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Those who Served
Cpl. Benjamin Charles Jackman . Army 9th Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (d.16th Jan 1945) |
Pilot Officer A K Jackson . RAF VR 59 Squadron |
Sub Lt. (A) Arthur Myles Jackson . Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve H.M.S. Shrike from Douglas, Isle of Man) (d.23rd Jul 1944) Arthur Jackson was 22 years old and was married to Third Offr. Thelma Daphne Jackson, W.R.N.S. who was also killed the same day. |
Sgt. N. C. Jackson VC.. Royal Air Force 106 Sqd. |
3rd Officer Thelma Daphne Jackson . Womens Royal Naval Service HMS Shrike from Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland) (d.23rd Jul 1944) Daphne Jackson was the daughter of Charles Trench Stewart and Norah Eileen Trench Stewart, of Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Republic of Ireland. She was married to Sub-Lieut.(A) Arthur Myles Jackson, R.N.V.R. who lost his life at H.M.S. Shrike |
Marion Jacobs . My great uncle's name was Marion Jacobs and he escaped from Stalag 3b during the spring of 1945 just before the russians bombed it. I was wondering if anyone was with him and could share stories? I know that they were picked up by some war correspondents and there story made the newspaper, but that is about all I know. Eager to hear from anyone who may have known him to find out details concerning his time as a POW. |
Ord. Seaman W. Jacobs . Royal Navy HMS Forfar W. Jacobs was one of the men brought ashore after the sinking of HMS Forfar. |
Llew James . Army RASC My father was captured in North Africa and then held in Stalag XV111A. I have a few photos of him and some mates; one photo has an address on it – Bill Pullan of Harrogate. Does anyone have any info on my father as he never really spoke about the war? |
Llew James . Army RASC My father was captured in North Africa and then held in Stalag XV111A. I have a few photos of him and some mates; one photo has an address on it – Bill Pullan of Harrogate. Does anyone have any info on my father as he never really spoke about the war? |
Flt Sgt. Ronald Thornley " " Jaques . Wireless Operator from Silver Street, Irlam, Manchester ) (d.18 Apr 1945) Ronald Thornley Jaques was my cousin and I am trying to find out more information about him as I have only a vague recollection of him, being only 5 when war broke out. I have found his memorial at Runnymede via the Internet whilst researching family history. I can still recall seeing him in his RAF uniform with his Wireless Operator "flash" over his left pocket. I do not know date of his enlistment but he volunteered before his time due to the sad ending of his relationship with his girlfriend. He was the only child of Joseph and Millicent Jaques and his father in particular never recovered from his loss. |
Margaret Jarvis . Women's Land Army |
F/S S. Jarvis . RAF pilot 7 Sqd. F/S Jarvis survived the crash of Lancaster JA-718 on the the 29th of January 1944 and was held as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft 6 and Stalag 357. We would love to hear from him or his family as my wife's brother Stanley Liddle was one of his crewmates. |
Able Sea. Charles Albert " " Jasper . Royal Navy HMS Electra from Sunderland) (d.1942) Albert Jasper was my Uncle. He died on HMS Electra in 1942, he was an uncle I never saw, but he saw me, (I was born in 1940!) I have recently been interested in looking up any info about him both for my own interest and records, but I was wondering if you can help me, there are no photos of him, do the Navy keep any on record? It would be lovely to see this young man who died for his country, he had 3 sisters and 2 brothers who have all gone now, I would be ever so grateful. |
Rifleman Alec Jay . Army Queen Victoria's Rifles 9th London Regiment My late father Alec Jay, was a British prisoner of war at Stalag VIIIB. His rank and serial number were as follows: Rifleman Alec Jay, army number 6896204 of the 1st battalion of the 9th London Rgt, Queen Victoria’s Rifles and his POW number was 15129. I have attached a group photo taken in Lamsdorf. My father is the soldier with the moustache on the extreme right as you look at the photo.
