Hms Fidelity

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by Fidelity, Apr 14, 2004.

  1. Fidelity

    Fidelity Member

    My main interest is in researching HMS Fidelity, a Special Service Vessel.

    A couple of years ago someone challenged me to find out the circumstances of their uncles death in WW2.All they knew was that he had died on a 'secret ship'. Using the internet I was able to find a wealth of information about his death (among many others ) on board the Q ship HMS Fidelity (A spy ship). A truly amazing story of the ship, her captain and also one of her former officers who helped with the 'Pat' escape route unfolded as I researched.A story emerged that had all the ingredients of a thriller book!The relatives of the person who had asked me to find the information had previously been unaware of the circumstances of the loss of the Fidelity, as of course, it was lost during war time and great secrecy surrouded the ship.
    I wonder if other elderly people remember a relative who was on the Fidelity, or perhaps another Q ship?I became so interested in the story that I persued it for my own interest, trying to find out as much about it as possible.
     
    ritsonvaljos likes this.
  2. MalcolmII

    MalcolmII Senior Member

    HMS Fidelity is listed in Lenton & Colledge as :
    Pennant No D57, HMS Fidelity ( ex- Le Rone) a decoy ship, 2456 tons, launched 1920.
    Q or decoy ships were withdrawn with the exception of Fidelity in 1941.
    Fidelity was re-armed with 4 x 4 inch guns, four x 21 inch Torpedo Tubes, two aircraft and 1 MTB (No 105). Listed as lost 30th December 1942.
    I'd really like to know what she was doing as well!!
    Aye
    MalcolmII
     
  3. Fidelity

    Fidelity Member

    I'll put a bit on the 'War at Sea' section Malcolm. Thanks for your interest. I hope to be able to put my website about the search for the Fidelity on here if possible.
     
  4. smith 565

    smith 565 Junior Member

    Hi 'Fidelity'

    I have been researching Frederick Ralph Bridgen, an AB RN, who was lost on 'Fidelity', after I bought his medals some years ago. I believe he was one of the navy personnel which was using 'Fidelity' as a transport to get out to the Far East, rather than ship's crew.

    There are a couple of useful books:

    'ONS 154 - The Convoy that nearly Died' - by Henry Revely.

    also

    'Fidelity will haunt me till I die', printed by the Royal Marines Historical Society (or something similar!)

    If you haven't seen either of these, get back to me and I will find their full details for you.

    Regards,

    Geoff
     
  5. Fidelity

    Fidelity Member

    I discovered that HMS Fidelity had originally been a French ship called Le Rhin, which had been taken over by the British in 1940. She was a Royal Navy ‘Q’ ship, disguised as a Merchant Navy ship in Convoy ONS-154. The convoy wasn't entirely composed of Merchant Navy ships, there were escort ships too, although the Fidelity wasn't even meant to be that. She was 'hidden' under the veil of the Merchant Navy so that her true purpose was hidden. She and her hand-picked crew were on secret mission, carrying commandoes to Indo China, for who knows what purpose. Possibly to wage a guerrilla operation behind Japanese lines.

    The Cdr. was Jack Langlais R.N. (alias Costa), (The original crew had all adopted noms de guerre.)
    Langlais was a Corsican whose real name was Claude Andre Peri. He was an ex-French spy with a violent reputation who had the habit, according to one of the crew on board the Fidelity, of practicing with his revolver on deck.

    Both he and First Officer Madeleine V. Barclay WRNS had been spies together in Indo-China before the war. She had been baptised Madeleine Gueslin and was, reputedly, the victim of mass rape by the terrorists who had also killed her husband. She was the only woman killed in action on a war ship and the only female gunnery officer ever to go on active service with the British Fleet. The extent of her and Langlais' personal relationship is unclear, but she was described as 'always at his shoulder' whilst on board the Fidelity.

