I was sent this photo recently by an Australian Archaeologist researching LCTs in Crete. It is a rare picture of a Mk1 LCT and appears to have been taken in Souda (Suda) Bay during the evacuation of Greece in May 1941. Can anyone suggest the name of the ship in the background? It appears to be a cruiser and the LCT may be disembarking troops carried from Greece on the cruiser.
Hi Andreas, thanks for that. It certainly looks similar to a Dido class but it can't be Bonaventure. Evacuation of Greece was towards the end of April 1941 and Bonaventure was sunk on 31st March 41. Now to look up the rest of the Dido class in Med operations.
By the power of Wiki it would appear the best candidate of the Dido class cruisers would be HMS Phoebe: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Phoebe_(43) Many of the other Dido class were commissioned after the evacuation of Greece.
Ah, sorry, missed the evacuation bit. Could be HMS Naiad as well? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Naiad_(93) All the best Andreas
Service record of HMS Phoebe: HMS Phoebe, British AA cruiser From 1941: April 23rd Detached with HMS CALCUTTA, HM Destroyers VOYAGER and STUART (RAN) for escort of Convoy AG13 to coast of Greece to begin evacuation of allied troops. To be based at Suda Bay during evacuation. From HMS Calcutta's service record in April 1941: HMS Calcutta, British light cruiser, WW2 [FONT="]24th Based at [/FONT][FONT="]Suda Bay with HM Cruisers ORION, AJAX, PHOEBE, PERTH,[/FONT][FONT="]COVENTRY and CARLISLE[/FONT][FONT="] for evacuation of allied troops.[/FONT] [FONT="] Deployed with HM Destroyers STUART (RAN), VOYAGER (RAN), HM Corvettes[/FONT] [FONT="] HYACINTH and[/FONT][FONT="] SALVIA to escort three ships in Convoy AG13 to evacuate troops from[/FONT] [FONT="] Raftia andNauphlia.[/FONT] [FONT="] Took passage to [/FONT][FONT="]Suda Bay to disembark passengers.[/FONT] [FONT="] 26th Joined HMS ORION, HMS PHOEBE and HM Destroyer DEFENDER off Nauphlia with[/FONT] [FONT="] HMS[/FONT][FONT="] DIAMOND, HMS STUART (RAN) and HMS GRIFFIN off to continue evacuation[/FONT] [FONT="] 27th Returned to [/FONT][FONT="]Suda Bay.[/FONT] [FONT="] Escorted Convoy GA14 taking troops to [/FONT][FONT="]Alexandria.[/FONT]
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/38296.pdf Despatch Battle of Crete 1941 Admiral Cunningham.
Excellent, thanks very much chaps. Whilst Phoebe appears to be favourite Dido and Naiad, both Dido class, were in the area so without a definate date for the picture we probably can't be certain. I am hoping for a bit more information about the picture and will advise if anything useful turns up.
Mike, Just a longshot. PM Cally, he may just have photographs of the cruisers and you can compare the camouflage pattern as I think that they may have differed slightly. Worth a try. Regards and good luck. Tom
Excellent, thanks very much chaps. Whilst Phoebe appears to be favourite Dido and Naiad, both Dido class, were in the area so without a definate date for the picture we probably can't be certain. I am hoping for a bit more information about the picture and will advise if anything useful turns up. I looked up Dido's and Naiad's movements on Naval History Net, and I would now also tip Phoebe. All the best Andreas
AFAIK HMS Dido lacked Q turret while HMS Naiad and HMS Bonaventure lacked X turret as initially complerted. I have a photo of HMS Phoebe on 16/7/1943 showing her uncamouflaged and with apparently all 5 turrets,though after her repairs in New York she is shown missing both "A" and "Q". The ship in the picture seems to be missing "Q". so I would go for HMS Dido though I don't know when "Q" was fitted in her, AFAIK she had all 5 at war's end while some of her sisters (including Phoebe) had "Q" removed in 43-44 in favour of more light AA.The camouflage is quite distinctive, so far I haven't found any picture of a Dido class with exactly that scheme. EDIT: This is reported to be HMS Phoebe in 1942, camo is very similar (wrong side so can't be sure) and she lacks "Q". HMS Phoebe - RN warships of WW2
It might be worthwhile to see if you can find a copy of the old Ensign series pamphlet on Dido class cruisers online: Amazon.com: "Dido" Class Cruisers (Ensign) (9780856800030): Alan Raven, H.T. Lenton: Books I've got a copy but am away from my library right now. I'll give it a look when I get home though just to see if there's any more info in it.
This is getting a bit confusing but fascinating. According to the Wikipedia article for Dido class cruisers: Naiad completed with five turrets. She received five single 20 mm in September 1941 Phoebe completed with four turrets and was fitted with a 4 inch in Q position forward of the bridge. Dido had four turrets and a 4 inch similar to Phoebe. This is presumably the configuration that would have existed in Crete in April/May 1941. There is a useful diagram in the 'gunnery manual' reference link at the bottom of the Wiki article:
The AWM photo collection has a few photos (long shots) of OFF CRETE, MEDITERRANEAN SEA, 1941. HMS DIDO BEING BOMBED Permalink: P00090.062 | Australian War Memorial I don't know if that helps - all boats look the same to me
Also in the colllection is a letter by a medic that mentions the Phoebe Long letter and photocopy of typed transcript of a diary of Captain Eric Goulston, a medical officer with 2/5 Australian General Hospital. The letter, to Goulston's wife, was written over 1-17 May 1941, during the retreat of the Australian forces through Greece to Navplion (he had been based at a hospital at Ekali) and then on HMAS Phoebe to Crete, and thence to Alexandria, Egypt. It describes fighting during the evacuation, especially German air raids and defensive preparations on Crete, Permalink: PR00910 - Goulston, Eric OBE (Lieutenant Colonel, b. 1905) | Australian War Memorial
Thanks Dave, that ties in with other accounts of Phoebe evacuating troops from Greece to Crete and could place the Phoebe in Suda Bay. We don't currently have a firm date for the photo though. Part of the reason I am thinking the cruiser in the photo IS Phoebe is that she is the only ship mentioned specifically as being based at Suda during this period. Dido and Naiad, whilst being part of the same operations, seem to have been more often running to Alexandria. I wish the photo was a little clearer, might be able to make out some details of the Q turret fitted, although this would only narrow it down to Phoebe and Dido as they were apparently the same at this time (although later modified following battle damage and refits). On balance of evidence so far I am still thinking it is Phoebe. Could you add a direct link to Goulston's letter/diary?
Just checked a few Australian unit history reports for April 1941 (evacuation from Greece to Crete from around the 23rd to the 27th) 6DIV HQ – HMS PHOEBE (see attached) 18BDE HQ – 25/26APR – HMS WRYNECK 17BDE HQ COSTA RICA (sunk) & HMS HEREWARD
I was sent this photo recently by an Australian Archaeologist researching LCTs in Crete. It is a rare picture of a Mk1 LCT and appears to have been taken in Souda (Suda) Bay during the evacuation of Greece in May 1941. Can anyone suggest the name of the ship in the background? It appears to be a cruiser and the LCT may be disembarking troops carried from Greece on the cruiser. Only just realised that this is a AWM photo - although dated May 1941 (?) Permalink: 074445 | Australian War Memorial SUDA BAY, CRETE. MAY 1941. TROOPS OF THE 6TH DIVISION LANDING AFTER THEIR EVACUATION FROM GREECE.