He was captured in Calais on 26th May 1940 and was imprisoned at Stalag 344, Lamsdorf from June 1940 to May 1945. He worked in a series of work camps including Groschowitz (Groszowice) from July 1940 to October 1940 on building works, Gumpertsdorf (Komprachcice) from November 1940 to January 1941 on roadworks, Heuerstein, from 25th May 1941 to 3rd June 1941, in a quarry, Setzdorf (Vápenná), from 18th August 1941 to 27 February 1944, in another quarry, Jagerndorf (Strzelniki), from March 1944 to August 1944, on council work, Freudenthal (Bruntál), from August 1944 to September 1944, in a linen factory, and Gurschdorf (Skorošice) from September 1944 to March 1945, a quarry that was also a punishment camp.
He was tortured by the Under Officer in charge of his first working party (Groschowitz/ Groszowice) to find out if he was a Jew. That involved being beaten in the face with a rifle butt, an assault that led to the loss of his teeth. I have used the German names for these places and have put as many Polish or Czech names that I can identify in brackets.
My father told us that he escaped on a number of occasions, typically from working parties and although he did not achieve a 'home run', he was on the run on VE day having fought in the liberation of Prague alongside Czech partisans. At one point, after being recaptured, a German guard ordered him to 'dig his own grave' at the point of a gun and then when he had dug the hole told him to fill it in again.
If anyone has any information that might relate to my late father, I would be most keen to learn of it. |
Private Albert Charles Jeeves . Army Pioneer Corps (d.25th March 1945) During the second World War the Allied and German soldiers, who were killed in Goirle, Noord Brabant, the Netherlands and in the neighbourhood, were buried at the Roman Catholic cemetery from the parish St. Jan in Goirle.
After the war the remains of the German soldiers were reburied in Ysselsteijn (near Venray) and most of the allied soldiers were reburied in Bergen op Zoom (War Cemetery and Canadian War Cemetery) and in Leopoldsburg (Belgium, War Cemetery).
At this moment there are 27 Allied graves in Goirle. Every year we commemorate the victims of World War II, both soldiers and civilians. We know their names, but who were the persons behind the names? What were their lives before they died? Where did they come from? How did they die? Under what circumstances?
It is my intention to give the victims a face, to write and keep the story behind the gravestones because we always will remember the soldier who died for our liberty. We can forget names, but not faces. I will try to write down all their stories for the next generation so they will know who was commemorated.
Maybe someone can help me with Private Albert Charles Jeeves, Pioneer Corps 14271683, who died on the 25th March 1945, age 32.
Send me a letter or an e-mail with additional information, a photograph or a copy of any personal document, which I can use for The Memory Book or a website. Thank you in advance for your help. |
Sergeant Donald Ernest Jeffery . RAF VR 428 Squadron (d.23rd September 1943) I would be glad to get in contact with anyone who may remember the crew of Halifax LK-635 NA-H of 428 squadron, pilot F/O Mcrae. In his crew was Sgt James Wright an great-uncle of my wife. All killed on Ops 22/23 Sept 1943 Hannover Raid.
The crew were: F/O Hector Earl McRae RCAF J/20195, killed age 23 (Runnymede Memorial)
Sgt Donald Ernest Jeffery, RAF VR 1862968, killed (Runnymede Memorial)
Sgt Leonard Cotton, RAF VR 1516171, killed (Runnymede Memorial)
Flt/Sgt Walter Edward Dickson RCAF R/1556913, killed (Runnymede Memorial)
Sgt Arthur Reginald Bohn, RAF VR 1415741, killed (Runnymede Memorial)
Sgt James Wright, RAF VR 1590868, killed (Runnymede Memorial)
Sgt Edward George Miller, RCAF R/183626, killed, age 19 (Runnymede Memorial) |
Sgt. Charles Colin Jeffrey . Royal Air Force w/op 106 Sqd. (d.30th Aug 1944) |
Gerald Jeffrey . Army 9th Btn. D. Coy Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Soon after my 18th birthday I was conscripted into the Army and had to report at Carlisle. Later I was transferred to Ballykinla in Northern Ireland to undergo about 10 weeks training with the Royal Ulster Rifles. On completion I was then posted to Keighley to join the 9th Battalion "Cameronians" (Scottish Rifles), D Company.
