My father was in the Naval Reserves and was called up on day 1. He was a Telegraphist who served in the Atlantic, North Sea, Russian Convoys and Mediterranean. He also served ashore during the Norwegian evacuation.
His was an equal opportunity war. He was sunk by the RN. His ship - HMS Breda - was engaged in night manouevres on the night of 17/18 Feb 1944 with an RN Submarine - HMSM Proteus - which collided with the ship. Result Sub 1 - Ship 0. Despite the navigation errors by the submarine, the Enquiry found the Ships CO and Naval Officer In Command Campbeltown, responsible for failing "to obtain and keep immediately available all possible pumps". But since it was also held that the water entering the ship was "outside the range of any normal pump suction", no censure on the Officers was called for.
He was also sunk by the RAF during a North Sea Convoy. Mistaken Identity. And to balance things up, the Kriegsmarine made a successful attempt.
He served for a time on a Royal Netherlands Navy ship. The RN required that, to avoid any coercion arising from the RNLN sailors having relatives under the thumb of the Germans, an RN officer and RN telegraphists served on RNLN ships.
And then he spent a spell on board Fleet Tender C, one of the so-called Winston's Wonders. It was a merchant ship, altered to look like HMS Hermes. Her role was simple - attract attention from the Luftwaffe and German submarines diverting it from the real Hermes. Her (anti aircraft ) guns were all wooden, but to give an impression of return fire, valves and burning oil soaked rags made it appear that in the event of an attack the (wooden) guns were blazing away.
The other ships in this Fleet were Fleet Tenders A and B - the dummy HMS Resolution and HMS Revenge respectively, both replicas of the original battleships. Although smaller than the originals, all were convincing enough at distance to fool those even who had served on the original ships.
Not only unarmed, with the added weight from the conversions, none of the Dummy fleet ships now had enough power to keep up with convoys, and with the extra top weight and height they caught any wind going. This made them a bit of a problem when in company with other ships. They were not even safe at anchor as their anchors and winches could not hold the extra load. One stormy night in Scapa Flow they dragged their anchors and averted collisions "by inches" as they were driven by the wind amongst the rest of the Fleet.
After some time, the Commodore of the three ship Dummy Fleet persuaded the Admiralty that serving on these targets was a hazardous duty and the crews were entitled to a daily pay supplement - two shillings a day. The Admiralty even made the payments retrospective.
Like so many, he said very little about his experiences. However, I have been able to piece together some understanding of his war from my mother; some letters; and in respect of HMS Breda, the Board of Enquiry papers following the sinking, and for Fleet Tender C the book The Phantom Fleet, to which the RN Historical Branch referred him when he asked for details of her end.
Fleet Tender C was lost on her way to Chatham to be reconverted to Merchant use, and for this journey she was fitted with a single Lewis Gun for self defence. In E Boat Alley, at night, and having been unable to keep up with the rest of the convoy, she struck a wreck.
Stuck fast and making water, she was then hit by three torpedoes launched by E Boats leaving her superstructure and flight deck only above water. Considered to be a hiding place for ambushing E Boats, she was bombed into destruction by a Canadian Squadron from Coastal Command. As he said in a letter to the RN Historical Branch, she was awkward to the end.
when he went into the RAF. Served in Germany guarding POW's for 18 months. ("Never fired a rifle son, but shot a few of the local lasses " he once said with a glint in his eye.)
