Submitted by F N Hallifax on behalf of Alan C Stuart.
The enclosed story of a true memory from WW2 was given to me by a fellow resident of an apartment block at Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Mr Stuart has been unwell lately and we both served in the Royal Navy. He has asked me to see if his narrative might be published in this 65th anniversary year.
3rd November 2003 Alan C. Stuart writes:
I feel an urge to fill in a few details for you on Arctic Convoy PQ18 and on the North African landings as experienced on HMS Malcolm.
1942
Having enjoyed some sunny weather in the Med returned to England in August issued with warm clothing and sailed to escort a convoy from Loch Ewe to Iceland anchored off Reykjavik where I was to have my last 'bath in a bucket' (no ensuite facilities on Malcolm) for a fortnight then independently to top right up with fuel from a tanker in Sandisfiord the water was so clear that you could see large cod swimming around crewmen on the tanker were fishing with hand lines over the stern and you could see the fish being hooked fish & chips for supper that night!
September 9th
We sailed to form escort round PQ18, forty merchant ships and an impressive escort weather fair but cold daylight hour’s almost continuous slow, zigzagging progress. Within a day or so we were joined by a Blohm & Voss shadowing plane flying around just above the horizon.
The next day or two we started losing ships to submarine attack no warning and suddenly there is another 10,000 ton ship slipping below the waves. The odd high level bombing attack by Hienkels & Junkers but they got a pretty warm reception and weren't all that effective until the 13th.
Malcolm had moved to the rear of the convoy to top up with oil from the tanker Black Ranger, they streamed a fuel hose astern, we hauled it aboard over the bows and started to 'fill up'. During the operation we started getting reports of a large concentration of enemy aircraft approaching from starboard this was the famous 'Golden Comb' attack, about 40 torpedo bombers just above sea level plus other medium and high level bombers.
Malcolm slipped the fuel hose, increased speed and found a bit of sea room. As the torpedo bombers came over the horizon it was an awesome sight a seemingly solid black mass of menacing aircraft stretching along the horizon and relentlessly closing but equally awesome was the reception that they received as they flew low over the escorting destroyers all hell was let loose, then the merchant ships joined in with everything they had and in the middle of the convoy Admiral Burnett's cruiser Scylla blazing away with everything even her main armament at extreme low elevation - a magnificent sight - Malcolm was contributing her 'six pennough' - skipper conning the ship at high speed to avoid torpedoes and bombs - Heinkel ditched just astern of us - wasn't aware of the devastation but I believe we lost 8 ships including all but one of the starboard column of the convoy.
Next day further high level air attacks during one of which we obtained asdic contact with a U boat' as I nipped down from the bridge to flag deck to hoist red flag to indicate 'Attacking submarine' our forward 4.7 gun, trained right round, fired with the muzzle about 6 ft away from my ear - I don't think that my hearing has ever been quite the same since!
More ineffective air raids next day - about this time we had run out of fresh bread and onto ships biscuits, our brave chef attempted to bake some loaves but they didn't rise - so solid that thrown overboard - they sank!!
Next day Scylla and fleet destroyers and escort carrier left us to escort returning convoy. Met by two Russian destroyers to reinforce escort.
18th September
Last air attacks - lost 2 ships. CAM ship in convoy catapulted off Sea Hurricane to combat bombers pilot eventually managed to land at Archangel.
19th September
Nearly there - but terrible weather in the White Sea - unable to go up river to Archangel - had to ride out the storm - several ships ran aground - a coal burning trawler ran out of fuel and after burning mess deck stools and tables was forced to beach. Our officer of the watch - The Hon Grenville Howard was like an excited schoolboy watching the inclinomitor on the bridge - it registered 45° and at one point it was so violent that a fire bucket, full of sand, slid from its position amidship on the upper bridge, clear onto the Hoerlikon gun position 7 or 8 ft below.
When the weather moderated a Russian pilot took us up to Archangel - he got a bit carried away having control of a destroyer and took us up to Divina at about 15 knots, our bow wave playing havoc with all the loose floating pit props and threatening the low river bank. Having cleared pit props from the quay side we tied up to a tree stump forward and a rusty crane aft.
We kept telephone watch in a sentry hut just inside the dockyard gate - sharing with two Russian sentries in smelly fur coats and smoking evil gaspers, handrolled something in brown paper.
Run ashore - dress No 3's and seaboots - roads were muddy - side walks, wooden planking - exterior plaster flaking from wooden buildings - loudspeakers on wood poles blaring martial music and propaganda, soup kitchens and empty shop windows - served lemon tea at the canteen. Back on board - the odd air raid - still after the 13 ships that we had got through. Stores still short - for our mess of 20 men we were supplied - one joint of meat (yak?) - one cabbage and a large, flat round loaf. We were not looking forward to an extended visit so were relieved to receive orders to return home in company with HMS Achates at best speed.
Topped up with oil from a tanker in the Kola Inlet (Murmansk) the most God forsaken place - no U boat or air attacks - couldn't catch us at 30 knots!! Arrived Liverpool drydock to have steel plates welded round our stem, and a ladder/gangplank installed aft - a mysterious exercise at some remote harbour embarking 250 US marines for an hour or so. Then a few days later sailing to escort a fast convoy southwards across the Bay of Biscay passing through the Straits of Gibraltar at night - Malcolm was detached to fuel in Gib - got close alongside a moored ship in the harbour - skipper over the loud hailer 'Ahoy there, we are coming alongside for oil' - reply 'Sorry mate, we've only got bananas'. Oops, wrong ship!
Next day rejoined convoy - detailed to close S.O. to collect 'sealed orders' to deliver to RN escorts - all went well till last delivery - close alongside - costongun line fired across, cylindrical tube containing orders - SECURED!!??x and hauled across. Halfway across the tube slipped out and fell between the two ships - imagine a shadowing U boat coming across the Secret orders for Operation Torch?! Give Skipper A.B. Russell full marks - he turned 80° retraced our tracks and we were lucky enough to sight and pick up that vital tube - phew.
A day or two later we went alongside a larger vessel and embarked 250 US marines as did HMS Broke. The plan was that we should break through the boom at Algiers and land 500 US marines to secure the harbour installations while other forces were landing on beaches either side to East and West. The same sort of operations were planned to take place simultaneously at Oran and Casablanca, the object being to forestall the Germans taking over French ports, ships and installations. We approached Algiers in darkness sailing east along the coast - 2 to 3 miles off shore with Broke close astern.
We could see the lights of Algiers but as we got closer they were gradually extinguished, then a searchlight came on and swept the bay - not enough to illuminate us but the light just glinting on our paintwork (spooky). We continued until we were opposite the harbour entrance turned to starboard on the final approach.
Things then became a bit confused (under statement) the navigator confirmed that by radar we were on course for the boom, O.O.W. reported visually - boom open and submarine exiting meanwhile illuminated at close range by searchlight and engaged by shore battery, hit in for'ard boiler room, marines on deck amidships and one unexploded 3" shell in the telegraph office just beneath the bridge - the skipper turned hard to starboard and retreated at reduced rate. His main concern seemed to me to get out of range of the shore batteries before daylight. The Broke persisted and managed to get alongside in the harbour but with only half the marine force and coming under fierce fire she was forced to retire and eventually sank.
If only we had pressed on I think it would have been different. Still, we lived to fight another day.
HMS Walney and HMS Harland were sunk in their attempt at Oran and I don't think the Americans were any more successful at Casablanca so I reckon Malcolm was the lucky sole survivor.