Dear Sir

I am enclosing a copy of the story of my Father’s life and career in the Royal Navy – Following Father’s Footsteps. I found Dad’s Naval Service Record when clearing Mother’s house to sell after she died in 1995. I used this as a base for my research, on and off, for 10 years. Finally I got round to writing the story as a Family Record, last Autumn when I was also asked to write an article for the HMS Ganges Old Boys’ Magazine. Dick Floyd, their Editor, has a copy to edit for his needs. I send this copy for you to consider using in Navy News. Much of the information was obtained from replies to requests made in the ‘Over to You’ section in Navy News.

Yours sincerely

Roy Pickard.

FOLLOWING FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS ‑ by Roy Pickard
Prepared December 2005
(The life and Career of a former Ganges Boy)

EARLY YEARS:
My father, Harold Pickard, was born on 3.2.1908 at Byker, Newcastle‑on‑Tyne. His father, Thomas Pickard, from Alnwick, was a soldier in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. His mother was Mary Elizabeth Buttle, from Stockton‑on‑Tees, who was "in service" at Newcastle before marriage. My father was the eldest of 6 children; he had 5 sisters. He attended elementary schools until the age of 14 when he became a messenger for a local shop, delivering orders by bicycle. His father wanted him to join the Army, but Dad wanted to join the Navy, so he asked his mother to sign the Papers to go into Boy Service.

BOY TRAINING:
He joined HMS Ganges on 18.8.1923, While there, I understand that he qualified as a Lifesaver, but can't be sure. He was transferred to HMS Impregnable, which incorporated the original HMS Ganges as Impregnable Ill, at Devonport on 6,8‑1924 and joined the Battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth on 24.9.1924 where he completed his Boy Service becoming Ordinary Seaman at age 18 on 3.2.1926. The Queen Elizabeth was based at Malta most of the time Dad was a member of the crew. While docked at Jaffa 29.9 to 7.10.1925, he went on a Day Trip to the Holy Land and I have a copy of the letter he wrote to his mother telling her about the trip. Back at Malta on 17.5,1926, the Ship's Company transferred to HMS Valiant, and vice‑versa, HMS Valiant was based at Malta until her return to Devonport on 23.3.1927. (It was during this time in Malta, late 1926/early 1927,that he first met my Mother.) Dad was transferred to Shore Base, HMS Vivid (now HMS Drake), on 25,5,1927. He became an AB on 3.8.1927 and joined HMS Vansittart on 31.8.1928. The ship took him back to Malta via Gibraltar, Palma and Algiers arriving on 27.10.1928, the day after my mother arrived back in Plymouth. In the meantime, Dad was engaged in more Sea Exercises between Malta and Gibraltar, where on 1.4.1929 he was transferred to HMS Hood, bound for Home Waters and was then transferred to Depot.

COURTSHIP:
Now to introduce my mother to this story and, no, she was not Maltese. Mother was born Marie Alexandra Hannaford on 6.6‑1911 at Galmpton, near Brixham in Devon. Her father, Jack Hannaford, was a Shipsmith at the local Boatyard (now a Marina) where he served his Apprenticeship. The family moved to Plymouth, sometime in 1912, because he got a job at Devon~ Dockyard. He spent some time at Rosyth during the First World War. At the end of the War a lot of men were being made redundant. However, he was offered a tour of duty at Valetta Docks in Malta for 3 years, with a guarantee of work at Devonport on his return. He had two 3-year extensions so stayed for 9 years. The family sailed on the Oranje, which was still kitted out as a Hospital Ship, on 8.10.1919 and arrived in Malta on 16.10.1919. The 4 children (mother, her brother and 2 sisters) went to the Dockyard School at Senglia. The family, except Cyril who had married a Maltese girl, left Malta on the Mantua on 19.9.1928 and arrived at Plymouth on 26,9,1928. Mum and Dad accidentally met one another again, on Plymouth Hoe, in 1929 and started courting ‑ while Dad was Shore based at HMS Vivid April 1929‑ April 1930.