    For further info. , please see my website HMS FIDELITY
     
  6. Wise1

    Wise1 There We Are Then

    Your site is looking good :)
     
  7. ged

    ged Junior Member

    Interesting thread, and nice web pages about HMS Fidelity.

    I have recently been posting about my father's experiences on Fidelity over on 50connect forum. He served on HMS Fidelity between mid 1941 and early-mid 1942; he hasn't really talked much in the past about the war period, but has now started to recount some details to me, although there is always the mist of time to contend with.

    I located an original version of the 1957 book "HMS Fidelity" which I passed to him - he found it very interesting and recalled some of the events described therein, as well as one or two not described. It was quite something when he tapped the full plate picture of Langlais and said "ah, yes, that's him"!

    My father was an Ordinary Seaman/Able Seaman during his time on board; given later events, I am of course pleased he changed ship when he did.

    Anyway, nice to see that there are other people out there interested in such matters, also !

    Best Regards

    Ged
     
  8. Fidelity

    Fidelity Member

    :D That's really interesting ged. I took a look at the forum you mentioned. You don't mention your Dads name. Are you able to write about some of his memories.? I would love to include some on my website. The son of one man who was on the Fidelity recalled how his Father mentioned that on one occasion , to aid disguise , a pram with a life size doll was paraded around on deck!
     
  9. Gerry Chester

    Gerry Chester WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Hi,

    While viewing your most interesting site I noticed the statement that HMS Fidelity was originally the French owned Le Rhin. I recall, in one of the books about her (possibly Duncan's book on maritime disasters) she was actually named Le Rhône which, being French seems to be more likely. Could this possibly be correct?

    Regards, Gerry
     
    ritsonvaljos likes this.
  10. ged

    ged Junior Member

    Hello,

    After reading this I spoke to my father. He is sure that HMS Fidelity was originally "Le Rhone", not "Le Rhin".

    He remembers this particularly because he also spent a short while on a merchant vessel based at Plymouth, called, confusingly, "Le Rhin"! The Le Rhin was lightly armoured and had a few mounted machine guns and patrolled the Channel, although, as my dad says "What we would have done if we'd come across anything, I don't know" !

    Regards

    Ged
     
  11. Fidelity

    Fidelity Member



    All off the documents that I have relating to the Fidelity refer to the ship as (ex Rhin) .This includes a document from Chef du Service Historique,Ministere De La Defences, Vincennes. I also have a copy of dispatches which mention the Fidelity as ex Rhine.

    I have seen La Rhone mentioned in relation to HMS Fidelity once .(It was in the transcript of a reading given by a Major J C Beadle MBE MC RM , Vice President of 40 Royal Marine Commando Association, on the occasion of the unveiling and dedication of a Memorial Plaque to the men of T Company who died at sea. I took it to be a spelling mistake.Perhaps someone else can throw some more light on the matter.
     
  12. Fidelity

    Fidelity Member

    The Fidelity was without question 'Le Rhin " and not " Le Rhone". I have examined the appropriate enteries on the PRO database. http://catalogue.pro.gov.uk/search.asp
    If one makes a basic search using the term "Le Rhin" , 5 document titles can be found which confirm the fact.

    I think the name "Le Rhine" might easily be confused with 'Le Rhone" if someone was used to hearing the more commonly used term "Le Rhone Rotary engine."
     
  13. ged

    ged Junior Member

    My father talks of seeing the original name on the side of the vessel . Still, it was a long time ago, and he has just re-read the 1950's book, too.
     
  14. Fidelity

    Fidelity Member

    I see what you mean ged, thank's for bringing it to my attention.I was just reading the Marcel Jullian book again last night and noticed the reference to Le Rhone there. I've read it many time before and never noticed until this question arose on the forum. I really is puzzling isn't it?I wonder if a forum member fluent in French has any ideas as to why there is this discrepancy?
     
  15. ged

    ged Junior Member

    The Marcel Jullian book, prior to Chapter 1 proper, does state " The French names, however, including that of the ship, have been voluntarily changed." The ship is then referred to as 'Le Rhône' from Chapter 1 onwards, so this would seem to imply that 'Le Rhône' isn't the original name.

