983. I have various photos and letters etc.
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William Basnett HMS Ameer My father, William Basnett, was in the Royal Navy from 30th of November 1942 to 15th of May 1946.
He had relatively short periods onHMS Gosling, HMS Daedalus, HMS Tern,HMS Raven, HMS Waxwing, HMS Malagas and HMS Bermuda but spent most of his service on HMS Ameer from 5th of December 1944 to 18th of November 1945.
They were carrying 845 squadron & later 804 squadron avengers & wildcats. On 26th of July 1945 they were attacked by a Japanese Kamikaze but managed to deflect it into the sea with the ships armaments. During his time on HMS Ameer they were involved in operations, Lightning, Matador, Sankey, Stacey, Collie, Carson, Jurist, Beecham, Tideraceand Zipper in the Battles in Burma and Malaya and to re-occupy Malaya and Singapore.
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CPO James Samuel Evans HMS Raven My grandfather, James Samuel Evans, was stationed at HMS Raven between December 1939 and October 1940, after which he was posted to Jackdaw, Daedalus and Goshawk. He was a Petty Officer Shipwright 1st Class.
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