HOME BASE and RODNEY: Back at HMS Vivid Dad went to Gunnery School and eventually became a Seaman Gunner on 4.2.1930. He joined the Battleship HMS Rodney on 16.4.1930 and was involved in Sea Exercises off the north coast of Scotland, including a visit to Reykjavik, Iceland, before returning to Devonport for Navy Days in August ‑ then back to Scotland for a "wee while" before going to the Caribbean Islands during February 1931 and back to Devonport, via Gibraltar, arriving 31.3.1931. It was during this trip that he became acting Range Taker 3. The ship returned to Scapa Flow in May 1931 for exercises off Cromarty again, followed by more exercises off Weymouth in June 1931, then back to Scotland for a while, returning to Devonport on 24.11.31 for some leave over Christmas and New Year, Mum and Dad got engaged on New Year's Eve. Dad was posted back to HMS Vivid going to Gunnery School again and qualified as Range Taker 3 on 31,8.32.

CHINA FLEET:
Dad joined the County Class Cruiser HMS Berwick on 12.10.32. She had just completed a six months refit and Dad's first experience on board was with exercises in Plymouth Sound launching a Nimrod Seaplane by catapult and hoisting it back on board. The ship was then commissioned to return to China, so Mum and Dad decided to get married. This was arranged for 6.12.32, because the ship was to set sail on 10.12.32. She arrived in Hong Kong on 28.1.33. Later they sailed to Shanghai arriving on 24.2.33 and returned to Hong Kong on 1‑4,33 for more sea exercises until 1.5.33 when they went north on patrol along the east China coast to those far‑away‑places with strange sounding names ‑ many of them spelt differently now in the modem atlases ‑ up as far as Dairen, Manchuria, on the coast of Korea Bay, These places included Wei Hei Wei, Hankow, Woosung, Nanking, Wangchas, Chefoo, Pertaiko, Tsingtoo and Chin Wang Too, Berwick returned to Hong Kong on 4.10.33 and went into Taikoo Dock for repairs which were completed on 2‑12.33, More sea trials before Christmas then torpedo exercises in the New Year. Berwick left Hong Kong again on 14,1.34 to go island hopping until 20.1.34. More exercises until 6,3.34 when they sailed to Amoy via Ting Sen, ldiomo and Hishi, anchoring off Kulangshu on 20,3.34. They proceeded to Shanghai via Tung Kuen, Tung Yung, Haishan and Gutylaft passing 3 Japanese Destroyers on their way. On 23.3,34 they sailed up the Yangtse anchoring at Woosung until 1,7.34 when they returned to Hong Kong for 3 days before going on to Singapore arriving at the Naval Base on 12.7,34, leaving again on 17.7.34 to return to Home Waters arriving at Devonport on 25.8.34, Now back at Gunnery School, Dad eventually qualified as RT2 on 1,4.35 and I was born on 8.8,35. As usual when in Port, he took part in the Field Gun Running Teams and on the ranges at HMS Trevol,

HOBBIES:
Now it is time to mention 3 more things about my Dad. Firstly, he was a good shot with the rifle and revolver being a member of the Devonport Port Rifle and Revolver Association and the Navy Shooting Team, so naturally he visited the China Fleet Rifle Club frequently while in Hong Kong and he was a regular visitor to Bisley Camp for various competitions ‑ winning his own Webley Pistol as a prize, Secondly, he was a member of the Deep Sea Scouts. Thirdly, he was a keen photographer and I have an album of photographs of his visit to Japan, his travels off the Berwick, and various Scout meetings, one of which is a group including the well known Padre, Tubby Clayton, who founded the Toc H movement in 1915, BISLEY CAMP (National Rifle Association): Back to Bisley, Dad visited there in 1932, 1935, 1937 and 1938. The two most important of his victories were the McQueen Cup (incorporating the Entente Cordiale") in 1937‑ the first British sailor to win it for 30 years ‑ and the Methuen Cup in 1938, as one of 8 members in the HMS Drake Team. I attach photographs of the Methuen Cup Team and the McQueen Cup, the latter with me on the right and Ted Molineux, the Curator of Bisley Museum, on the left.

