M.T.E ROSYTH from 8TH NOVEMBER 1939 – 25TH JUNE 1943
Above are pictures of my passing out dinner menu with signatures of mates and my pass certificate. Note the grand meal for the time during WW2
I Joined Naval base VICTORY (Portsmouth Docks) 26TH JUNE 1943 – 9TH AUGUST 1943
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH
Details of My First Active Duty
August 14th Sailed from Portsmouth for Plymouth.
28th Sailed from Plymouth for Scapa Flow.
29th Off the Firth of Clyde she was joined by the Destroyers HMCS HURON and HMS SCORPION.
30th At 1400 hours arrived at Scapa
Flow to work-up with ships of Home Fleet and for radar
equipment trials.
October to November
At Scapa Flow carrying out working up exercises
.
December Deployed at Scapa Flow.
30th Sailed from Scapa Flow with HM Battleship VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM
Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and UNICORN screened by HM Frigates of EG3,
BERRY, BLACKWOOD, COOKE, DOMETT, DUCKWORTH, ESSINGTON and HM
Destroyer TUSCAN. En route TUSCAN detached for the Clyde with weather damage.
West of Ireland HM Destroyers KEMPENFELT and TENACIOUS joined the screen.
1 9 4 4
January
7th Arrived at Gibraltar to refuel.
12th Arrived at Alexandria.
14th Sailed from Alexandria with HM Battleship VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM
Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and UNICORN screened by HM Destroyers PETARD,
PALADIN, PATHFINDER and ROCKET.
19th Arrived at Aden.
22nd Sailed from Aden with HM Battleship VALIANT, HM Battlecruiser RENOWN, HM
Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and UNICORN screened by HM Destroyers PETARD,
PALADIN, PATHFINDER, RACEHORSE, RAPID, ROCKET, ROEBUCK,
ROTHERHAM and HMAS NAPIER, NIZAM and NORMAN.
28th Arrived at Trincomalee and joined Eastern Fleet.
February Deployed with Eastern Fleet and carried out exercises in preparation for planned
operations.
(For details of naval activities in Indian Ocean by Eastern Fleet see THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET, by J Winton, Operation PACIFIC by E Gray and WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
March 21st Sailed from Trincomalee as part of the Eastern Fleet in company with HM Battlecruiser
RENOWN, HM Aircraft Carrier ILLUSTRIOUS, HM Cruisers LONDON, HMNZS
GAMBIA, CEYLON and CUMBERLAND screened by HM Destroyers PATHFINDER,
NEPAL, QUILLIAM, HMAS NAPIER, HMAS NORMAN, and Dutch HNethMS TJERK
HIDDES and VAN GALEN on Operation DIPLOMAT. (Operation DIPLOMAT was to
practice operational procedures, such as replenishment at sea, and co-operation with USN
vessels in preparation for the formation of a British Pacific Fleet)
22nd South of Ceylon HM Battleship VALIANT and HM Destroyers HMAS QUALITY,
QUEENBOROUGH and QUIBERON joined, having sailed from Colombo on the 21st.
24th 850 miles South of Ceylon the Eastern Fleet replenished from three tankers escorted by the
Dutch Cruiser HNethMS TROMP.
27th The Eastern Fleet RV’ed with US Task Group 58 comprising the US Aircraft Carrier USS
SARATOGA escorted by US destroyers USS FANNING, DUNLAP and CUMMINGS on
passage in Indian Ocean for loan service with Eastern Fleet. Two days of joint exercises then
commenced, during which air crew from the SARATOGA gave the FAA pilots the benefit of
their combat experience against the Japanese, before the combined force returned to
Trincomalee.
April Deployed as Flagship, Eastern Fleet.
2nd Eastern Fleet arrived back at Trincomalee with US Navy ships.
16th Sailed from Trincomalee as part of Force 69 in company with HMS VALIANT, French
Battleship FS RICHELIEU, HM Cruisers NEWCASTLE, NIGERIA, CEYLON, HMNZS
GAMBIA and Dutch HNethMS TROMP screened by HM Destroyers PENN, PETARD,
ROTHERHAM, RACEHORSE, NEPAL, and HMAS NAPIER, NIZAM and QUIBERON
and Dutch HNethMS VAN GALEN. Force 69 was deployed to provide cover for an air attack
Sabang, northern Sumatra with provided screen. (Operation COCKPIT).
(Note: Attacks were to be carried out by aircraft from HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS
SARATOGA deployed as Force 70. HMS RENOWN, HMS LONDON
HM Destroyers HMAS QUILLIAM, QUEENBOROUGH and QUADRANT and US Destroyers
CUMMINGS, DUNLAP and FANNING were deployed as screen for Force 70.)
18th HMS CEYLON and HMNZS GAMBIA detached to provide additional AA defence for
Force 70 during air operations.
19th 0530 hours 100 miles from Sabang the Carriers of Force 70 launched an air attack against
the port and oil installations at Sabang. During the air operations, Force 69 provided cover.
22nd The fleet arrived back at Trincomalee.