As the time drew close to the D-Day landings, we were moved to Hove to be part of the build up to the landings. However, we did not join the actual invasion itself, but arrived on the 17th June 1944 to support and relieve the initial forces. The first on-going battle after the landings was known as "OPERATION EPSOM" which began on 26th June 1944. I think it was said that about 60,000 men took part with an enormous support barrage by the Royal Navy and Royal Artillery.
Our company joined the start line and around 7.00am we moved across a corn field to commence our engagement with the enemy. It wasn't too long before we encountered cross-fire from the Germans in hedges either side. We were each given 3 or 4 hand grenades to lob in trenches that we saw ahead as we progressed. In my next move there was a trench, but not wanting to waste it, I tore past without using the grenade. However there were 3 Germans in it, whereupon I shouted to the men coming up from behind, and the next thing was the Germans had emerged and surrendered.
Our objective at Haut-du-Bosq was reached later that day. En route to Grainville-sur-Odon we had a bitter fight with the enemy, where I witnessed many men shot and wounded together with many falling dead around me. The cause of this was a sniper hiding out in a church. Having had to withdraw from that encounter, we sought to move forward again next morning. I was required to recover the dead body of an officer which was in a farmyard area and could be still under enemy fire. On his recovery to put him alongside other dead people, I saw many men who had suffered death by being charred by flame throwers. Other casualties had horrendous wounds including limbs blown off. After the battle there, we continued towards Grainville-sur Odon and were expecting to be relived for a rest and return to Mensil Patry. However, before that, 10 men were required to go on a night fighting reconnaissance into enemy territory.
Having infiltrated the German lines and being unable to find the enemy, our officer decided to call it a day and return back. At that point we came under attack and fell to the ground instinctively. Our officer, bren gunner and NCO were able to return fire and were able to flee the area. Unknowingly I was unaware I had been hit. With the Germans at the hill-top in the field, their fire towards us was clearly visible from the flashes from their weapons. Being very dark at the time (early hours after midnight) the remaining 7 of us huddled together along the hedgerow. Obviously the Germans knew we were somewhere there, and began scanning for us the other side. It didn't take them long to guess where we were, and began lobbing stick grenades over the hedge. In no time everyone was wounded in one way or another, and one named Allan Strathan Watson No 14515884 was severely wounded by shrapnel and died during that first night of captivity.
We had no hope of returning to our unit and so we decided to surrender, shouting out " Kamerad, Kamerad" we were dragged over the hedge where I collapsed with my injured foot. Immediately a pistol was put to my head by a German whereupon I screamed "Kamerad" at him. Another German spoke to him and he put the pistol away. Taken up to a farm out-building my boot was taken off while I was in great pain and screaming to stop. The bullets had entered my foot and ankle taking the sock and part of the boot as well. After spending 3 days at the front with the Germans they placed me on a pole-seat and took me to the roadway where a kind of jeep took me to be interrogated by a German officer. He insisted I told him the purpose of our patrol, who was on our left and right flanks and which regiments in the area were taking part. For my part I was completely ignorant of the answers, as we really did not know anything, so I was somewhat relieved not to be pressurised into telling him. However, after that I was placed in a field among many Hitler jugend members of the 12th SS Panzer Grenadiers where I was subjected to much verbal abuse.
Later I was placed in an ambulance along with 4 German wounded, but as there was no more stretcher room, I had to crouch at the rear, to suffer agonising pain with my wounded foot. The ambulance set off that night, but en route to its final destination, I was taken out of it and placed in a classroom at a school and left there alone and in pitch darkness. The next day I was taken to Rennes where it seemed a local school was being used as a hospital. I was in the hospital for the remainder of my captivity, not having any treatment whatsoever, save for the Nuns coming in to dress my wound. As the war progressed the American Army was getting nearer to the hospital, for we could hear gunfire in the distance. The Germans threatened us that anyone looking out of the window at the planes would be shot, and anyone able to escape, there would be 10 of us shot for their daring. As a bed patient I was naturally very concerned.
When eventually the American Army over-ran the area, I was taken to their field hospital and had penicillin pumped into me at regular intervals during the night. I was soon taken to Cherbourg to be taken by landing craft and on to "Blighty".