MINESWEEPING:
On 13.10.35 Dad joined the Minesweeper HMS Speedwell arriving Gibraltar on 17.10.35, then to Malta arriving 22.10.35. Here Dad took the opportunity to visit Mums brother, Cyril, and his family. The ship left Malta on 27.10.35 for Alexandria arriving 31.10,35 where it stayed for 6 months apart from exercises and a visit to Famagusta On 20,1.36 there was a special memorial service on the Quarter Deck for the interment of King George V. On 8,2.36, two of Dads former ships arrived at Alexandria ‑ Queen Elizabeth and Berwick. The Minesweeping Exercise "Oropesa" took place on 6,4.36 after which Speedwell left Alexandria on 28.4.36 arriving in Malta on 1.5,36, leaving again on 3.5,36 via Gibraltar arriving at Devonport on 26.6,36, The ship later spent some time at Portland which included cleaning and painting work. From 6,7 to 31.7.36 a series of Minesweeping exercises took place off the coast of Portland, Seaton and Teignmouth, eventually returning to Devonport on 31.7,36 for a welcome period of leave. On 7,9.36 the ship sailed back to Portland for more Minesweeping exercises but on 13.11.36 King George VI visited the ship. Two further exercises were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. On 10.12.36 the ship sailed for Torbay, then on to Devonport arriving 12,12.36 for Christmas and New Year, More exercises between Portland and Weymouth from 15.1.37 to 1.4.37 and the whole crew was discharged to Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Drake, on 14.4.37.

BACK TO DEPOT: At Shore Base, Dad was once again at Gunnery School and became A/Leading Seaman on 5.9.37 and made substantive on 5,9.38. Another visit to Bisley, as aforementioned, and my sister, Wendy, was born on 24.7.38

PRELUDE TO WAR:
On 18.10.38 he joined the Tribal Class Destroyer HMS Gurkha which was commissioned at Govan on the Clyde on 21.10.38. During November she received final fittings and repairs then went on final trials. In December she sailed for Malta arriving 20.1238 where she joined HMS Alfridi. They worked mostly together, 1 understand, on contraband duties. Dad became a Control Rating 2 on 15.2.39 and on 23.2.39 the 2 ships sailed to Gibraltar for Med and Home fleets combined exercises from 28.2 to 3.3.39 and again from 6.3. to 10.3.39 which were followed by Staff Conferences. On 18,3,39 the fleets began to disperse. The Home fleet returned to UK for Easter. HMS Gurkha was despatched to Almeria and Cartagena to visit British Consuls, then returned to Gibraltar and was joined by HMS Sikh to sail to Palma and Malta. During this voyage they carried out towing exercises but they collided causing minor damage to both ships, which were repaired at Malta On 7.4.39 Alfridi and Gurkha went on separate contraband control duties but during April and May Gurkha sailed around the Greek Islands for the Albanian Crisis. On 7.7.39 Gurkha Alfridi, Mohawk and Sikh visited Athens to accompany the Aircraft Carrier Glorious. They returned to Malta at the end of July. (It was during these times in Malta that Dad again visited my Uncle Cyril who by now had 4 children and had lost his wife. Dad started procedures to adopt my cousin Emma, who was 3 years old.) In early August Gurkha took part in exercises off Crete and Cyprus. On 15,8.39 Alfridi and Gurkha with Mohawk and Sikh escorted four 'G' class Destroyers through the Suez Canal and down the Red Sea Then on 3.9.39 the ship's Tannoy blasted out "TOTAL GERMANY".

