The following personnel are listed by CWGC as being with HMS Salsette at the time of their deaths on 25th April 1943. DOLAN, Terence A B, Able Seaman, C/JX 220179, killed [ChM] ROBERTSON, James, Stoker 1c, P/KX 127369, killed [PoM] ADM104 lists them both as 'dying on war service in Burma', but I have been unable to find anymore details. On the same date, I have support craft LCS(M)17 listed as being lost after sinking in the Mayu River, but again I have not been able to discover anymore information. I believe HMS Salsette was a combined operations shore establishment, so I wonder if the two deaths were related to the loss of this craft. Any ideas? Regards, Steve
Hello Steve, I am in the believe, that this forum can bring you a step further forward. A similar case discussed. HMS Salsette HMS Salsette Regards, Finn
Thanks for that. Yes they have the same speculation as myself, regarding the relationship between the loss of LCS(M)17 and the two sailors. I'll have to keep searching to see if I can find any documents to confirm that they were indeed related to the same incident. Regards, Steve
LCS(M)17 was sunk by enemy action in the Mayu River (Burma) on 25th April 1943 (navy-history.net). LCS(M) 23 was lost on patrol on the Mayu River in March 1943. Circumstancial evidence would suggest that these were the 2 landing craft commanded by Lieutenant-Commander RD Franks OBE,RN Commander Mayu Forces who was instructed by Rear Admiral AFE Palliser Commander in Chief Eastern Forces to take two Burma MLs and 2 Landing Craft down the Mayu River to assist military operations (basically the retreat of the British Army). He was successful in sinking various Japanese craft. However his postion became untenable as the enemy had control of the mouth of the Mayu River so Franks took his force further inland. One LC was sunk by Japanese land forces and Franks had to abandon the 2nd LC and together with 20 seaman walked back through the Jungle to the Allied Lines. This is described in his obitury in the Daily Telegraph. Sub Lieutenant WJR Jackson SANFV is listed on the Combined Operations Roll of Honour Web Site for his actions during this raid. Jackson was a LCS Boat Officer and had earlier taken part in Operation Ironclad (Invasion of Madagascar) before a posting to the recently established Combined Operations Shore Base at HMS Salsette (Bombay). It is most likely that all the first 50 officers initially posted to HMS Salsette took part in Operation Ironclad and most had previously been at HMS Quebec in Inveraray before setting sail. Franks was instructed to take a number of LC from HMS Salsette to Chittagong and from there operations were mounted in Burma. My research suggests that in 1943 Naval Servicemen on landing craft remained posted to HMS Salsette even while serving say in Chittagong or Burma. Only 3 Naval Servicemen were killed in India or Burma in April 1943 and all three on the 25th in Burma. Terence Dolan is commemerated on the Chatham Naval Memorial, James Robertson on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial and Terence Gormley Able Seaman RN is recorded on the Commando Veterans web site. All three were posted to HMS Salsette but died in Burma. The evidence would suggest they died during the sinking of LCS(M) 17. I hope this helps. My research follows my father's posting to HMS Salsette within Combined Operations where he was a Lieutenant RNVR(Engineering) having earlier taken part in Operation Ironclad so any info you unearth on HMS Salsette or HMS Braganza (also a shore base in Bombay) will be of interest although I suspect many records have been destroyed or lost). Regards Simon
Thank you all. I am currently researching the death of AB Terence Dolan on behalf of his neice. Cathy O'neill
ChM = Chatham Memorial. It's my note off where the casualty is remembered. PoM is the Portsmouth Memorial. Regards Steve
Hi Ed I apologise if you already know this. You can apply for RN service records via the Gov.UK web site "get a copy of military records of service" which should include date of death in service, but whether this includes where I dont know. If you do a web search for "Captain Robert Franks The Telegraph" you should find the obitury for Franks which includes a very brief reference to the Mayu Raid. After 6 years of research I have found very little information about the Royal Navy and Combined Operations in Burma and or Bombay. Servicemen where not usually listed as crew of a landing craft. Rather they were "posted" to a shore base. All shore basis were prefixed by HMS. Sevicemen might be based at a UK naval base but actually be serving abroad. There was no HMS base in Burma so any rating on a landing craft in Burma would likely have been posted to a shore base in India or even the UK. If India and in Combined Operations HMS Salsette in Bombay is the most likely base. If you have Terence's service record then the following might help. Many of the servicemen who arrived at HMS Salsette around June 1942, were previously based at HMS Quebec in Inveraray where they were trained on Combined Operations for service abroad, or at another UK shore base. They sailed from the Clyde on 19th March 1942. On the 5th May they took part in the Invasion of Madagascar and then many sailed on to Bombay around July 1942. During this period it is likely that their records still referred to being posted to a UK base, and it was only on arrival in India that their record would show HMS Salsette. Towards the end of 1942 Franks took a force of landing craft and servicemen from HMS Salsette to Cittagong for action down the Burmese coastline. I have previously outlined above the likely events surrounding Terence's death. The book "The Watery Maze - the story of combined operations" written by Bernard Ferguson in 1961 also refers to this raid. Unfortunately I have decided that unless your relative has been awarded some high honour or been a high ranking naval officer, it is unlikely you can pin down their service in India or indeed Burma, unless they have kept their very own reord. I knew my Father served in Burma but I cannot prove it as it is not mentioned in his service reord. It is unfortunate that in Terence's case that this can sadely be proved by his untimely death while serving his country. I hope in some way this helps you?
The reason for my enquiry is that I maintain a local history website for my my home town of Cambuslang, near Glasow. There, I have a page dedicated to those local lads who died in WW1 and WW2. www.edwardboyle.com/EB/Cambuslang/cambuslang_war_memorial.htm On my connected facebook page, one of the members of that group had posted a message... "Hi Edward My mother's brother, Terence Dolan, who lived in County Avenue was killed in the second world War but is not on your list. Could he be added please. I can give you all his information. I still live in the area. We only gave up the family home in county ave a few years ago. It still had the anderson shelter! Gone now I think. Cathy O'Neill" She is referring to a WW2 ROH spreadsheet on that website page. I have now added his name to it. However, as usual, it got me interested knowing more about him. He was brought up in an industrial town, and as a young lad probabaly never travelled further than Glasgow. He was then posted to the other side of the world and involved in a dirty dangerous war, and sadly never returned. Really tragic. His family home at 1 County Ave still stands. https://maps.app.goo.gl/YMzqxgkumsqKodFFA I will copy your very detailed report to Cathy and I am sure she will be pleased to add this to her family tree history. Ed
Hi Ed I'm the CWGC Tour Guide for Chatham Naval Memorial, I'm interested in your research on Terence Dolan, if you woudln't mind sharing it with me I can then include his story on my tours. I will send you a photo of his name on the panel when next I'm there. Regards Tony
Thanks Tony, as I metioned I have no direct connection to Terenence but I will happily pass on anything you have to his relatives.
