Hm Boom Defence Vessels

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by James Harvey, Aug 3, 2005.

  1. James Harvey

    James Harvey Senior Member

    Hi All,

    My grandfather served in Boom Defence.

    Joined up 30 November 1940, port division Rosyth (Rooke) Official number R/JX 230549.

    Served

    HMS Pembroke 30/11/40-9/12/05 as OD.
    HMS Wildfire (B.D.) 10/12/40-7/3/41
    HMS Rooke 8/3/41-2/9/41
    HMS Lanka (Port T) 3/9/41-30/11/41
    HMS Lanka (Port T) 1/12/41-25/1/42 as AB
    HMS Haitan (Barmill) 26/1/42-31/3/42
    HMS Lanka (Barmill) 1/4/42-30/9/42
    HMS Lanka 1/10/42-14/1/43
    HMS Lanka (Barmill)15/1/43-30/6/43
    HMS Highflyer (Barmill)1/7/43-21/4/44
    HMS Lanka 22/4/44-22/4/44
    HMS Kirriemoor 23/4/44
    HMS Rooke 20/9/44-17/11/44
    HMS Wildfire (Thames B.D.) 18/11/44-24/1/46.

    Granted 1st Good Conduct Badge 30/11/43.

    HMS Lanka is in Ceylon and HMS Port T and HMS Haitan were the Top secret base on Addu Atoll. The far east fleet went there when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour.
    HMS Highflyer is also in Ceylon.

    HMS Barmill is a Bar class boom defence vessel.

    Hms Kirriemoor was a boom carrier.

    Thames B.D. ????? cannot find any refrence to this base.

    HMS Rooke central boom defence base.

    HMS Wildfire a training base in Sheerness.

    HMS Pembroke RN Barracks at Chatham.

    Any help from about these bases or ships will be much appreciated.
    Any help with the role of boom defence would also be appreciated.

    Kind Regards

    James
     
    Carole Brooks and von Poop like this.
  2. Kiwiwriter

    Kiwiwriter Very Senior Member

    James, welcome to the group, and thank you for your grandfather's service to Crown and Country. Do share some stories with us...it's not a well-known subject.

    We will try to help you with your quest.
     
  3. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Welcome James,

    An interesting area which I'm sure will receive some reaction from the members.

    Tell us a little about yourself.
     
  4. James Harvey

    James Harvey Senior Member

    My name is James, I am interested in World war 1 and 2.

    I got into ww2 2 years after my grandfather died so I knew nothing about his war service only that he was in the navy.

    I started to research his service 3 years ago, and found out his medal entitlement, unfortuantly his medals were lost 40 years ago. I have since got them replaced and they are now displayed, with a 2 pictures of him in uniform, I manged to find his old service certificate and from that i have managed to trace a lot of his service.
     
  5. joycaddy

    joycaddy Junior Member

    Hi All,

    My grandfather served in Boom Defence.

    Joined up 30 November 1940, port division Rosyth (Rooke) Official number R/JX 230549.

    Served

    HMS Pembroke 30/11/40-9/12/05 as OD.
    HMS Wildfire (B.D.) 10/12/40-7/3/41
    HMS Rooke 8/3/41-2/9/41
    HMS Lanka (Port T) 3/9/41-30/11/41
    HMS Lanka (Port T) 1/12/41-25/1/42 as AB
    HMS Haitan (Barmill) 26/1/42-31/3/42
    HMS Lanka (Barmill) 1/4/42-30/9/42
    HMS Lanka 1/10/42-14/1/43
    HMS Lanka (Barmill)15/1/43-30/6/43
    HMS Highflyer (Barmill)1/7/43-21/4/44
    HMS Lanka 22/4/44-22/4/44
    HMS Kirriemoor 23/4/44
    HMS Rooke 20/9/44-17/11/44
    HMS Wildfire (Thames B.D.) 18/11/44-24/1/46.

    Granted 1st Good Conduct Badge 30/11/43.

    HMS Lanka is in Ceylon and HMS Port T and HMS Haitan were the Top secret base on Addu Atoll. The far east fleet went there when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour.
    HMS Highflyer is also in Ceylon.

    HMS Barmill is a Bar class boom defence vessel.

    Hms Kirriemoor was a boom carrier.

    Thames B.D. ????? cannot find any refrence to this base.

    HMS Rooke central boom defence base.

    HMS Wildfire a training base in Sheerness.

    HMS Pembroke RN Barracks at Chatham.

    Any help from about these bases or ships will be much appreciated.
    Any help with the role of boom defence would also be appreciated.

    Kind Regards

    James
    Hi, My name is Joy Gore, the Ships, Rooke, Wildfire,Pembroke my father was also on them. Be great to hear from you.
    Regards Joy
     
  6. GRW

    GRW Pillboxologist

    Hi James and welcome to the forums.
    Particularly interested in anything you now about the Rosyth Command boom ships, that ain't far from me.
    At a rough guess, Thames BD (Boom Defence?) would be Chatham?
     
    Carole Brooks likes this.
  7. Peter Clare

    Peter Clare Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum Joy.

    Regards
    Peter.
     
  8. RJL

    RJL Senior Member

    Hello James. I'm interested in the role of BDVs. If you've picked anything up during your research and would like to share it, please do :)

    Hello Joy. My grandfather was on the BDV HMS Burgonet. Be great if that was another that your father served on???
     
  9. phylo_roadking

    phylo_roadking Very Senior Member

    See Paul Lund and Harry Ludlam's Trawlers Go To War about the RN Patrol Service; it has quite a bit on the Patrol Service' role in boom defence and other coastal and inshore duties.
     
  10. RJL

    RJL Senior Member

    Thanks for the heads up Phylo.
     
  11. cally

    cally Picture Prince.

    I have many pictures of Bar-Class Boom Defence Vessels both from the Royal Navy as well as the Royal Australian Navy.

    Here is a small selection taken at random, in order to show members what these unique little vessels actually looked like...
     

    Attached Files:

    Carole Brooks and Za Rodinu like this.
  12. RJL

    RJL Senior Member

    Cally. Super photos. Thanks for sharing them.
     
  13. cally

    cally Picture Prince.

    A pleasure my friend.
     
  14. Sadsac

    Sadsac Senior Member

  15. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

  16. RJL

    RJL Senior Member

    Hi Phil. Thanks for the info. I've just picked up another bit of knowledge from your links. The BDVs worked in threes.

    My next quest? To find out which other 2 worked alongside the Burgonet. Possibly HMS Barflake for time until she was mined and sunk off Naples?
    http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/7667.html
     
  17. arkrite

    arkrite Senior Member

  18. cally

    cally Picture Prince.

    A few more of the Bar-class again selected at random.
     

    Attached Files:

  19. RJL

    RJL Senior Member

    Arkite,
    thanks for the link. You can still get access to the photos. Try going via this route. Welcome to Transport in South Africa then click on the Military or Ships Pic tabs.

    Cally,
    brilliant pics as usual. Love those 3 moored up in Singopore.
     
  20. Sadsac

    Sadsac Senior Member

    CALLY, here is pic of HMS BARFOOT a Boom Defence Vessel. Hope it comes out.

    Sadsac
     

    Attached Files:

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