THE WAR YEARS:
The four ships on escort duty made a fast return to the UK and Dad was made A/PO on 6.9.39. (The War put a stop to the adoption procedures for Emma because all passenger voyages were cancelled). These four ships joined the Home Fleet for Blockade Controls and Convoy Escort duties in the North Sea ‑ part of the Humber Striking Force based at Immingham. Gurkha then went on to the Atlantic for more Convoy Escort duties until December when she escorted Rodney to Liverpool for repairs to her steering gear. But Gurkha developed turbine trouble with her engines so sailed round to Southampton for engine repairs at Vosper Thorneycroft. Mother took Wendy and me to Southampton to see Dad and I can vaguely remember walking from Woolston Station, past VT, to our B&B digs for several weeks. Gurkha rejoined the Home Fleet and on 8.2.40, with Nubian, went hunting for U‑Boats off Scapa flow and on 12.2.40 another U‑Boat hunt off Norway while escorting a Convoy, On 21.2,40 Gurkha caused the destruction of U‑Boat No 53 jointly with the French Destroyer, Le Fantasque. On 8.3.40, during a snowstorm at sea, Gurkha and Nubian were escorting a southbound Norwegian convoy off Shetlands when they met a northbound Norwegian convoy and Gurkha's propeller gashed a hole in Kelly's bow. On 7.4.40 Gurkha sailed from Rosyth with Alfridi and a force of Destroyers and Cruisers meeting up with the Home fleet on 9.4.40. They were later detached to attack Bergen but were recalled. At 1400 hours the force was attacked by German Bombers. The violent weather prevented adequate AA defence. Gurkha came round onto a better course which promised better results but it meant that she became detached from the convoy and out of the smoke screen, The enemy aircraft immediately concentrated on her. One of the bombs hit aft blowing a 40ft hole in the starboard side; at 1900 she rolled over and sank. (I eventually made contact with Bill Parkes ‑ through Navy News ‑ who was a L/S with Dad on the Gurkha and he told me that they were in the sea for 4 hours, A submarine surfaced, fortunately British, and took the officers on board ‑ that was HMS Seal, The men were told that a ship was on its way, HMS Aurora picked them up and took them to Thurso. They were all put on a train the next morning and were taken direct to Devonport, arriving late evening, where a fish and chips supper was ready for them.) This was the first of 7 such Bomb/salvo/torpedo incidents that Dad encountered during the War. Incidentally, Bill Parkes later joined HMS Hermione and eventually was posted to Canada.

RETREAT FROM DUNKIRK:
Although the survivors were now based in Devonport, this meant that they were available for any emergency ... and they didn't have to wait long ... Operation Dynamo (Retreat from Dunkirk) needed all the men that were available and there wasn't time to keep service records up to date. But I remember my Mother telling me that Dad was there and, that the ship he was on sank because a bomb dropped down the funnel and blew up the Engine Room. So, during my research, I borrowed books from the Library and soon discovered that this was the Destroyer HMS Keith. The survivors were picked up by the Admiralty Tug, St Abbs, which was sunk an hour later (2nd and 3rd incidents). The remaining survivors swam to the wreck of the Clan MacAlister and were picked 11 hours later by the Tug, Sun Xl, and taken to Dover ‑ Dad amongst them, presumably, and he eventually returned to HMS Drake, but I don't know when. However, his service record does show that he was made substantive PO on 6.9.40 and qualified as a Control Rating l on 28.11.40. Dad was soon at Sea again for more ACTION.

BIG GUNS:
The Battleship HMS Prince of Wales was commissioned at Birkenhead, on the Mersey, on 18.1.41 and sailed to Rosyth on 28.1.41 anchoring in the Firth of Forth. Dad joined her there on 15.2.41. She sailed up to Scapa Flow in the Orkneys on 24.2.41 for "working up" exercises. This lasted only 7 weeks because an emergency arose. Several civilians were still on board, employees of the Gunsmiths, setting the guns which were not yet ready for action. However, the German Battleship BISMARK and the Cruiser Prinz Eugen had been spotted leaving Bergen heading for the Atlantic. They laid in wait in the Denmark Strait, between Iceland and Greenland, ready to attack convoys of supply ships from USA to Britain, The Prince of Wales and the Hood, along with Destroyers Electra. Echo, Norfolk and Suffolk, sailed from Scapa Flow on 21.5.41. Bismarck was sighted at 1930 hours on 23.5.41. Action commenced early the next morning. Prinz Eugen hit Hoods Magazine amidships so she exploded and sank in two minutes with only 3 survivors, who were picked up by Norfolk, Prince of Wales guns were still not set property so kept missing Bismarck but did manage to score one hit which damaged her rudder and caused an oil leak. Prince of Wales was hit 7 times by Bismarck, one salvo going through the Bridge killing several officers, Because of the bad weather conditions, Dad was on the Air Observation Platform to do the Range Taking for the A & B turret guns, so he was stranded for a while (his 4th incident). The attack was eventually aborted and Bismarck slipped away. Prinz Eugen managed to escape to Brest. Bismarck was spotted again on 26.5.41 by Catalinas of Coastal Command and she was leaving an oil trail. She was eventually sunk by HMS Dorsetshire on 27,5,41, Prince of Wales later anchored off Hvalfjord, Iceland for repairs and oiling before going on to Rosyth for repairs to the Bridge from 30.5.41 to 19,7.41, when she then returned to Scapa Flow until the end of July.

