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Letters
Historical piece about former sailor for Stuart Dear Mr Gregory, I am a long-time subscriber of SMML and have enjoyed your postings to that forum, and have looked over your website frequently -- it's a great resource. I am currently under training at HMAS Creswell and have been asked to put together a short history piece. We are asked to interview a former Naval member and base the historical piece on their information. The purpose of this email is to ask if you would be prepared to participate and assist me in my article. I note that you were in Jervis -- I am in Flinders Division, but hope that won't sway you one way or another! If you are happy to participate I am required to ask some questions, and will include them here to help with your decision. I am able to obtain most of this information from your website, but will type them out here anyway: period of service In addition, we have been told that no more than two cadets may requestinformation from any one source. So, if you have had anyone from Creswell contact you recently for information let me know and I will keep looking for someone! Thanks in advance for your time. Yours sincerely,
We are home again, and trust you had my brief response from NZ. Here goes with answers to your questions: Period of Service. January 1936/September 1954. January 1936 Royal Australian Naval College until August 1939, when my Jervis Year was stopped from our final leave and sent off to join the fleet with the impending start of WW2. I went to Canberra briefly, then joined Australia in early September 1939 just after war was declared. She served in the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow, and did Atlantic Convoying. We were present at de Gaulle's abortive Dakar fiasco over September 23,24, 25 1940. You will find that story on my web site. In October 1940 we picked up 9 of a crew of 13 from a downed Sunderland from Coastal Command, again you will find that on AHOY. Australia was bombed in dry dock in Liverpool over December 1940, see Ahoy again for that story. The Jervis Bay incident took place during our time in the Atlantic. We spent a brief time with Admiral Somerville's Force H at Gibraltar, and he addressed the crew there. We escorted the largest troop convoy to leave UK early in 1941 to the Cape and Durban. I did my seamanship exam for A/ Sub in Colombo, in April 41, was promoted, and spent three glorious weeks in Ceylon waiting to return to UK for Sub's courses. At a rest camp in the middle of Ceylon we met a wealth English tea planter, who heard our Aussie accents, he had been badly wounded at Gallipoli in WW1, was picked up by an Australian soldier and carried to medical care, saved his life he declared, he wined and dined us over several days. Took passage back to UK in troopship Empress of Japan, in charge of the British Army, a ghastly trip, filled with Indian Troops to man AA defences in England. Our courses took place at Portsmouth, and in Brighton, at the latter, our hotel was bombed and the top floor hit, we were all fine, the Signals course took place at the former Rodean Girl's School, notices still read Should you require a Mistress during the night please ring! We certainly rang, all to no avail!! Sydney sunk by Kormoran November 1941, all her crew of 635 lost. I came home in the Blue Star ship Tuscan Star, via the Panama Canal, a story about this ship is on Ahoy. Arrived in Melbourne on Pearl Harbor Day, 7th. December 1941, at last, the result of the war now appeared certain, with the US involved final victory now a matter of time. Joined Canberra December 1941, and then in February 42 we took the last troops to the doorstep of Singapore called in at Batavia. 1942 was a horrendous year, Darwin bombed, Singapore fell, Perth sunk, Coral Sea, Midway, Japanese Sub attack Sydney Harbour 31st May/1st June 42, Canberra was at No1 Buoy and was lucky to survive, I was OOW at time, this story is on Ahoy too. Kuttabul was sunk with loss of 23 sailors. Battle of Savo Island when Canberra was sunk, at the start of the battle I was OOW in her, having been granted my Watch Keeping Ticket by Captain G B Moore, RAN earlier in the year, I guess I was the last to earn that in that ship. Again see Ahoy for all the details of Savo. Came home for two weeks leave, rekitted, and joined Adelaide as a watch keeper. Yarra, Voyager, and Armidale all sunk in that awful year of 1942. Details of the Yarra and Armidale losses may be found on AHOY. Adelaide involved in convoy escorts in the Indian Ocean, we sank a blockade runner, Ramses, and that piece is on the site. My main memory of that action, when the German prisoners were alongside, and were being hoisted on board, a dog and a pig swam up, we stopped the prisoner recovery to get the animals inboard. I now joined Shropshire at Manus just after the Battle of Suriago Strait in October 1944, that was the last great sea battle in Naval History, the Battle of Leyte Gulf is on Ahoy. Trying to join the ship I was in Brisbane, the Yanks had the only aircraft flying up through New Guinea to the Admiralty Islands, several times I fronted for a ride to be told I had no priority. In desperation, I had the Brisbane Depot provide me with a South West Pacific Travel Request it stated.