In taking details of everyone wounded and going home the American soldier with his clip-board, shouted out pointing to me, "This is one for the Poiple Heart" ( The Purple Heart was a medal issued to American soldiers for getting wounded). Of course I had to correct him that I was not entitled to it. I arrived back in Weymouth and taken to Winford Hospital near Brisol. Eventually I was discharged from the Army being medically unfit. All this happened between December 1943 until January 1945 and with only 9 months actual military service. I was still only 18 years old to the time I was released as a P.O.W. |
Sergeant J S Jeffrey . RAF 59 Squadron |
Chief Cook Paul Jeffries . Naval Auxiliary Personnel HMS Forfar from Liverpool) (d.2nd Dec 1940) |
Sgt. Donald John "Duncan" Jeffs . Royal Air Force pilot 15 Sqd from Derby) On 18 May 1942, a young airman was thrown out of a Stirling bomber as it crashed into a Danish forest following a one-sided altercation with several anti-aircraft guns and the massive firepower of the battle cruiser Prinz Eugen. The remarkable escape of Sgt Don Jeffs from the wreckage that claimed the lives of his fellow crewmen, and his subsequent incarceration by the Germans in Stalag 8b POW camp
The evening of May 17th 1942 was clear and cloudless, but with no moon to speak of. That was why it had been chosen, less chance of being seen. The nine airmen walked over to the huge aircraft that would shortly be their only friend over enemy skies; a role it had served many times and with distinction. They had just completed their pre-flight briefing, the officers going over the mission details and maps of the target area, the enlisted men smoking and chatting about the forthcoming evening. As usual the crew were well aware of both the target and the outline flight plan before the skipper had briefed them. Such was the way in squadron's all over England in 1942.
The crew climbed aboard using their various entry doors, and quietly and efficiently moved to their assigned takeoff positions. Jokes were exchanged, the recognised method of ignoring what was shortly to come. The second pilot answered an unheard message from the control tower and a few glances were exchanged. The voice was a new one to them, and any change in routine on a mission always caused some concerns for the highly superstitious bomber crews. Flight Lieutenant Neville Booth was a friend of the skipper, and therefore made welcome by the crew, but he had been added at the last minute as an RAF observer for the mission, and no-one liked last minute changes. They often meant trouble.
The two pilots began their pre-flight instrument checks, and the wireless operator Don Jeffs contacted the tower to check his radio. The navigator John Ryan, with the new rookie Ronnie Maycock alongside him, opened his leather case and took out his maps while the gunners Butterworth, Nicholson, and Sharpe, silently prepared the massive machine guns for the evening's mission. All round the aircraft airmen were preparing for their next mission. It was 21.40 hrs as the four massive Hercules engines started up, each producing nearly 1600 horsepower. The vibrations ran the length of the Stirling, call sign LS-F (for Freddie) and through the men inside it's belly. 'Men' was perhaps too easy a term to use given the times they were in. The Skipper, John Hall, who was a veritable twenty-four would have been considered old by the standards of warfare. So many proud young sons had perished long before reaching their twenties.
Squadron Leader John Hall came over the intercom, 'crew get ready for takeoff'. Apart from the co-pilot alongside him, his friend Neville Booth, there were smiles all round from the rest of the established Reply crew. They were already veterans of many flights and had been 'ready' from well before the engines were fired up, but the skipper liked to be thorough which was why he was so liked and admired by the men who flew with him. This was a friendly crew, well used to living in close company both on and off the big bomber. All the crew had long since checked and rechecked their instruments and guns, knowing they would need the former to get where they were going, and in all probability the latter to be able to get home safely. The skipper and his co-pilot ran over the final instrument checks, while Tony Spriggs the engineer confirmed the bomber had all necessary oil and hydraulic pressures. Soon after they received their clearance from the tower, and started their slow approach to the runway.
