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

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by Dylan1966, Mar 14, 2018.

  1. Dylan1966

    Dylan1966 Member

  2. Dylan1966

    Dylan1966 Member

  3. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    While that's an interesting looking document in the link, it would help if you could be more specific with the ships names etc - please ask specific questions. Not many people will want to read the equivalent of a short book in order to identify your questions!. It could be the difference between valuable answers or no answers at all.
     
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  4. HERITAGE PLUS

    HERITAGE PLUS Active Member

    Victoria I was a requisitioned drifter sunk by enemy action, location unknown, in international waters. 25.03.1942.
     
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  5. Dylan1966

    Dylan1966 Member

    No probs...

    HMS Khartoum
    HMS Ladybird
    Zooduchus Phigi - Zooduchus Phigi
    Victoria 1 - Victoria I, minesweeper - Captain killed
    HMS Keats

    thank you


    Moderator edit:
    Hi Bob,
    I'm just adding links here to your other queries, so that members don't post the same information spread over a couple of threads.
    Good luck with your research.
     
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  6. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Agree with SDP. And do you have his service record - in the RN normally given out on discharge. The record you have illustrated is compiled from the Pay and Victualling Records and often not very accurate. For instance this record does not show, though he obviously was, as being in HMS Ladybird when it was sunk. A cursory look shows a lot of the 'ships' to be either shore bases or Depot Ships.
    Looks like it is an interesting story waiting to be more fully told.
    Tim
     
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  7. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

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  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    For other members - re this 'ship' - Zooduchus Phigi

    There is a specific thread about it - Zooduchus Phigi

    Just trying to avoid dulication of effort

    TD
     
  9. Dylan1966

    Dylan1966 Member

    I got the Arctic Star on behalf of my late father last year.

    I created the page I've posted on the site with a Greek friend with information I felt was correct at the time.

    Since then I have found the attached file. re Zooduchus Pigi....
    This tug/troop ship was a query....But there does seem to be two?


    Dad's record shows he wasn't on HMS Ladybird when it sank.
    I've tried very hard to find out if it was possible he was on it on the 12 May 1941
    But no luck. I suppose it possible his Dad in Warrington may have felt he was still on ship and wrote article for the paper.
    I suppose if he was registered as being on Pigi in Tobruk/Med, he could have been seconded to a ship he had served on previously (HMS Ladybird) but I don't know?

    I was lucky enough to track down the original log book (1943-45) of HMS Keats from the Captain's son in Australia.
    He very kindly sent it to my home in Jersey, UK.

    My current query is dad was on Victoria 1 until the day it sunk.
    3 x DSM's were awarded to the crew of this drifter minesweeper during the time my dad was on it.

    I would love to find out more about Victoria 1?
    Difficult to find out anything other than the few lines on the internet.

    I hope this gives a little more information.

    Thank you
    Bob
     

    Attached Files:

  10. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Hi Bob,
    I'm just adding links here to your other queries, so that members don't post the same information spread over a couple of threads.
    Victoria 1 minesweeper
    Zooduchus Phigi

    Good luck with your research.
     
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  11. Dylan1966

    Dylan1966 Member

    Thank you...I've spent about 16 months researching and although nowadays I spend a lot of time getting very little results or no new information I do get a little sometimes that leads me to a new thread or direction...
    I've bought 40 books from Ebay and one helped me identify HMS Keats was on Operation Goodwood (naval) and therefore qualified my dad for the Arctic Star.
    MoD originally said he didn't qualify as they read the written version on his Service Record as Cleats when it was actually HMS Keats
     
  12. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    dbf - there is another thread on this subject from this OP - 'My Dad'. It's all getting very confusing and I'm wondering where to post responses.
    Dylan - I've just put some more info onto 'My Dad'.
    Tim
     
  13. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

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  14. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Two general threads dealing with Dylan1966's father's service have now been merged.
     