ATLANTIC CONFERENCE and OPERATION HALBERD:
On 1.8.41 she was fitted out as a Flag Ship ready for Churchill joining her on 4.8.41 for the famous Atlantic Conference with Roosevelt. The ship paid a courtesy visit to Reykjavik on the way to Placentia Bay, off Newfoundland. After the Conference, they returned to Scapa Flow arriving on 18,8,41, Not for long, though, as she sailed for the Med. on 15.9.41 to take part in Operation Halberd as an escort for the transport of troops and supplies to Malta On this voyage they were attacked by Italian aircraft but returned safely to Scapa Flow on 6.10.41. Then on 20.10.41 they took on ammunition and supplies before sailing to the Clyde.

DANCING WITH DEATH & THE END OF THE BATTLESHIP ERA:
Admiral Phillips boarded her on 23.10.41 at Greenock and she sailed for the Far East on 25,10.41 calling at Freetown and Cape Town where, as she sailed in, the Aircraft Carrier HMS Hermes sailed out of Simon's Town. Meanwhile, the new Aircraft Carrier HMS Indomitable was "working‑up" oft Bermuda, making ready to join Prince of Wales at Singapore, but she ran aground and was diverted to Florida for repairs. The question was, "should Hermes have been diverted to Singapore?" but, I now understand, she was too small to be considered suitable. My mother took me to the Cinema often to see the Newsreels for news of Dad's whereabouts and we saw one of the Prince of Wales arriving at Cape Town and another of Dad getting off the ship and he waved to the camera. Meanwhile, HMS Repulse was at Durban before going on to Ceylon, where later, she was joined by Prince of Wales. They both arrived at Singapore on 2,12.41 and were joined by the other ships that were to form Force Z ‑ Destroyers Electra, Express, Tenedos, and HMAS Vampire, On 8.12.41, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, Force Z set sail for the South China Sea because of reports that Japanese troops were landing at Kota Baharu on the north‑east coast of Malaya They were without Air Cover but the sky was cloudy. Force Z kept changing course due to varying reports of sightings. HMS Tenedos had to return to Singapore because she was short on fuel. On 10.12.41 the cloud dispersed just as a Japanese Bomber Squadron flew overhead. Both the Prince of Wales and the Repulse were sunk off Kuantan. Dad survived again (his 5th incident). Prince of Wales survivors were rescued by HMS Express; Repulse survivors were rescued by HMS Electra and HMAS Vampire. Whilst this was happening, the Japanese Squadron Leader flew back over the scene and dropped two wreaths over the site of the sinkings. Survivors were taken to Singapore and became part of the Naval Base, HMS Sultan. Dad sent us a telegram but it took a long time to reach us in Plymouth. Years later I was told that there was a queue of about 2000 waiting to send a telegram. Dad did Guard Duty at Sultan for a while before being sent to Singapore Docks and he just happened to bump into his cousin Tommy Pickard. The situation in Singapore gradually worsened and on 12.2.42 Dad became one of the crew of a requisitioned boat, the Kung Wo, to evacuate mainly civilians and nurses.

