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- HMS Nile during the Second World War -


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

HMS Nile



1st Apr 1941 Reorganisation

1st Apr 1943 Reorganisation


If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



Those known to have sailed in

HMS Nile

during the Second World War 1939-1945.

  • Barlow Harold. L/Sea.
  • Heywood Thomas. Ldg.Sig. (d.23rd Mar 1942)
  • Holbrook Joan Marie. Wren.
  • Jordan Herbert Henry. Mechn. (d.5th May 1944)
  • Latham Patrick. Able Sea.
  • Michell DSC. Eric Dangar. Cmdr(E). (d.18th Mar 1943)
  • Morris Norman. SBPO.
  • Mullaney William. Able Sea.
  • Northmore Frederick William. PO.
  • Poland Joseph Gerrard. A/Able Sea.
  • Read Leonard Jack. Ord.Sea.
  • Rutledge John Patrick. Stkr 1st Cl.
  • Scott Richard Dawson. Sub.Lt. (d.27th October 1944)

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 Nile from other sources.



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Want to know more about HMS Nile?


There are:1 items tagged HMS Nile 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.


L/Sea. Harold Barlow HMS Galatea

Harold Barlow joined the Royal Navy as a Boy in 1933 and served on the following ships during WW2, HMS Drake, HMS Nile, HMS Pembroke, HMS Galatea and HMS Highflyer.

Jeff Barlow



Able Sea. William Mullaney HMNB Portsmouth

My dad, William Mullaney served two tours at HMNB Portsmouth, Oct-Dec 1940 and March-May 1942. In between times, he served on HMS Nile and HMS Orion and was involved in the action off Crete in 1942. His final posting was HMS Eagle, May-Aug 1942.

Bill Mullaney



A/Able Sea. Joseph Gerrard Poland HMS Eaglet

According to his Royal Navy certificate of service, Joseph Poland served on the following during the war: HMS Raleigh; HMS Drake; HMS Eaglet; HMS Calliope; HMS Newfoundland; HMS St. Angelo; HMS Pembroke and HMS Nile.

Dennis Poland



PO. Frederick William Northmore HMS Repulse

My father, Frederick Northmore, served in the Royal Navy in WW2. Born 1921, he joined the Navy as a boy in 1937. Dad served on HMS Repulse; MV Ulster Queen. HMS Orion, HMS Nile, HMS Dulverton, HMS Nile (Sphinx), HMS Birmingham and HMS Forth until his discharge in 1962. Unfortunately for me any medals he may have been presented with have been lost. Dad died in 1985.

Diane Hardy



Wren. Joan Marie "Jay" Holbrook HMS Pembroke

Joan Holbrook joined the Wrens and served in HMS Pembroke, HMS Ganges, HMS Drake and HMS Nile.




Mechn. Herbert Henry Jordan HMS Barnet (d.5th May 1944)

Herbert Jordan, who was my Great Grandfather on my mothers side, he fought in WW1 and was re-called at the start of WW2 after already doing 20 years service. He served on HMS Ajax, HMS Nile, HMS Rennet, HMS Barnet and HMS Pembroke.

He died after falling into the hold on HMS Pembroke whilst it was docked in Alexandria, Egypt. He was sent home for an operation on an abscess behind his ear which unfortunately went badly and he died on the operating table when my grandmother was just 14.

Natalie Jay



Ord.Sea. Leonard Jack Read HMS Urania

My Dad, Leonard Read began his Navy days at HMS Collingwood in August 1943. Afterwards he served mainly on HMS Urania with a spell on HMS Nile. I have a wonderful poem of his travels written on route.

Teresa



Sub.Lt. Richard Dawson Scott H.M.S. Nile. (d.27th October 1944)

Sub-Lieutenant Scott was the Son of Dr. Gordon Shaw Scott and Winifred Alice Scott, of Bournemouth, Hampshire. He was 20 when he died and is buried in the Izmir (Bornova) British Protestant Cemetery, in Turkey.

S flynn



Ldg.Sig. Thomas Heywood HMS Bagshot (d.23rd Mar 1942)

Leading Signalman Thomas Heywood RN was awarded the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, 1939-45 British War Medal, Navy Long Service & Good Conduct Medal GviR He is remembered on the Chatham Memorial 1939-45: Heywood, Ldg Sigmn Thomas C/J107448. HMS President (Lost in SS Clan Campbell) 23rd March 1942. Age 35.