    Given that noms de guerre in the book are somewhat dissimilar to the real names - Costa - Peri; Soigne - Guérisse; I wonder what possessed the author to go for Rhin/Rhone when it came to the ship!

    What really confuses me is my father recounting he served on a ship of the 'other name' out of Plymouth for a while, patrolling the approaches. Maybe Rhin and Rhone have become intertwined in the mists of time.

    I don't think he would have become confused over the "Le Rhone Engine" issue, as back then he was a native french speaker who was only just learning English.

    Regards

    Ged
     
  16. Fidelity

    Fidelity Member

    Originally posted by ged@Aug 19 2004, 06:32 PM
    The Marcel Jullian book, prior to Chapter 1 proper, does state " The French names, however, including that of the ship, have been voluntarily changed." The ship is then referred to as 'Le Rhône' from Chapter 1 onwards, so this would seem to imply that 'Le Rhône' isn't the original name.

    Given that noms de guerre in the book are somewhat dissimilar to the real names - Costa - Peri; Soigne - Guérisse; I wonder what possessed the author to go for Rhin/Rhone when it came to the ship!
    [post=27435]Quoted post[/post]

    That certainly does seem to be a plausable explanation but as you say, how strange that the author should chose such a similar name.

    I agree, it is most unlikely that your Father would confuse the names given his expertise with the French language.

    This question intrigued me so much, I asked for ideas for possible explanations on another forum and had the following reply from a member from France.I have not verified the information a yet but I wonder if this explanation might jog your Fathers memory?

    Civilian Tanker Radioleine buy by the French navy in 1911 was named Rhöne
    19 december 1940 with agreement of german authorities she sails to Dakar escorted by submarine Sfax to avoid boarding by english ships (.both ships wear

    french neutrality signs)
    near Port Etienne the Sfax is torpedoed by U37
    then thinking at an internal explosion the Rhône come in rescue and receive a torpedo
    she sink dec 20
    michel
     
  17. Pauline

    Pauline Junior Member

    After reading the messages Re: H.M.S FIDELITY. To confuse matters more I have a French book "DUNKERQUOIS SUR TOUS LES FRONTS" and it in the ship was called "Le Rhine".
    My father served on the ship and returned to the Free French Navy in 1944. I am now trying to search for information where and what ships he served on until 1944I have written to H.M.S. Centurion but was informed that my father was given his records and that no copies were kept :(
    Anyone out there able to put me on the right track
    Cheers Pauline
     
  18. Fidelity

    Fidelity Member

    As this is relevant to the discussion about 'Q' ships , I thought it would be useful here.
     
  19. Terry Nicolson

    Terry Nicolson Junior Member

    What a super web site!!!!

    I was at Basingstokes VE DAY Celebrations last Sunday helping Howard (organiser) and very well done it was.

    I was having a drink and keeping out of the sun and began a conversation with a lady who was standing on her own.

    It transpired that her first husband was lost at sea and she only knew the name of the ship and she said she couldnt find out any more as "it was secret".

    I promised to find out as much as I could for her as she was a lovely old lady and I felt she needed to put this event to rest in her mind (I just hope it does?)

    I will post results of conversations with her if the moderator of this site would think that folks will be interested?

    Kind regards and thank you so much in enabling me to get info on this to send to her.
    Kind regards
    Terry

    Regional Volunteer, War Memorials Trust for Berkshire

    Field Worker, Imperial War Museums UK National Inventory of War Memorials
    Protecting and Conserving War Memorial Heritage



    War Memorials Trust 4 Lower Belgrave Street London SW1W 0LA

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  20. Kiwiwriter

    Kiwiwriter Very Senior Member

    Terry, welcome to the boards, thank you for your service to Crown, Country, and History with the Imperial War Museum, and for sharing that story. We'll try to help.
     

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