The Yanks gasped, What do you do? Too secret to tell you was my response. I was away, sitting on mail bags and cargo in an unheated DC3, all up the Queensland coast, hopping along the Papua/New Guinea coast to arrive at Manus in a blinding rain storm. No one had heard of Shropshire, sat in a hut for 2 days until the rain cleared, there was my ship, anchored about 100 yards away. We had Christmas early about the 19th. of December, as we were off for the Lingayen landings. I was appointed Mate of the Upper Deck, to organise all the seamen work under the Direction of Commander Copper Morrow RAN, and run the Commander's Office, he was a wonderful seaman and Naval officer, it was a great job. We had a torrid time at Lingayen, the Kamikaze aircraft in full cry. Australia collected five of them, just 3 cables from us, our gunnery was superb, we fired the 8 inch in barrage using HE and radar control against the Japanese aircraft. At Manus we had acquired an extra 13 single bofor mountings for a couple of cases of scotch, these were mounted on top of the turrets and all round the ship, this extra AA fire power without any doubt saved us from the same fate as the flagship. We bombarded Corregidor, and had the honour of leading the US fleet into Manila Bay, but the Yanks did not tell us that the entrance had not been swept by the minesweepers. We took part in the two landings in Borneo. The two atomic bombs were dropped the war was over, I was delighted with Truman's decision to shorten the war by dropping these bombs and we held no qualms at all about their use. Our next operation was to be a landing on Japan, this would have been devastating in the expected number of casualities, a story about the planned invasion of the Japanese homeland is on Ahoy. The surrender of the Japanese in Tokyo Bay came on the 2nd. of September 1945, and Shropshire was there, we had survived and not lost one man to enemy action. She was a wonderful ship and the best I ever served in with a wonderful company, a mix of permanent Officers and sailors blended with fine enlistments of both officers and sailors for WW2. We served in Japan with the occupation force until going home in November. I stayed as ship's company when she took the victory contingent of all three services including females, to England for the Victory March through London in 1946. I guess General MacArthur was the biggest VIP, during my time at sea in the Pacific in WW2, and I saw him several times, in general, I do not believe the Aussie troops were too enamoured with him, he always wanted the US forces and particularly himself to gain all the credit, one would hardly know any Australian ships or our other services served in the Pacific theatre. I then stayed in UK when Shropshire came home, I was waiting to start the first combined course for a Torpedo Anti Submarine Specialist. I went to HMS Osprey the anti submarine school to wait for my course to start in 1947. All of 1947, and into 1948 was taken up qualifying as a TASO, I joined 9 RN, two Canadians and two Indian Naval Officers, for us to roam UK, Scotland and Northern Ireland, as we took various parts of this specialist course, including Torpedoes, Anti Submarine, Diving, Bomb Disposal, Mining and Mine Sweeping, Degaussing, the Submarine Tactical School at Londonderry, Torpedo firings at Loch Long in Scotland. We had an absolute ball all over the United Kingdom. I had been married in December 1945 when the ship came home to Australia, and my wife Gladys joined me in UK, for the most part the only female travelling with us and was known by my course mates as Mrs DIGGER. When we graduated we celebrated by taking most of the front row of the Dress Circle at the Drury Lane Theatre in London for a performance of Oaklahoma! We came home in the Strathaird on her first voyage after being refurbished as a passenger ship after trooping the whole war, she broke down at Bombay, and we had a week there. I now joined Captain W H Harrington RAN ( Captain D's ) staff as the Flotilla TAS Officer in Warramunga, the first RAN officer to so qualify. Arch Harrington was a tough Captain but a marvellous seaman, we ran into a cyclone off Gladstone, most of the ship's boats were damaged, we took a greenie in the engine room and the dynamo went off the board, I was OOW, and it was too rough to even try and get off the bridge. The ship rolled incredible angles both ways, the Captain with great skill somehow kept our bows into the teeth of the cyclone, we could quite easily have been sunk, eventually the blow subsided after a number of hours and we limped home to Sydney, a sorry mess with a lot of weather damage to the ship. We went off to Bataan for a spell, back again to Warramunga, we went down to Melbourne to work up in the bay. The Captain told me to prepare all our outfit of torpedoes to fire, in peace time if one fired one fish a year it was an event, on my long course, I had prepared one torpedo, fired it, recovered it and done the after firing routine. But to get 8 ready, fire, recover them and then do 8 after