4 HMS Walney 
The Hms Walney (USCG Sabago)
Ex- Coastguard Pennant Number Y04 He was assigned to the USS Sabago at Brooklyn, NY Naval yard on 5th May 1941. He served under the United States Flag until she was commissioned later that month as the HMS Walney.
The Walney was completely electric, powered by generators.
She had an enormous mast,quite out of proportion for her size.
Her first assignment was as a Wireless/Telegraph ship.
Her first sailing was to the Southern Atlantic off South America. She was put on station for about 8 weeks, and in that time never saw another ship.
Her job was to collect and forward all naval messages to other ships and shore stations.
During the weeks on station a horrendous storm broke out. That bad that everyone aboard thought she would keel over. Some say that the force of the wind had her mast touching the sea. No one aboard her was an atheist during that storm.
There is not a lot more to relate about her. My father sailed to England and left her on 1st Nov 1941.
On the 2nd of Nov. he was assigned to OSPREY for ASDIC training at Dunnon.
My mother was also at OSPREY as a WREN. This is where they met. Later she found that she was pregnant with me. Things don't change much do they.
As a by-word the Walney was sunk on 9th Nov.1942 on operation'Torch. Photo's of HMS Walney 5 HMS Lamerton 
Hunt Class Destroyer Type II
Length 280' Beam 29'
Full load 1490 Ton
Full Complement 168
Speed 36 kts
Pennant NoL88 He joined the Lamerton 30th January in Ireland.
Her brief was to patrol the Western Atlantic down as far as Gibraltar. My father was a fully qualified ASDIC and sweeping for Subs was the Lamerton's main function.
One day a Sub had been detected. She was an Italian Galilei Class called the R.Smg Ferraris and several ships chased her. She surfaced thinking she could outrun her pursuers. No such luck the Lamerton could speed at 36 knots. Naturally she was sunk by gunfire.
The sub was detected by 4 people one of those being my father.
Later, they were told that they were being recommended for the DSM, however, there was just one medal to be had between them. It was suggested that the 4 names should go into a hat. This was declined and the overwhelming consensus was that the 'Tanky' Provisions Rating who actually spotted her should get the medal. This was what happened.
Later, it was noted that the Brother of the Captain of the Lamerton was killed during this action. He was on one of the other Support Ships.
Buster left the Lamerton on 18th March 1942. Photo's of HMS Lamerton |
6 HMS Tyne 
The Tyne was a converted Merchant ship. He joined the HMS Tyne on 19th March 1942.
She was a converted Merchantman. She was permanently anchored on the Clyde.
Buster was assigned to her as a Disposal.
This entailed being assigned as an ASDIC to numerous ships
for short periods of time until permanent or returning ASDIC's were assigned to that particular ship.
Some of these assigments were for a few days the longest that he remembers was for a week.
He cannot remember any of these ships names , however, I will keep jogging his memory and perhaps , will come up with a few of them. I will update if and when.
One episode Buster remembers, he was friendly with one of the Marines aboard.One day they were chatting
outside Admiral Burnett's office, when he noticed the Admirals hat on the desk. What would any 21 year old do, naturally put the hat on. Just as he did this the Admiral turned up, with the comments, "It does not fit you sailor". The Admiral suffered terribly from haemorrhoids and was not in the best frame of mind, so Buster got 7 days Galley duties for his troubles. HMS Tyne & Miscellaneous Photos 7 HMS Quentin 
HMS Tyne & Miscellaneous Photos The Quentin was a 'Q' Class Destroyer
Tonnage 1,705
Speed 36 kts
Compliment 227
Pennant G78 He joined the Quentin on the 24th May 1942. On the 10th Aug.42 she joined Operation 'Pedestal' at Gibralta.The skipper was Lt.Com. A P H Noble.
While waiting for the convoy to assemble, Buster had shore leave. One evening while drinking in a bar with a merchant seaman, he could not but help notice that the seaman had a lot of money on him, and would not let Buster put his hand in his pocket. Being nosey he asked the seaman how come he had so much money. The reply was that he earned 20 pounds per week, easy come easy go. Buster nearly fell off his chair for he was earning about 3 shillings a day. The seaman put him out of his misery explaining he was crewed on an ammunition ship and he was on danger pay. Buster never new if he survived the convoy.
Pedestal was the last great Malta convoy. 14 Merchantmen, including the Tanker Ohio carrying aviation fuel, were escorted by the following:
Under the Command of Rear Admiral Harold Burrough, 3 Fleet Carriers, the Eagle,Indomitable, and the Victorious, the Cruisers, Nigeria, Kenya ,Manchester and Cairo,plus 12 Destroyers.
Also the Cruisers, Chrybdis, Phoebe and Sirius,the Battleships Nelson and Rodney and another 20 Destroyers.
The force totalling 44 major warships.
On the 11th the Eagle was torpedoed 4 times and sunk.
The Indomitable was badly damaged by aircraft torpedos.
At 2000hrs the Nigeria, Kenia and Cairo were torpedoed. The Cairo was scuttled.
On the 13th, 4 Merchantmen were sunk by Italian MTB's. The cruiser Manchester was scuttled.
Later that day the Ohio was torpedoed again, and damaged by bombs and the crashing into her of a Ju87 Stuka.
By this time there were just 5 Merchantmen left.
The Ohio was lashed to the Destroyers HMS Penn and HMS Ledbury, they crawled into Bighi Bay Malta.
Although she sank at her moorings her cargo was intact, and it enabled Malta's aircraft to begin strikes against Rommell's supply convoy's again.
Only 5 of the Merchantmen arrived the other 4 were, Port Chalmers, Melbourne Star, Rochester Castle, and Brisbane Star.
In total: 9 Merchantmen were sunk, 1 Aircraft Carrier, 2 Cruisers and a Destroyer were also sunk. 2 Cruisers were badly damaged plus many of the Destroyers were too.
After sailing back to England my father left the Quenten on 23 Oct. 42.
The Quentin later was engaged with 'H' force and operation 'Torch'. She was sunk on the 2nd Dec.42,north of Cape Bone Tunisia, by a torpedo from a SM79 bomber which struck the engine room.
Her survivors were picked up by HMAS Quiberon. The next morning sailing into 'Bone' harbour, her Tannoy system was blaring " Waltzing Matilda".
As a foot note: On learning that my mother had given birth to me, he got leave to marry her in October 42. Photo's of Operation Pedestal |