May Deployed as Flagship, Eastern Fleet
6th Sailed from Trincomalee as part of Force 65 in company with HMS VALIANT, HMS
RENOWN, FS RICHELIEU, Cruisers HMS KENYA, HNethMS TROMP screened by HM
Destroyers RACEHORSE, ROTHERHAM and HMAS NAPIER, NEPAL, QUALITY,
QUIBERON and QUICKMATCH. Deployed to provide cover for Force 66.
Force 66 were to carry out joint air attacks on Soerabaya, (now Surabaya), Java (Operation
TRANSOM).
Force 66 sailed at the same time and comprised HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and USS
SARATOGA, HMNZ GAMBIA, HMS CEYLON, screened by HM Destroyers QUILLIAM,
QUEENBOROUGH and QUADRANT and USS DUNLAP, CUMMINGS and FANNING.
15th Refuelled in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia from Force 67, which comprised, 7 RFA’s, 6
oil tankers and a water tanker RFA, screened by HMS LONDON and HMS SUFFOLK.
17th Air strike carried out against Soerabaya by air units of Force 66. Force 65 provided cover
during the attack.
(Note: RN and US submarines were deployed to carry out patrols to give warning of any
enemy attempt to interfere with operations by surface or submarine attack. Air Sea
Rescue requirements were covered by US submarines near Soerabaya.)
18th Refuelled in Exmouth Gulf, following which USS SARATOGA, FANNING, DUNLAP and
CUMMINGS detached for Pearl Harbour.
27th Arrived back at Trincomalee with RN ships. Fuel remaining on return was less than 20%.
June Deployed at Trincomalee.
10th Sailed from Trincomalee as part of Force 68 in company with HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and HM
Escort Aircraft Carrier ATHELING screened by HM Cruisers CEYLON, PHOEBE and
HMNZS GAMBIA and five destroyers with HM Submarine SURF on operation
COUNCILLOR. (Note: This was a diversionary operation in the form of a feint air strike on
Sabang to distract Japanese attention from the US Marianas landings)
12th Operation COUNCILLOR carried out.
14th Arrived back at Trincomalee.
July
22nd Sailed from Trincomalee Joined HMS VALIANT, HMS RENOWN, French Battleship
RICHELIEU, HM Aircraft Carriers ILLUSTRIOUS and VICTORIOUS, HM Cruisers
NIGERIA, HMNZS GAMBIA, KENYA, CEYLON, CUMBERLAND, PHOEBE and Dutch
HNethMS TROMP as Force 62 screened by HM Destroyers RELENTLESS, ROTHERHAM,
RACEHORSE, RAIDER, ROEBUCK, ROCKET, RAPID and HMAS QUILLIAM,
QUALITY and QUICKMATCH to provide cover during air operations by the two carriers
at Sabang, Sumatra and then carry out bombardment of shore targets. (Operation CRIMSON)
24th Remained with Force 62 ships when HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and HMS VICTORIOUS
detached with HMS PHOEBE, HMS ROEBUCK and HMS RAIDER to take passage to the
carrier operational area. HM Submarines TANTALUS and TEMPLAR were employed on Air
Sea Rescue duties.
25th On completion of air operations carried out bombardment of Sabang with HMS VALIANT,
HMS RENOWN, RICHELIEU, cruisers and destroyers.
29th Deployed at Trincomalee.
August Deployment at Trincomalee as Fleet Flagship in continuation.
At the end of August the USAAF carried out a series of B 29 air attacks on targets in NW
Sumatra. (Operation BOOMERANG).
Deployed in company with HM Cruisers CEYLON and KENYA and HM Destroyers
RACEHORSE, RAPID, RELENTLESS, ROCKET and ROTHERHAM to carry out Air-Sea
Rescue duties in the Indian Ocean during US air raids.
September Nominated for refit in Durban and took passage.
October 6th Taken in hand for refit
November 17th Carried out post refit trials when work completed
On completion prepared for return passage to Trincomalee.
December Passage in Indian Ocean to Ceylon to rejoin the East Indies Fleet.
(Note: The Eastern Fleet was renamed in November 1944)
On arrival became Flagship of 3rd Battle Squadron.
(Note: Other ship in Squadron was HMS RENOWN.
HMS VALIANT had been withdrawn from Eastern Fleet in August 1944
after being damaged in floating dock which had collapsed.)
1 9 4 5
January Deployed at Trincomalee and prepared for support of planned landings on Ramree
Island off coast of Burma (Operation MATADOR)
(Note: Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia, Admiral Mountbatten was
to be embarked to witness this operation.)
18th Sailed from Trincomalee with the Supreme Commander embarked, screened by
HM Destroyers NORMAN and PATHFINDER for passage to Ramree Island. En route she
caught up with HM Escort Carrier AMEER escorted by HM Destroyer RAIDER which had
sailed earlier from Trincomalee. The two forces joined and continued towards Ramree
Island.
20th The Force was joined by HM Sloop REDPOLE and HM Frigate SPEY.
21st In the early hours off Ramree Island she was joined by HM Cruiser PHOEBE, and screened
by REDPOLE and SPEY, they moved into a bombarding position. One hour before the
landing of troops from the 71st Brigade of the 26th Indian Division they commenced a
bombardment of the northern tip of Ramree Island. Hellcats from AMEER provided CAP
and carried out fall-of-shot spotting.