Thomas Heywood was born on 28th September 1907 in Chorley, Lancs. On the 13th of June 1923 he enlisted as a Boy 2nd Class He is described as being 5 feet 10 inches in height, of fresh complexion with a 38 inch chest, brown hair, blue eyes and a scar on his right leg. His previous occupation was Creeler (Cotton Miller) He joined HMS Impregnable the Training Establishment for boy seamen at Devonport.On the 5th January 1924 he transferred to HMS Ganges Training Establishment for boy seamen at Shotley for Chatham Ratings On the 4th November 1924 he joined HMS Ajax Battleship Then on 3rd January 1925, HMS Danae a Light Cruiser with 1st Cruiser Squadron Mediterranean Fleet. On 28th September 1925 Thomas signed on for a 12 year engagement. Now 6 feet in height and with a 40 inch chest. In 17th April 1928 he was at HMS Pembroke I at RNB Chatham, on 17th July 1928 at HMS Pembroke II he was aboard HMS Malcolm a Destroyer Leader and HMS Torch WWI Destroyer On 10th October 1928 he joined HMS Godetia a WWI Sloop On 17th April 1929 he joined HMS Repulse in the Battle Cruiser Squadron, Atlantic Fleet. After a spell at HMS Pembroke II and HMS Pembroke I on the 29th April 1932 he joined HMS Cyclops a Repair Ship with 1st Submarine Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet. On 3rd November 1932 he was at HMS St Angelo RNB Malta aboard HMS Keith a Destroyer Leader with 4th Destroyer Flotilla Mediterranean Fleet. On 20th July 1936 he is listed as joining HMS Pembroke II, still aboard HMS Keith probably en route back to the UK 15th January 1937 he joined HMS Endeavour, a Survey Ship.

When war broke out Thomas was a Leading Signalman, he transferred on 22nd September 1939 to HMS Terror II a Monitor used as Base Ship in Singapore serving aboard HMS Bagshot a Minesweeper On the 1st January 1940 he was with HMS Sultan Accounting Base Singapore still aboard HMS Bagshot 15th March 1940 he transferred to HMS Nile an RN Base in Alexandria, Egypt. Thomas was awarded the Naval Long Service & Good Conduct Medal on 10th October 1940. 6th January 1941 he was at HMS Pembroke I and 26th June 1941 he joined HMS Euryalus, a Cruiser on first commissioning. He saw action in the 1st Battle of Sirte

Heywood's Service Record shows he left HMS Euryalus on 27th February 1942, we may presume at Alexandria to board SS Clan Campbell on passage to Malta. Clan Campbell sailed from Alexandria for Malta on 20th March 1942, as part of Supply Convoy MW.10 and in company with Breconshire, Pampas and Talabot. The close escort was the AA Cruiser Carlisle and the 22nd DD Flotilla consisting of Sikh, Zulu, Lively, Hero, Havock and Hasty. The covering Force was under the Command of Rear Admiral Vian and comprised 3 cruisers and 4 destroyers. Force H was also at sea as well as 6 submarines. Italian submarines reported sighting MW.10 and 4 cruisers and 4 destroyers set out from Messina whilst the battleship Littorio and 6 destroyers came from Taranto. In addition there were 3 Italian and 3 German U-boats operating. The Messina Force sighted the British Covering Force on 22nd and tired to entice it onto the Littorio which was also trying to get between the convoy and Malta.

In heavy weather, the 2nd Battle of Sirte took place and, whilst battle damage was suffered by the British ships, both sides suffered more from the heavy seas. The Italians lost two destroyers in the storm. Admiral Vian drove the attacks off from the Messina Force and later, the Littorio Force, whilst inflicting one torpedo hit on the battleship. Because of the various evasive movements the convoy arrived off Malta just as day was breaking on the 23rd. There they were attacked by Luftwaffe bombers of II Fl.K. when 25 miles from Malta and Clan Cambell was hit by both bombs and a torpedo. Tom Heywood was one of 22 naval and Maritime RA casualties, all On Passage, and nominally on the books of HMS President III. There were also 6 MN casualties including the Master Capt. Vooght. The probability was that Heywood was on the bridge with the Master. Logically that is where he, as a signalman, even if on passage would probably have been at action stations, and it seems the bridge was hit by one bomb at least. Of the rest of the convoy, Breconshire was badly damaged and beached. She later capsized when attempts were made to salvage her and after she had suffered further damage. Pampas and Talabot were sunk in harbour after discharging only 5,000 tons of their 25,900 tons of cargo.

David Slade



SBPO. Norman Morris HMS Gosling

My uncle Norman Morris erved as a sick bay attendant on-
  • Victory 2/9/39 till 8/10/39
  • Boscawen 9/10/39 till 29/9/41
  • Victory 30/9/41 till 9/11/41
  • Nile 10/11/41 till 13/8/42
  • Good Hope 14/8/42 till 29/11/43
  • Assetsi 30/11/43 till 16/12/43
  • Victory 17/12/43 Till 14/3/44
  • Victory 15/3/44 till 31/10/44
  • Gosling 1/11/44 till 31/3/45

Terry Willims



Stkr 1st Cl. John Patrick Rutledge HMS Gosling

My father John Rutledge was 18 when he joined the Royal Navy in 1943. He served on a number of ships including Gosling, Duke, Drake, Nile, Formidable, Golden Hind and Glenearn. He was a Stoker Class 1 and served from July 1943 to February 1947.

Val Swaine







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    The free section of the Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers. We have been helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items.

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