The pilot lined the aircraft up along the designated strip, its huge engines throbbing with urgency. The two young men in the cockpit looked at each other and gave a simple nod, it was enough. They opened the throttles and W7531 began it's long deliberate lope up the runway at RAF Wyton fifty miles north of London. The huge aircraft gained speed at an impossibly slow rate and inside everything was vibrating and shrieking in protest, but as the Stirling's ground speed increased and Squadron Leader Hall pulled back on his stick, the huge beast lifted it's nose and rose slowly skywards. The fully laden takeoff weight of some 32 tons required maximum thrust from the engines, and vast plumes of black smoke accompanied the roar bellowing from the exhausts as the famous 'MacRobert's Reply' went to war.
The mission that night was to lay 6 tons of 'vegetable' mines in 'Daffodil', the code name for an area off the Norwegian coast called Ørersund. The Stirling was to fly north east to Malmo in Sweden and then reduce altitude to a few hundred feet and fly due west towards the Jutland peninsula of Denmark to commence the bombing run into the Sound. The outward leg went smoothly due to the masterly skills of the Kiwi navigator John 'Buck' Ryan who had joined MacRobert's Reply from the Canadian Royal Air Force. Buck had a trainee navigator with him on that flight, one Sgt Ronnie Maycock later to be known as the 'missing man'. The crew enjoyed the usual in-flight entertainment of local radio stations tuned into the aircraft intercom by the wireless operator Sgt Donald 'Duncan' Jeffs. As they neared the enemy coastline Sgt Jeffs cut the radio transmissions and they maintained radio silence to reduce the possibility of detection. As they flew over Malmo they received the customary burst of blank anti-aircraft fire, accompanied by the crossed searchlights indicating their target destination. For a neutral country, Sweden always made sure the allied bombers received as much assistance as possible. As they began to turn southwest, Squadron Leader Hall pushed the stick forward and reduced speed to commence the bomb run.
RAF intelligence had indicated that the only hazards were the batteries on the Danish coast, but the MacRobert's Reply and it's gallant company intended to be flying back home well before that. However, as they descended to 200 feet and prepared to open the bomb bay doors, the roar of heavy guns and the piercing crash of shrapnel exploding beside the aircraft shattered the peaceful evening. The intelligence report, while correct about the shore batteries, had omitted to include the huge cruiser 'Prince Eugen' working its way up the Great Belt in the Sound and now using its anti-aircraft guns at an impossibly large target just 200 feet off the water's surface. The plane shuddered as the port engine took a direct hit and burst into flames. 'Skipper the port engines on fire' echoed several of the crew together, but Squadron Leader Hall was having his own problems trying to gain steerage and altitude. As the aircraft somehow continued to defy the laws of gravity, it remained fixed on a westerly heading - towards the Danish islands. The crew were desperately trying to jettison the six tons of sea mines but the control mechanism for the bay doors had been damaged by the shelling and refused to play it's part as the huge bomber struggled to stay in the air. 'Skipper, were coming up to Funnen, watch out for the Little Belt bridge up ahead; we must try to go round' shouted Don Jeffs as he surveyed the coastline through the huge fire streaking past the window next to his wireless operator's chair on the port side. 'Yeah Duncan I know, but I've no controls' the skipper responded 'I'm going to try to get to the North Sea so we can ditch her if we need to'.
Immediately after the verbal exchange the anti-aircraft batteries on the bridge saw the huge target lit up by the fires and lumbering toward them. As the spotlights picked up W7531 and the crew saw the shadows reflecting from the intense glare in the windows, and unnatural silence sat heavily in the plane as their destiny began to take shape. The first barrage of 20mm shells from the guns on the bridge found it's mark and the MacRobert's Reply is hit again and again. The plane turned violently to starboard and dived earthwards, her gallant fight for survival all but over. As the huge aircraft descends it ploughs through the spruce tress of the Mathilde plantation and crashes with a colossal explosion that tears a massive rock from the ground and lays waste to over an acre of prime forest. At 02.10am on the morning of 18 May 1942, the crew of the MacRobert's Reply proudly, and with honour, fly their last mission in W7531 LS-F (for Freddie).