firing routines was an enormous challenge, my TI was frightened out of his wits at just the thought of it all. We came up to speed, squirted of four 4 fish to starboard, turned, fired the second four, the old man turned to me saying, TAS, on what bearing and when, will your first Torpedo appear? and I should add it had better come up!! I quickly said green 20, in 4 minutes SIR, then sweated out the worst four minutes of my life, but luck was my way, up popped my first fish right on time, and where it should be. All 8 came up, Well said my Captain, Don't stand there, get off and bring them all home!! Quite an experience I can tell you Stuart, but wonderful training. I now developed serious head aches, and was sent ashore for at least six months, I had been at sea or overseas on my course since August 1939, it was ten years later. I had a spell at Rushcutter, teaching, then to Navy office in Melbourne, in my specialist capacity on the staff of the Director of Training and Staff Requirements. A Signal, Navigation, Gunnery and TAS Specialist all advised the Naval Board on the RAN's specialist training and equipment needs for the future, it was a fascinating appointment. In April of 1950 we had our first child a daughter who died only a month old with meningitis, about Septemer I was called in the office of the Second Naval Member and offered the position of Aide-de Camp to His Excellency the Governor General, then Mr William McKell. Dacre Smythe and Max Peachey had both had a year in the job, the GG had at first had an Army bod, then an RAAF officer, neither had worked, and Dacre hit the spot, and HE would therafter only take Naval Officers. The 2nd NM said this appointment will not do your career any harm should you accept, but there was not any pressure on me to take the job, as I was due to go to sea again, we decided to go off to Canberra at Government House. By chance, the King died, and HE did not want to change ADC's, and I finished up staying from 1950 through to 1953, a tremendous experience, I knew the Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies, and all his Ministers well, all the State Governors, for six months when Sir William went off to UK to get his knighthood from the Queen , I took over as ADC to the Commonwealth Administrator Sir John Northcott, he was an absolute delight to work for. We went off to the rocket range at Woomera, and opened the firsr parliament of Papua/New Guinea, up to Manus to see the Navy, Sir John wanted to visit there, the Japanese General he fought in NG was a POW at Manus, and Sir J wanted to talk to him. We travelled all over Australia, I met everyone of note who called at Government House, it was the Commonwealth Jubilee celebration year, but Ben Chifley died that night of the main dinner, and we all went home. We went for his funeral at Bathurst. I met Field Marshall Montgomery, Foster Dulles as the Secretary of State for the US, and many other notables. When Sir William's time was up, Bill Slim was appointed as the next GG, he wanted me to stay on for a spell to break in his English team, but my boss told the Navy to send me back to sea. But Slim gave me one of the 6 Coronation Medals he had at his disposal. So, I was appointed as the Fleet TASO on the staff of FOCAF, Rear Admiral Roy Dowling in the carrier Vengeance. We were flagship for the 1954 Royal visit, and I was the spare Lt Commander for the Royal Guard of 120. You need a Lieutenant Commander in charge of the guard and the second officer is a Lieutenant, thus the spare officer needs to be a Lieutenat Commander so he can fill either slot. When the Queen opened the US memorial at Canberra in January of 1954, we told Lt Stacey he was sick that day, so I could be part of the guard, this was the same guard that performed each time one needed to be mounted. When the Queen came to inspect us at Canberra, she remarked What Again? The Governor of Tasmania invited me to the Royal Garden Party at Hobart, so I was introduced to her Majesty and Prince Phillip then, I had met the Prince in 1940, when he visited Sydney as a Midshipman in the battleship Ramilles. After we left the Queen in the Indian Ocean the ship went on to Darwin and the Solomons, and we passed over the spot where Canberra at 2,500 feet resting on her bottom in Iron Bottom Sound. I met Bob Ballard who found her, when he was in Melbourne in 1998 after publishing his The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal. Of course he also found Titanic. We had had a daughter Jayne when I was at GH in Canberra, but my wife had several miss carriages prior to that. I made the decision after medical advice to resign, a tough decision as I loved the Navy and my small part in it, Admiral Dowling said we won't have any trouble with your resignation, I am going to be the next CNS. It was accepted within a week. Stuart, I just hope this is what you were wanting, if I have failed your expectations any where, please yell, and I will try to answer any questions you may have. Good luck with your project. Best Regards, Mac.
