My Father was invading Italy on the day I was born, in September 1943.
He was onboard HMS Hilary,a
Booth Steamship Company liner, requisitioned by the Royal Navy as an
infantry landing and headquarters ship for Operation Avalanche, the Allied
invasion of mainland
“Come
on in and give up. We have you covered!”
Through his trusty telescope, my Father spotted a German Tiger tank, its 88mm gun slewing and firing. The first shot carried away the Hilary's signal halyards and radio aerials. Lieutenant W.E.Messinger was responsible for tactical communications between the ship and the landing force. Halyards and aerials were jury rigged in double quick time!.
My arrival is announced and a telegram despatched to my Father, onboard HMS Hilary. Needless to say it took several weeks to reach him. The left hand photograph was despatched shortly afterwards. 18 months were to pass before my Father saw me for the first time.
In the right hand photograph I am with my Mother, Doris, in September 1944, shortly after my first birthday. I am wearing a pair of red camel skin shoes my Father sent me from Alexandria. Until well after the War, we lived with my grandparents, John and Laura Padfield, at Little Tawney Hall Farm, Stapleford Tawney, in Essex.
Family History and Photographs
I met Katherine, my lovely wife to be, onboard Oronsay, during the ship's 1967 Christmas Cruise to the West Indies. I was the ship's Navigator and Kathy a Hertfordshire Doctor's daughter, travelling with her parents and four brothers and sisters. It was what the French call a 'coupe de foudre'. We were married at Queenswood School, on 9th September 1972, and have three wonderful children - Timothy, a music publisher ; Laura, a lawyer; and Edward, a Police Officer.
In 1980, following an injury sustained at sea and orthopedic surgery at UCH, I spent three months as an in-patient at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Headley Court. Their caring regime soon had me fit again, and to them I owe an immense debt of gratitude. I was fortunate; there were many servicemen and women with far more serious injuries than mine, sustained on service to our country. It is for this reason that I support and recommend the service charity Help For Heroes to you all. Work on the Headley Court Help for Heroes Rehabilitation Complex has already started. A total of £12.5million has been raised to date and the target of £15million should be reached by Christmas.
My friends and I have a small charity, which can provide assistance and practical advice to young people, typically aged between 16 and 21, who feel they would benefit from a voyage as trainee crew aboard a tall ship. Please contact us for details, using the link below.
Biographical Information:-
My Father second from left, brother Phil, Mother, self. Brother Rob in foreground.
Taken at the Queen's Birthday Parade, HMS Ganges in 1959.
The eldest Son of a
Royal Navy Officer and an Essex farmer's daughter, I trained for the sea aboard
the Incorporated Thames Nautical Training College's
Worcester.
I was a reluctant Worcester Cadet - eventually attaining the rank of Cadet Captain, Yeoman of Signals, Cutter Coxswain and Queen's Standard Bearer for London's East End Boroughs. I cannot say, in all honesty, that I enjoyed my time aboard Worcester. Joining in 1957 at the age of 14, the ship's brutal regime was difficult to accept - particularly the bullying. My ambition, up to then, had been to follow my Grandfather into farming. Also as a Corporal, in the 4th Essex Cadet Regiment, it had been my intention to transfer to the Yeomanry at the earliest opportunity. In those far off days, however, one did as one's Father commanded.
With my father, the day I received my Army Cadet Force uniform, c1955. Uniforms were all ex-Army, hand-me-downs ~ itchy material, some still bearing the scars of war!
Leaving the Worcester at Easter 1961, having been demoted from Cadet Captain and given six cuts with the cane on my penultimate day, I was appointed Midshipman in Her Majesty's Royal Naval Reserve. It having subsequently been discovered that the crime for which I had been punished, bringing intoxicating liquor onboard, had in fact been committed by a fellow Cadet! Joining my first P&O ship, with six blue-black stripes across my behind, caused many a chuckle from my fellow Cadets - all Pangbourne boys!
Indentured to the P&O Steam Navigation Company, my first voyage was to Australia, as a Cadet aboard the company's SS Ballarat, engaged in the wool trade.
MV Strathardle maiden voyage, arriving London 1967, following the inaugural Yokohama Express, Japan-UK non-stop in 26 days.
During my 12 years with P&O, I served in cargo ships and passenger liners, on voyages to the Mediterranean, Far East, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific islands, Canada, Latin America, and the United States.
