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Letters
HMAS Vampire sunk in the Bay of Bengal 9th April 1942 Dear Mr Gregory My name is Michael Thomson. My father, Percy (Jock), now deceased, was a lieutenant on HMAS Vampire sunk in the Bay of Bengal 9th April 1942. He was badly injured, shrapnel in his leg. He spent 6 months in old Colombo recovering, only to return to Darwin on mine sweeper duty, shortly afterwards being blown off the wharf by the Japanese again! Do you know of Vampire's engagement with the Japanese? If so, can you point me toward a photo record of the ship or any articles? I have very much enjoyed reading your site and admire your efforts and obvious passion for the Navy. Do not worry please if you cannot be of service. My thanks
http://www.awm.gov.au/atwar/remembering1942/vampire/index.htm This page is a start, click on the various links to read about the action which sank Vampire, to read Lieutenant Peel's report, and for two photos. When I was at the Royal Australian Naval College over 1936-1939, this old V & W Destroyer from WW1, was stationed at Flinders Naval Depot, and as a Cadet. I sailed in her several times on training trips into Bass Strait. There will be other items about your Dad's old ship I will find and pass on to you. Thank you for your kind words about Ahoy. Mac's Web Log, it is a joint effort between all my writings and my very good friend and Web Master, Terry Kearns in Atlanta Georgia, without his help, expertise, and dedication the site would not exist. We both enjoy our part, and we seem to be attracting more questions from people such as yourself seeking help, the pleasure in hunting down a suitable answer is quite a joy, and we try to assist if possible. With best wishes from us both.
Michael, A painting HMAS Vampire 1939 by Brian Wood. The size is 11.5 by 5 inches, the Print Serial No is VAR 345, from Cranston Fine Arts. Mac.
A brief history of Vampire from the U-Boat net.
Report of the destruction of Force Z, by Japanese aircraft, and HMAS Vampire was part of the Destroyer escort. http://www.angelfire.com/ia/totalwar/ForceZ.html#ForceZ Mac.
It is intersting that my father never spoke about an event that one would expect people these days to never stop talking about. A different generation no doubt or perhaps too many sad memories? He left Wesley College in Melbourne at the age of 15 (his school diary is covered in the drawings of ships and not a jot of homework) to join the John Squire tramp ships (he failed to gain entry to the Naval College at Jervis Bay when I think they only accepted a handful per year), and then spent many years in the Merchant Navy before joining the RAN. He was a Master Mariner. He left the navy in 1946 to stay with the Merchant vessels until the early 1960s when he took up teaching at Scotch College in Melbourne. I do have his war diary or log book which I note, with some emotion, records the sinking of the Repulse.
Vampire's War Diary for December 1941.
Mac.
Here is another page about HMS Vampire. Mac |