25th Deployed at Trincomalee
Ship History: A QUEEN ELIZABETH CLASS battleship ordered from HM Dockyard Portsmouth in June 1912 and laid down on 21st October that year. The ship was launched on 16th October 1913 as the first RN warship to carry this name. Her Badge reflects the particular association with the Royal Family. Build was completed on 22 December 1914 and she was deployed in the Mediterranean. Her distinctive service during WW1 included participation in the Dardanelles campaign and the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in 1918 when the terms of surrender were given to Admiral Von Reuter on board. In 1937 she was selected for an extended modernisation which began in August that year and was not completed until 1939. Her WW2 service was particularly well known as she was seriously damaged at Alexandria after explosive charges had been placed on her hull in an attack by two man human torpedoes in December 1941. She then had an extensive period under repair and refit in a US Navy Dockyard Norfolk, Va before resuming Fleet service in the East Indies Fleet. She took part in many offensive operations against the Japanese bases in the Indian Ocean and in support of landing operations in Burma before return to UK before VJ Day. After brief service in the Home Fleet she was placed in Reserve at Portsmouth during 1946 and sold for demolition two years later. In March 1942 this ship was adopted by The Baltic Exchange, London after a WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign.
HMS CARADOC
29th February 1945
1st October 1945
October Prepared for return passage.
15th Sailed from Colombo for paying-off.
November Called at Aden.
17th Took passage for Devonport from Gibraltar after call in Malta.
25th At Devonport and Paid-off.
Ship History:CALEDON-Class Cruiser ordered from Scotts of Greenock on 8th December 1915 and laid down on 21st February 1916. She was launched on 23rd December that year as the second Royal Navy ship to carry this name, first used in 1847 for an Iron Paddle Gunboat and was the English name for Caractacus, a knight of the Round Table. Build was completed on 16th June 1917. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942 she was adopted by the civil community of the City of Chester.
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS CARADOC was transferred to Dartmouth after being accepted into Reserve. The ship was placed on the Disposal List in February 1946 and sold to BISCO for breaking-up by TW Ward at Briton Ferry the next month. She arrived at the breaker’s yard in tow on 4th April 1946 for demolition.
HMS SAVAGE
30th July 1946
30TH July 1946
HMS SAVAGE was used as a Gunnery Firing Ship at Portsmouth after September 1945 and reduced to Reserve status at Chatham in 1948
Ship History: SAVAGE-Class
Destroyer
ordered on 9th January 1941 from Hawthorn Leslie of Newcastle with
5th Emergency Flotilla. The ship was laid down on 7th December 1941 and
launched on 24th September 1942 and was the seventh ship to bear this
name
previously used in 1910. Her main armament differed from the other ships
of
this Class and comprised a twin 4.5in and 2 single 4.5in mountings that
were prototypes for fitting in future Fleet destroyers. Following a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign held in March 1942 she
was adopted by
the civil community of Buxton
For More Info on HMS SAVAGE goto http://www.angelfire.com/ab5/hmssavage/HMS_Savage.html
HMS ZEPHYR
3rd June 1947
1 9 4 7
January Deployed in Home waters with Flotilla and took part in Fleet Exercise and visits
to March programme.
April Under repair by HM Dockyard Chatham.
to June
July Transferred to Portsmouth Flotilla as Tender to HMS EXCELLENT for Gunnery
Trials and Training duties.
August Portsmouth trials duties in continuation.
to December
1 9 4 8
January Portsmouth trials duties in continuation.
February Transferred to 3rd Escort Flotilla based at Portland.
March Deployed at Portland for anti-submarine training and general duties in
to December Channel area.
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to D19
1 9 4 9
January 3rd Escort Flotilla deployment in continuation.
February Transferred to 2nd Training Flotilla and deployed at Portland as Leader
with HM Destroyers ZEST and ZODIAC, HM Corvettes HELMSDALE CASTLE,
FLINT CASTLE, HEDINGHAM CASTLE, LEEDS CASTLE, OAKHAM CASTLE
and TINTAGEL CASTLE for anti-submarine training and trials.
March Deployment at Portland with 2nd Training Flotilla in continuation.
to December
Ship History:Z-Class Destroyer ordered from Vickers-Armstrong at Barrow under the Emergency War Programme On 12th February 1942 with HMS MYNGS for the 10th Emergency Flotilla. The ship was laid down on 13th July 1942 and launched on 15th July 1943 as the ninth Royal Navy ship to bear the name, introduced in 1757 when the when the Sloop MARTIN captured by the French off Brest a year earlier was renamed. This Sloop was again taken by the French in 1788 and was again recaptured but burnt in the action. It was last used for a 310 ton Torpedo Boat destroyer built by Hanna Donald and Wilson at Paisley in 1895 which was scrapped at Rainham in 1920. Build was completed on 6th September 1944 This destroyer replaced HM Destroyer LIGHTNING which was torpedoed and sunk by an Italian MTB in the Mediterranean in March 1943, and had been adopted by the civil community of Doncaster after a WARSHIP WEEK in 1942.
