Mediterranean and European waters

The Journey of War

Geoff remembers swimming between 7.30pm - 12.00am before he was picked up by HMS Kingston which was a K...

HMS Barham - Scapa Flow: August 27th, 1940

Before joining Vice Admiral Somerville's “H” Force in the Western Mediterranean in late...

Mr. Boocock - My Time in Malta

It was 800 miles from Gibraltar to Malta and too far for fully armed Spitfires to fly, so 40 Spitfires had...

For Our Tomorrow

I was called up in May 1943,after initial training at Brecon I was transferred to the Royal Welch...

Driver Jack Couzens' story part 2

I found myself all alone on the boat and saw hundreds of men in the water struggling I saw one lifeboat...

From Farmer to Submariner

Jim then volunteered for submarines and transferred to Plymouth to join HMS Shalamar. This sub was then...

War Time Memories in Stanley by Tom Stennett

As a Royal Fleet reservist, my father was called up in August 1939 and joined the leading destroyer...

H.M.S. Hambledon (L37)

The water had been poisoned and Hambledon escorted the water tanker to Palermo in Sicily for fresh water...

D Day from the Engine Room of HMS Glenroy

We reached Stranraer then a ferry to Larne where we met up with the Glenroy on St Patrick's day 1944....

HMS Zulu at Tobruk

On the 17 June 1942, he was assigned to HMS Zulu based at Gibraltar. The date of the Certificate for Wounds...

R.A.F. AIR SEA RESCUE

I distinctly remember going to Skegness railway station, on a platform that is now non existent, with my...

Life in the Mediterranean Summer 1944: Onboard HMS Copra

Life in the Mediterranean Summer 1944: Onboard HMS Copra...

Life After..... Tail End Charlie

Ted Power has written a book — waiting to be published at the moment — about his experiences...

HMS Boreas and HMS Sphinx

The Sphinx had been taken in tow by HMS Skipjack and on arrival the Boreas and Brazen undertook a/s...

Fred Bailey-From Teacher to Mine Sweeper.

Fred Bailey-From Teacher to Mine Sweeper. From Teacher to Mine Sweeper....

Lancashire to Washington DC part 2

3.00 a.m. 800 RAF and Army personnel aboard for Malta. From the commencement of this day I was part of the...

Landing a Lancaster at Sea

I saw some water ahead, which I recognised as the Bay of Biscay, and so we set off low over the sea....

MTB753 by Leslie J. Sprigg, Ex Leading Telegraphist

115’ long with 21’ beam and crew of about 33 she carried 2 x 6 pounders, 2 twin .5 and 2 twin...

Lancashire to Washington DC part 3

Tom's ship was a small ammunition supply vessel stationed out in the harbour, he came ashore by rowing...

My Service as a Minesweeper

We then sailed to Taranto in Italy from where we sailed to most of the ports in the Adriatic —...

My Dad's Story written by my Mum: Royal Navy Seaman

Near Gibraltar, he was torpedoed and the ship sunk and the survivors were picked up by a Dutch destroyer...

Walking Back Across The Sea

The training was conducted in various locations and Lcpl Alex McVeigh was the driver/pilot of the royal...

EYE WITNESS ON FIREDRAKE, MALTA CONVOY- OPERATION SUBSTANCE

The ships, which formed the force on this occasion, consisted of seven destroyers, three of the F class,...

Going overseas

Troop Ship We Travelled to Liverpool in the usual overcrowded troop train after an overnight journey of...

There Are No Good Memories In War

During these years at sea we fought all the way up through Italy, and then back down to Malta. Many boats...

World War Two Story 'H.M.S. Cleveland

My eldest brother Jack was on the North African coast and somehow got a rapio message to my ship to wish me...