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  15. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    HMS Khartoum:
    HMS Khartoum, destroyer
    More confusion for you. HMS Khartoum was based at Aden and operating in the Red Sea. Link says survivors rescued by HMS Kandahar and taken to Aden. Your Dad's P&V record shows him arriving at HMS Nile (shore base at Alexandria) ex-HMS Calypso, which was operating in the Med based in Malta then to Alexandria in June 1940. Somehow he must have transferred from Aden to the Calypso or the P&V is wrong (which wouldn't be surprising).
    Tim
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2018
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  16. Dylan1966

    Dylan1966 Member

    Hi Tim,

    I've always dismissed the HMS Calypso posting.
    I feel if he was on HMS Khartoum he cant be on HMS Calypso.

    My family always understood he was sunk on 3 ships.
    Originally I thought this was Khartoum, Ladybird and Zooduchus Pigi

    Now I think it was Khartoum, Victoria 1 and one other.

    Was it possible he was on Calypso or Ladybird at the time they were sunk?
    I dont know

    Difficult to find out
    Thankyou
     

    Attached Files:

  17. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Hi Bob,
    More for you to think about and either confirm or add to what you already know..
    HMS Khartoum - see previous link. Although engaged with enemy submarine, loss was attributed to faulty torpedo on board causing fire which led to her being beached. It looks as if your Dad was then taken to Aden. From Aden he had to get back to Alexandria. Could be by train or passage on ship. He will not have served in HMS Calypso. If the P&V is correct it just means he arrived in Alexandria. As Calypso was operating in the Med it could merely mean he got passage on her from somewhere like Port Said.
    Definitely on board Khartoum and Victoria 1 when they were lost as dates tie in perfectly.
    HMS Medway - submarine depot ship at Alexandria. HMS Sphinx - naval accommodation camp at Alexandria. Probably just local leave periods.
    Gloucester 111 - haven't found her yet but suspect another armed trawler/drifter.
    Duty: Sea Home - not sure but it could be he went back to UK on leave.
    Passage 20/04/42 - 07/06/42 is his passage home.
    HMS Drake - naval barracks, Devonport, Plymouth. Doesn't mean he served here it may just be his accounting base.
    HMS Foliot - Combined Operations Landing Craft Base, Plymouth.
    HMS Diomede - whilst your Dad was on board she was in refit and post refit trials at Rosyth. Passage 20/05/43 - 20/05/43 is his journey from Plymouth to Rosyth.
    Passage 22/09/43 - 28/09/43 is journey from UK to USA to join HMS Keats in Boston.
    Fargo - Fargo Barracks, Boston. US Navy Induction Centre used by RN for accommodation.
    HMS Pegasus - catapult ship, probably used accommodation ship by this time. Don't know where.
    HMS Caroline - RN Headquarters, Belfast. Home Base for many ships escorting Atlantic convoys.
    HMS Onslow - during your Dad's time aboard he would have been involved in Operation Deadlight (collection and destruction of U-Boats).
    Operation Deadlight - Information - Fates - German U-boats of WWII - Kriegsmarine - uboat.net
    Tim
     
  18. Dylan1966

    Dylan1966 Member

    thankyou Tim
    Very interesting, especially the Gloucester 111 possibility
    I will study what you have wrote in depth
     
  19. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Another interesting bit. Found under heading 'Schooners on Western Desert Service' Jan 42 ZUSDUCUS PIGI (Ty/Lt W B Chisholm RNVR) Refitting at Alexandria. I think it's one vessel but everyone is spelling it differently.
    I would guess (don't guess) that your Dad went to Greece on this boat, it was brought back by Lt Cdr Wilmott (as per newspaper cutting) (ties in with you saying your Dad escaped Greece), later refitted at Alexandria and was then sunk 13 Mar 42 (Dad not on board). Tonnage of vessel in newspaper article and of vessel sunk match at 170T.
    Tim
     
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  20. Dylan1966

    Dylan1966 Member

    Tim,
    Thank you for your help

    My thoughts on this is two different vessels. I could be wrong.
    I assume it was vessel you mentioned that my dad was on.
    Also my guess is it was troop carrier. And involved in the Evacuation of Crete to Alexandria.

    I don't think it was this one.....

    HMA
     

    Attached Files:

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