ESCAPE FROM SINGAPORE:
The Kung Wo belonged to the Indo‑China Steam Navigation Co. managed by Jardines. It sailed at midnight along with two other requisitioned boats called Tien Kuang and Kuala. Another 3 left later that night ‑ the Ping Wo, Shuan Quan and Mata Hari ‑ similarly requisitioned. All 6 were sunk by Japanese fighter bombers the next morning (the 6th incident). Survivors of the Kung Wo managed to get to Benku (Bengkoe) Island by lifeboat, whilst those from Tien Kuang and Kuala got to Pompong Island, but as some of them were climbing up the cliff face, Japanese fighter planes swooped in and shot them. Their story can be read in more detail in Geoffrey Brooke's book "Singapore's Dunkirk" ‑ ISBN 0‑85052‑051‑7, which has recently been re‑published (but maybe with a new ISBN?). Singapore fell on 15.2.42. However, the remaining survivors were rescued, after one week on the islands, by the Sultan of Jahore’s Yacht, and taken to Dabo on Sinkep Island where, on 21.2.42, they were transferred to river boats which took them up the Indragiri River, eastern Sumatra arriving at Prig Raja on 22nd and at Tambilahan by midnight, continuing on to Rengat on 23rd, arriving at Lyer Molek on 24th. The rest of the Journey across Sumatra was by road to Sawalunto and then by train to Padang. The full story of this journey is also oven in Richard Gough's book "Escape from Singapore" ‑ ISBN 0‑7183-0655-4. Geoffrey Brooke has since retraced this journey and has oven me photos of each of the overnight stopping points.

PRISONERS OF WAR:
At Padang, it was hoped to get on board Naval vessels from Ceylon but the Japanese bombers were wailing until the boats were full and sank them after they left harbour, thus no more ships came into Padang, leaving 500 men and women stranded. These were all taken prisoners on about 5.3.42. Most, including Dad, were taken by road to Medan and interned at Gluger Camp (there are various spellings of this name). I belong to the Far East Prisoners of War Association and since moving to Southampton have attended meetings, but there are no Naval members, so I have often attended meetings of the Portsmouth Branch.  I met Len Williams there and he was in the same camp so was able to tell me that they were kept busy from 6.00am to 10.00pm every day on slave labour, firstly building Pagodas for the Japanese to use for their worship; loading and unloading ships at Medan's port, Belawen, and on building a road to Banda Aceh in the far north‑west corner of Sumatra (the area of the Dec 2004 Tsunami disaster). This was intended to be a "jumping off point for the Japanese to invade Burma However, a few days after the road was unshed, the Monsoons came and broke it all up, (Divine intervention?). I am grateful to Len for this information ‑ and there is more later. Len did not know Dad but pointed out that they were all so tired when they got back to their hut, they just went to sleep, so did not get to know many of the other men in the same hut. Life in the camp continued with daily hard labour but there were some lighter moments because one of the official prisoners was a dog called Judy (mascot on HMS Grasshopper) who helped to outwit the Guards on several occasions. Her story is told in another book ‑ The Judy Story by E. Varley ‑ ISBN 0‑285‑62121‑1. She was awarded the Canine VC after the War.

THE HELL SHIP:
One of the quirks of War was that, because the Japanese refused to sign the Geneva Convention and thus did not fly the Red Cross Flag when carrying "prisoners of war" on Transport Ships, 13 of these were torpedoed and sunk by allied submarines, ships or aircraft. Such was the case with the Harukiku Maru (formerly the SS Van Waerwijk) scuttled by the Dutch but refloated by the Japanese. Late on 25.6,44, the prisoners at Gluger Camp embarked on this ship which was part of a convoy heading for Japan. The next morning the British Submarine HMS Truculent fired 2 torpedoes, one of which sank the Harukiku Maru. This was recorded in the Log and the Sub dived, Unknown to them, the second sank one of the fuel tankers in the convoy a few minutes later. Many of the prisoners lost their lives including Dad. This was his 7th incident but it was not a "lucky 7" for him. Len Williams was on deck for exercise when the torpedo hit; he saw it coming and jumped over the side. The survivors eventually managed to struggle aboard the other ships in the convoy, some with the help of Judy bringing pieces of floating materials to those who were struggling in the water. The remaining ships went to Singapore where orders were changed. The Burma railway was finished so the Japs were moving all the Engineers and equipment to Sumatra. The prisoners were also taken back to Sumatra, down the east coast, and were put to work on the Pekanbaru Railway until the Japanese surrender on 15.8.45. Apparently, the railway was finished 3 days before the Surrender but was overgrown by the jungle again within 3 m~, (Incidentally, Len later served on HMS Amethyst and was involved in the Yangtse incident He ended his career on the Royal Yacht Britannia, as did my friend Tony Grimmer of the Ganges Association.)

