My dad: Royal Navy, HMS Khartoum, HMS Ladybird, Zooduchus Phigi, minesweeper Victoria I, HMS Keats

I'm looking a little more about Dad's Gloucester 111 posting

A guess is as he was available (Having been sunk on HMS Khartoum in the area) he could have been posted to HMS Gloucester as it was in Alexandria at same time as my Dad.

27th June 1940 Deployed with HM Battleships ROYAL SOVEREIGN and RAMILLIES, HMS

EAGLE, HM Cruisers, LIVERPOOL, NEPTUNE, ORION and SYDNEY

with screen of seven Destroyers to provide cover for passage of convoy AS1 to

ports in Aegean from Port Said and two (MS1 and MF1) from Malta carrying

personnel being evacuated to Egypt.

(Operation MA3).

Detached from battleships to carry out attack of three Italian destroyers which

were engaged by all ships of Squadron.

During this action off Zante the destroyer ESPERO was sunk although the other two

ships (OSTRO and ZEFFIRO) escaped.

(Note: These destroyers were taking supplies to Tobruk.

Owing to the excessive expenditure of 6in ammunition the planned movement

of MS1 and MF1 was cancelled.)

Detached with HMS LIVERPOOL and returned to Port Said to replenish ammunition.


July

7th Sailed with HM Battleships WARSPITE, MALAYA, ROYAL SOVEREIGN,

HM Cruisers ORION, NEPTUNE, SYDNEY (RAN), and LIVERPOOL and 32

destroyer screen as Force A to cover passage of Malta convoys evacuating

families to Egypt. (Operation MA5)

(Note: It was also intended to take the opportunity to engage any Italian unit which

had been reported in the eastern Mediterranean.)

8th Under heavy and sustained air attacks and hit on compass platform.

Captain FR Garside, CBE, RN and 17 others of the ship's company were killed.

Forward armament fire control and steering equipment disabled but after 6in mountings

available in Local control allowing ship to remain with the Fleet.

9th Deployed as screened for HMS WARSPITE, HMS MALAYA and HMS ROYAL

SOVEREIGN and HMS EAGLE with ships of 7th Cruiser Squadron and Fleet

destroyers during an attack on a major Italian force covering passage of a convoy to

Tobruk (Battle of Calabria).

Detached with HMS EAGLE and hit by bomb during air attacks on Fleet but

fortunately the bomb failed to explode.


I would be happy to have anyone's thoughts on this.
Thankyou

 

Boom Defence Depot, Aden [HMS Gloucester III]

Regards
Hugh

 

Thank you
I think I remember that

 

Hi Hugh,
Glad you've popped up on this thread; if you hadn't was going to send you PM. Quite complicated. Have I made any glaring errors?
Tim

 

Looking ok, Tim albeit i have only scanned the thread due to time constraints at the moment. I will delve further later but so far so good.
Regards
Hugh

 

Dad with Pal
Birkenhead 1942

 

Never had any luck finding the name of skipper that died

 

Only trace I could find was reference to HM Drifter Victoria 1, Bartram Family Memories of WW2
and can't trace any casualties "during the Crete campaign" (24 May to 1 June 1941) on naval history net.
Of course, the Crete campaign might mean anything in the Mediterranean, but a converted trawler as a minesweeper was fairly common.
I pass this to more knowledgeable pals to see if they can do better!

You asked about her previously Victoria 1 minesweeper

 

Thank you for reply
I do have information about this drifter but the more I get the more I want
Thank you again

 

Thank you for reply

The crew
Dad second left at back

 

HMS KEATS

Dad on 1943-45

 

That’s great Tim.
Just revisiting this and I really thank you for it.