The German military arrived at the crash scene at 02.30hrs and quickly enlisted the 'help' of the local fire service that had already arrived at the site under the supervision of the Chief Fire Officer Jensen. C/O Jensen organised his teams into two parties. The first would fight the fire raging around the wreckage and threatening the surrounding forest. The second 'Falck' (salvage) team would find anything at the crash scene that could identify the plane and its crew, and would remove the bodies for later burial. The first fire crew fought the fire for two hours before the salvage crew were ready to move in. Immediately the local residents formed a human blockade to prevent the Germans from moving onto the crash site; a galant gesture of defiance and tribute to the fallen allies. A standoff ensued for many tense minutes. The German commanding officer ordered weapons to be readied and issued instructions for the locals to depart otherwise they would be shot. Reluctantly they were forced to retreat, but one man still refused and was taken into custody, later to spend the rest of the war in a prison camp for his defiance.
The Germans knew the plane downed was a Stirling and their salvage crew had collected a total of 7 'dog tags' from the remains of the young allied airmen. It was well known that a Stirling's usual compliment was seven, so once the tags were found it was naturally assumed all the crew had been accounted for. One of the first people at the crash site had been a local man, Willy Schmidt, with a couple of colleagues. Realising that the Germans would arrive quickly he conducted a simple search for bodies, braving the severe flames and continuing explosions of the mines. Willy spotted a crew member some distance from the main wreckage, obviously thrown just beyond the centre of the inferno, but still badly burned. As he approached he heard a cry, and at that moment the burning body opened it's mouth to try and speak. Sgt Jeffs was blind, scarred with burns, and with multiple injuries, but he was alive....
Several days after the crash, and when the Germans had left the site, the local residents returned to honour the airmen who had given their lives for the liberation of the occupied countries of Europe. Seeing the huge rock gauged out of the ground by the crashed aircraft, they banded together to roll the massive granite stone back to the place it had originated from, on the edge of the crater formed during the crash, before the Germans had moved it aside. Simple winter flowers and foliage were laid on the stone as a memorial that day. It stands in that same spot to this day, still standing guardian over the crater, and is still the focus of a memorial service in May every year. The people of Denmark will never forget the sacrifice of those brave airmen.
Back in 1942, Willy and his friends took a badly injured Don Jeffs down from the crash site to the edge of the forest, by way of a drainage ditch which runs towards what is now a popular tourist beach at Gals Klint. The ditch is still there. From there he is taken to the nearby Adler Hotel where Danish Resistance members are summoned to help. To avoid capture by the Germans, Don is kept in the loft of a large shed adjoining the Adler.
The crew were:
- F/O Ryan
- S/L J.C.Hall DFC MiD
- F/L N.G.R.Booth
- Sgt A.Spriggs
- F/O J.P.Ryan RCAF
- Sgt R.Maycock
- Sgt J.B.Butterworth
- Sgt F.L.Sharp
- Sgt R.Nicholson
- Sgt D.J.Jeffs, the only survivor was taken PoW and held in Stalag 8b.
Update: F/L Booth was a not a member of 15 Sqdn. It was said that he had been visiting Wyton and, on impulse, had asked to join the crew. But, Sgt Jeff's son tells us that F/Lt Booth was assigned to W7531 for that flight, not as a guest on impulse, but as an official observer of the new GEE Radar System. The rest of the crew were forbidden to talk about this late entry. |
Flight Lieutenant F L Jenkin . RAF VR 59 Squadron |
Dai Jenkins . British Army Royal Welch Fusiliers |
Gwyn "Snowy" Jenkins . Royal Air Force flt eng. 158 Sqd. My father, who is the last surviving member of A.G. "Pop" Salter's crew was based at Lisset from June 1944 until the Squadron moved to Stradishall and exchanged their Halifaxes for Stirlings and changed destinations from Fortress Europe to India. Dad flew 36 operations, 16 of them as "spare" Flight Engineer as Pop Salter "only" had to do 20 ops to complete his second tour. If anybody remembers my father or any of the others in Pop Salters crew please send me an email. |
Pilot Officer I B Jenkins . RAF 59 Squadron |
Mjr. L. R. G. Jenkins MC.. Home Guard A Coy. Workington Btn. |
F/S E. W. Jenner . Royal Air Force 514 Sqd. (d.30th Jul 1944) F/S Jenner was lost without trace over the English Channel on the 30th of July 1944 when his Lancaster failed to return to Waterbeach after a raid on Caen.