MV Somali, South China Sea SS Surat, off the Cape of Good Hope
MV Somali hove to in a Beaufort Storm Ten, South of Taiwan
My P&O career culminated in ss Chusan's 1972 six month World Cruise.
Passing my Foreign-Going Masters'Certificate in 1970, I served as Chusan's First Officer - until the ship was sold to Taiwanese breakers, in 1972. She was a beautiful, happy ship and her passing marked the end of the era of stately main-line passenger ship and the inevitable transition to jumbo jets - and custom-built cruise ships.
Joining the Royal Naval College, Greenwich,in late 1972, I completed nuclear submarine training in 1973, and joined HMS Valiant
Back row left, Bob Seaward, old chum from Otus days. Front row, third from left, Chris Belton,
then Andy Thomson and Dick Channon. I'm in the middle row, 3rd from left, grinning like a Cheshire cat!
Following sea time aboard HMS Valiant, I was awarded the Galbraith Wrightson Senior Research Fellowship at the University of Plymouth, where I wrote 'The History & Development of Deep Diving Manned Submersible Vehicles', before joining InterSub of Marseilles, a commercial submarine operator, as Operations Manager in 1975. In 1976, I set up the company's submarine operations in Dubai, in a joint-venture with Swires of Hong Kong. In 1977 I was appointed Managing Director of Kvaerner-InterSub, a joint-venture based in Norway.
Recalled to the Royal Navy in 1981, lecturing at the School of Maritime Operations and Maritime Tactical School, HMS Dryad, I saw active service during the Falklands War.
Left to right: Myself; Lieutenant Commander Lawrie Phillips RNR, Fleet Press Officer; Admiral of The Fleet Sir John Fieldhouse,GCB,GBE,RN, Commander in Chief of the Fleet, Commander Task Force 317; Admiral Sir David Halifax, KCB, KCVO, KBE,RN, Chief of Staff; Rear Admiral Peter Hammersley CB,CBE,RN, Fleet Engineering Officer.
Promoted Commander, I joined the Plessey Naval Systems Company in 1984, rising to General Manager International Sales & Marketing.
Military Service:
Appointed Midshipman RNR in April 1961, I was commissioned Sub Lieutenant in May 1964. After General Service I volunteered for Submarines in 1967, serving two tours in the Patrol Submarine, HMS Otus.
In 1973, I qualified 'Nuclear' at the Royal Naval College Greenwich and served aboard
HMS Valiant, a nuclear hunter-killer.
As a Lieutenant Commander I served throughout the Falklands war on the Staff of the Task Force Commander, for which I received the Falklands Commendation. Transferring to Amphibious Warfare on promotion to Commander in September 1982, I served as Coastal Convoy Commodore and Senior Naval Officer (Afloat) on numerous AW exercises. I retired in 1990.
Maritime Editorial Services
A freelance writer and editor on maritime affairs I am able to undertake a variety of assignments, including: nautical research into ships of all types ~archive searches for ships with a story to tell ~production of articles on all nautical subjects from mini- submarines to ocean liners and the age of sail ~proof reading of nautical articles and books ~checks on authenticity and accuracy in the use of terminology ~film script-writing and narration ~technical consultancy in film and TV production & book reviews.
In 1993, I began researching the loss of the Canadian Pacific Steam Navigation Company's SS Islander~ a story that was to prove almost as fascinating as that of the RMS Titanic. The Islander sank off Juneau, Alaska, in August 1901, while reputedly carrying 12 tonnes of gold bullion from the Klondike. In 1996 I sailed with an expedition from Tacoma Seattle to Juneau and located the missing bow section of the ship, on the 95th anniversary of its sinking - almost to the hour! I would be delighted to hear from you if you have any connections with the ship or her people.
My Links.......
Some
Family History and Photographs
My father's 1946 rescue of Nazi
Holocaust survivors.
Falklands War jottings 25
years on......
Link to U-Boat Enigma and
extracts from 'Autumn of The Grey Wolves' - working title.
Link to InterSub -
International Submarine Services old comrades web page.
Link to SS Islander - midlife crisis and
hunt for gold in Alaska!
The loss of the
SS Princess Sophia - work in progress
HMS Worcester: The
Grand Tradition
My Passenger Ships
SS
Orcades photographs SS Oriana photographs
SS
Oronsay photographs SS Chusan photographs
My Cargo Ships
SS
Ballarat MV
Somali SS
Singapore
MV
Salmara MV
Strathardle SS
Surat