AFTERMATH OF THE WAR:
When the War ended in August 1945, surviving Prisoners were in a terrible state of health (like walking skeletons) and needed medical treatment for malnutrition and Tropical Diseases for at least 3 months, in most cases, before they were fit enough to be brought home to Britain. As men arrived home in early 1946, we were still wailing to hear news about Dad. Eventually, we were told that he was "missing" ‑ then later that he was "missing presumed dead" ‑ and then "that, on reliable information, he had died whilst a prisoner of war." Several men who returned visited mother to tell her how he had died with the sinking of the Harukiku Maru but there were three varying accounts: 1) that he was in the part of the ship that got hit by the torpedo and could not have survived; that he was helping to save other lives and either, 2) got so badly covered in oil that he died from skin suffocation or, 3) left it too late to save himself, so was drowned by suction when the ship sank, They were kind and meant well but we were still not sure of the real situation, except that he died with the sinking of the Harukiku Maru. However, the latter story (3) was confirmed by a Dutch Naval Officer, Lt D. Herstel, who wrote to mother in 1953. When we were eventually sent official confirmation, in August 1946, it was more than 2 years after his death. The cause of death on his Death Certificate is "Killed in Action". His official grave is the Naval War Memorial on Plymouth Hoe, but his real grave is the wreck of the SS Van Waerwijk (Harukiku Maru) at Lat 3.15N, Long 99.47E in the Malacca Strait, off Tanjungbalai. The wreck is regarded as a Shipping Hazard because the masts are visible only at low tide ‑ according to information received from the Dutch Navy.

FOOTNOTES:
1. The Prince of Wales carried two Walrus Seaplanes and their crews on board. The Repulse carried only one which was catapulted into flight a short while before the Japanese attack on Force Z, After recognisance over the east coast of Malaya searching for troop landings, the plot returned to the scene. Noticing the carnage he had to divert to Singapore, but ran out of fuel 60 miles short, so had to be towed the rest of the way. The Walrus Seaplanes were bill: in Southampton just a short distance up the River Itchen from Vosper Thorneycroft, where HMS Gurkha had her turbine engines repaired

2. Whilst researching my father's Naval Career, I made contact with a member of the crew of HMS Truculent. He had responded to a notice I put in the Navy News and informed me that after sinking the Hell Ship the Japanese dropped Depth Charges and one of them damaged one of their engines. One of the crew had worked for the firm who had made the engines so he volunteered to go outside the submarine, in diving gear, to have a look at the damage. He found that the casing had a hole in it, so went back into the submarine to find material to block the hole. This he did with a block of wood and they were able to return to Colombo, in Ceylon, but it took them 3 weeks. It was on arrival at Colombo that they learned about allied prisoners being on board Harukiku Maru, (177 died ‑ but 543 survived.) The Captain of the submarine had a nervous breakdown and eventually committed suicide over the experience ‑ according to the crew member, Eddie Brown, who contacted me.

3. Four of Dads sisters were in the Services during the War', (Lucy was already married); Bessie and Nancy were in the WRNS ‑ both married sailors; Jean and Joyce were in the WMF ‑ both married Airmen. Joyce is now over 80 and lives on Jersey.

4. Details of ships movements were taken from Ship's Logs at the Public Records Office, except for 1941 in respect of Prince of Wales and Repulse, which were lost with those Ships.

CONCLUSION:
It was hard for us as a family watching other men come home to rejoin their families ‑ and mother's income dropped drastically, She had to go out to work to earn enough to raise my sister and me while our Grandmother looked after us during the day. This was the same for many War Widows, Mother got moral support by joining the War Widow's Guild which was formed by the Head of the Community Services Council in Plymouth. She also joined the Far East Prisoners of War Association, when it was formed in 1954, after the survivors were well enough to organise things, Now, in 2005, the organisation has officially disbanded, but former branches continue to meet for informal social gatherings and I consider it a privilege to be accepted as an associate member of their fraternity. I still attend meetings occasionally at Plymouth and Portsmouth, but more regularly at Southampton.