209287 L.Sea. Donald James "Phil" Philpott Royal Navy HMS Warspite from:Woolsington My father, Donald James Philpott, was a boy entrant in the mid 1930's and joined the training establishment HMS Ganges. He served on HMS Warspite for the duration of the Second World War. His primary duties involved manning the Pom Pom guns. Like many veterans my father said little about his wartime service other than his affection and regard for the Old Lady, as he called Warspite.
However, in his latter years, when it was clear that I was forming an increasing interest in Naval history, a few nuggets emerged.
He often mentioned the damage incurred by Warspite at Jutland which, he felt, was never effectively repaired, and thus resulted in the ship "never steering in a straight line". In fact, and I quote, "She could be a bugger to steer". Also, after holidaying in Crete, I gave him a book of an account of the Battle of Crete. It mentioned HMS Warspite receiving a direct hit on one of the pom pom's from a Stuka. Dad said that immediately prior to the hit he had to deliver a message to the bridge, and on returning to his station found the guns, and some of the crew had been "blown to bits".
My father firmly believed that his beloved ship had a soul and that she ran herself aground rather than suffer the indignity of the "Knackers Yard".
He went to Cornwall to see her aground and, on establishing with the workmen that he was a Warspite veteran, was taken over to the wreck for a final look and to pay his respects. We had an ashtray made from the teak of HMS Warspite
and it remains in the family to this day.
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