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Able Seaman Robert Harry Jennings . Royal Navy HMS Forfar from Kilburn, Middlesex) (d.2nd Dec 1940) |
2nd Lt. C. N. Jenson . British Army 1st Btn. Welsh Guards |
Michael Jepson . HMS Scylla was one of the Dido Class of light cruisers built at Scotts’ shipyard on the River Clyde and commissioned in 1942; her displacement was about 5250 tons. There were originally nine ships of the Dido Class and they were designed to carry ten 5.25 inch guns. However, supplies of these guns were getting short when Scylla (and her sister ship Charybdis) were being built and also the need for effective anti-aircraft fire was vital, and so these ships were armoured with eight 4.5 inch high angle quick firing guns. Being fitted with these smaller guns the two ships got the nickname ‘the toothless terrors!’ – however, German aircraft soon found out that they had good teeth!
Soon after she was commissioned, Scylla took part in her first Russian Convoy (PQ 18) to Murmansk and back (QP)15, during which Rear Admiral Robert Burnett (whom we knew as ‘bold, bad Bob Burnett!) flew his flag in her. Following that, Scylla took part in the Allied landings in North Africa (Operation Torch): on her way home from the Mediterranean she sank a German merchant ship – a blockade runner. Back in the UK she first moored in the River Tyne (where I joined her) and then back to Scapa Flow. She then set off on her second Russian Convoy to Murmansk (JW53) and back (RA53) to Scapa. (Identification of Russian Convoys had been changed from PQ & QP to JW & RA).
Soon after our return to Scapa, King George VI came to inspect the fleet. He inspected Scylla and then we had the honour of taking him back to the mainland at Scrabster.
In early May 1943, we sailed to the River Clyde where we joined the escorting force for RMS Queen Mary on the first leg of her journey across the Atlantic carrying Mr Churchill to meetings with Mr Roosevelt, president of the USA. Scylla’s next assignment was the escorting of convoys of merchant ships from Plymouth to Gibraltar and back. These convoys were much pleasanter than the Russian ones, but there were always plenty of attacks from German aircraft when crossing the Bay of Biscay.
In September, before we joined our sister ship Charybdis and came under the command of Rear Admiral Sir Philip Vian (flying his flag in HMS Euryalus) to protect the aircraft carriers providing air cover for the troops landing at Salerno, we put into Algiers, where all our guns, which had been almost worn out after the many shells we had fired, were re-barrelled.
Those who remember the ancient Greek legends are always fascinated by the fact that, on the way to Salerno, Scylla and Charybdis sailed together through the Straits of Messina on the night that Italy surrendered.
While at Salerno, Scylla was ordered to make a dash at full speed to North Africa to pick up as many additional troops as possible and bring them back to reinforce the landings. Shortly after this, and, we thought, as a result of the strain of this high speed trip and of the many near misses from German bombs, one of the main propulsion turbines in the Forward Engine Room was found to have cracked mountings. There was great excitement on board and everyone wanted to come down and inspect the damaged turbine – they realized that we would have to return home for repairs! We did not waste our trip home but took our last convoy back to Plymouth, at the same time giving passage to quite a few Army personnel.
After we got back, we set off for Chatham and there went into dry dock, where we had a major refit. Not only all our repairs carried out, but we had masses of new equipment fitted which was to prepare us for being Rear Admiral Sir Philip Vian’s flagship at the D-Day landings. We were docked in Chatham from October 1943 till February 1944, after which we returned to Scapa to work up again to a high standard of fighting efficiency, and to test all our new equipment. At the end of April we sailed south again and were based at Portsmouth, where we spent the next month going on exercises with other ships and with the Army and the RAF, practicing for landings on enemy beaches.
On 5th June we set off for the Normandy beaches, and our time was taken up with, first of all, bombarding, then patrolling off the Gold, Juno and Sword beaches until, on the night of 23rd June (or D+17) we were mined. The damage was such that we could no longer move under our own steam so were towed back to Portsmouth and, a few days later, towed to Chatham. It was decided that there was no point in carrying out the extensive repairs needed and, in July 1944, HMS Scylla was de-commissioned and later broken up. |
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