Navy News Jack To Jack
30 August 2008
Search Navy News Online
Sign Up for our Newsletter
 

Ask Jack - F

 

Falklands: The Museum of the Association of Jewish ex-servicemen and women of the UK (AJEX) in Hendon, are seeking names of any Jewish personnel who served on land, sea or air in the Falklands War, for our records. If you are or know of any Jewish comrades, please contact Archivist Martin Sugarman

Fort Bridgewoods
: Researching the War Officer Wireless Interception Station that was located at Fort Brdigewoods near Chatham. The fort was commanded by Lt Cdr M J W Ellingworth DSM OBE RN Rtd who went on to command at Beaumanor in 1943 in the rank of Lt Col Royal Signals. Ellingworth had joined the navy in 1906 at Ganges as a boy 2nd Class. By 1916 he was one of the youngest CPO Telegraphists in the fleet. He won his DSM at Gallipoli. In 1917 he was commissioned and retired as a Lt Cdr in 1934. He took up command at Bridgewoods in 1935. Trying to establish where he lived between 1934 and 1941. I believe it was in the Strood area of the Medway Towns as I know that he was a church warden at St Mary's Strood. The vicar of St Mary's, the Rev D L Brand who served in the RN during WW1, recruited suitable young men for secret war work as Experimental Wireless Assistants. Many of his staff were ex RN telegraphists. I would also like to find a photograph of him as a naval officer. If you can help, please contact Stephen G Small, LT [SCC] RNR, CO, Medway Towns SCU

HMS Forte: Bill would like to hear from any of the officers - or their families - in a photograph (names on back are: Lt Hart, Mr Perkins, Lt Angove, Lt Cmd Keats, S/Lt Brooks, Lt Forster, Lt Seed, Lt Cmd Luscombe, Lt Dennis, Cmd Vine, Cmd Pirouet, Cmd Bryant, Capt Roch, Capt, Gordon and 3rd Officer Dickerson) which was taken at HMS Forte in Falmouth between December 1943 and July 1944 whilst his father, Lt(E) William Redvers Forster RNR was stationed there. Cpt Roch was the Engineering Base Supervisor at HMS Forte and Lt Cdr(E) Keats and my father were on his staff but the others are not listed as being at HMS Forte in the Navy List for the first quarter of 1944. During his time at Forte my father served on a Landing Ship, Tanks (LST) and was also given a pier head posting (not mentioned in his service record) to an unidentified escort ship on an Arctic convoy to Archangel before joining HMS Venomous in August at the start of its new commission after its refit at Falmouth by Silley Cox & Co. I am researching a short account of my father's life for publication. If you have this photograph in your family album or recognise any of the officers do please contact him. Contact Bill Forster

Film Footage: Can anyone help locate film footage of the internal workings of battleship main armament? There is excellent footage in ‘Sink the Bismarck’ which was shot on HMS Vanguard, but wonder if more exists of a similar quality which includes actual firings? This is a personal interest project, due in part to Stephen’s own experience in 4.5 turrets and due to the long-held disbelief that this country never saved a battleship. The loading arrangements are intriguing and have a genuine air of mystery about them. If you can help, contact Stephen Hislop

Flags: Researching into flags and pennants of the RN. Some time ago a kind person sent me a copy of the current order of flags used when dressing ship overall in port. Does anyone have a copy of the order of the flags for the late 1930’s or maybe some old signallers out there may recall whether that information was kept in a signal manual etc. Contact Bruce Constable

Fleet Air Arm:  If the names Machrihanish, HMS Landrail, Campbeltown or Kintyre ring a bell with you, you may want to get in touch. A group of people in Campbeltown are working on a commemorative exhibition documenting the town and the region’s role during WW2. If you have memories or family stories, photographs or other memorabilia from relatives who were here, please contact Marij van Helmond

Faslane, John Eke:  Seeking any information regarding, John Eke, who served on the Faslane submarine base in the 1940s, and was a Petty Officer. Contact Ivy Chappell

Fort St Angelo, Malta:  David ‘Jock’ Condie was posted to Fort St Angelo in 1958. During the next couple of years he became captain of the Fort St Angelo football team. His daughter has many wonderful memories of watching them play all over Malta. David died a few years ago but it would mean a lot to have some kind of memento of that time. Can anyone help? Even to hear from any of the team who played with him would be wonderful, contact Katie MacDonald

HMS Fairfax: Seeking any information about the wartime activity of this vessel. Contact Norman Fairfax

Film search: Cyril Collier senior was portrayed in the film "The Man who never was", and his son, also called Cyril is trying to trace the other seamen involved. One was called Browning another was Jock McCleod but he is not sure about the last one. This true story was of a dead man, who was used to hoodwink the germans. These guys were not actors, they were real submariners. Contact Cyril Collier

Captain T.I.S. Bell, DSC, RN: Seeking contact with any naval veterans who served with this senior officer during WWII. A former submariner, he was decorated early in the war whilst in HMS Foxglove. Later appointed Senior Naval Officer, Saigon in September, 1945. All correspondence, hopefully from members of his accompanying Port Party, will be gratefully acknowledged. Mike Fogarty

Freetown 1959/61: Having served on the Staff of the Resident Naval Officer in Freetown, Patrick Brannen would like to know what happened to the small Naval Base, the Army HQ at Wilberforce (including the Military Hospital), Kissy Oil Depot, Cline Town Railway Club and even Kingsway Stores. Are there any pictures available? Contact Patrick

HMS Finisterre is the outboard of two ships moored in Melbourne in the early 1960s. Also in the picture is the bow of RFA Retainer. Possibly the three ships were in Melbourne on a visit as, or part of, a group. Does anyone know the name of the vessel that would have been tied up alongside the Finisterre. Contact Nick Hall

Faslane Drama Society: In 1982 Surg Lt Stuart Lloyd was the musical director for a performance of ÔOrpheus in the UnderworldÕ. At the time someone took a video of it and he would dearly love a copy of that video. If you can help, contact him.

William Henry Furze a Navy diver based in Devonport and a member of the Gun Crew in the 60s. His son, who was only two when his father died would like to know more about his father. If you knew him and can help, contact Douglas Furze

HMS Forth, Malta 1957-8: On behalf of a friend, Carlo Micallef is seeking Michael Powell who was stationed in Malta. Any information to Carlo

HMS Fisgard, Class 4, 7th August 1956: Seeking CPO Peter Gilham who passed out from this group. Contact Mark Todd

Flinders Ball: Does anyone know where you would find a 'Flinders Ball'? Who is responsible for the maintainence of lightships? Contact Mr M Adams

 
<<< back Main Menu