I am trying your Deakin E-Mail address as I don't know if you have received my 2 instalments answering most of your questions. The final one about What was the best aspect of my Naval Service? Here goes: I guess my time in Shropshire, it covered an intense time in the Pacific, invasions of the Philippines and Borneo, the introduction of the dreaded Kamikaze, and Shropshires company how to cope and survive this menace. I guess I found this type of warfare more traumatic than being sunk in Canberra at Savo. Then the atomic bombs were dropped and war was suddenly all over, we went off to Japan. It was a really wonderful day in Tokyo Bay on the 2nd. of September 1945 when it was formally acknowledged that WW2 was at an end with the Japanese signing the surrender document aboard Missouri. This cruiser was, as I have said before just the best ship I ever served in. Then, post war, my time as ADC to the Governor General over 1950/1953 was just a fascinating time, I was involved at the top level of government, I learned how the political process actually worked, I knew very well all those who mattered both in the Government and in Opposition, I met all the important people who came to call on His Excellency. I travelled all over Australia, and in Papua/New Guinea, to the Admiralty Islands again as I had in WW2. It was in fact a very powerful position being able to use the authority of the Governor General. I was able to actually have Captain Cook/s original journal in my hands and peruse the pages where he first landed in Botany Bay, and how it took him four tries to name it, that was both an exciting day, and wonderful from an historical viewpoint. I have always enjoyed history, and when at Admiralty House in Sydney, I went off to the Mitchell Library, and was, as ADC, able to open doors I never would have prised open in my normal role of a humble Naval Officer, I looked at records that uncovered the history of Admiralty House from its first land sale, and how it was all built and developed over the years. That is the sort of research I was able to initiate as ADC to the GG, by use of the authority of working for His Excellency. I also enjoyed my time as Fleet Torpedo Anti Submarine Officer on Admiral R R Dowling's staff, at that time we were Flagship for the Royal tour of 1954. I flew off the Flight Deck in the back seat of a Firefly, a great day too. Stuart I have railed on long enough, just trust you have what you need, as I said earlier, if you want any amplification at all, please ask. All the best, but do contact me please!! Mac. Some acronyms: ADC Aide-de-Camp
Hi Mr. Gregory. Thanks for your wonderful emails -- they're more than I could have hoped for! They made really interesting reading, and to see the personal reflections on some of the significant world events really gave me another perspective on them. You need not worry about not meeting any expectations on my part, I'm amazed at the effort you've put in! I must apologise for not replying to your emails. I have received two prior to this one at this email address, plus one at my Deakin email account. I could not reply to them, unfortunately, as I have been at sea and out of email contact for the past week or so (under EMCON restrictions...). However, I return to Creswell overnight and will go through your emails in detail and make sure I can prepare a suitable report based on them. If you don't mind I will reply again as I put together the report to make sure I'm getting things correct. Also, before I submit any final copy I will run it by you to make sure you're happy with what I'm putting together, and not misrepresenting you at all. Once again, thanks a lot for your effort, and I just hope I can do your story justice! Sincerely,
(December 2003) I thought you might like to know that SBLT Robottom, who interviewed you recently, was awarded the Historical Prize at his Passing Out Parade. I'm the chief History Instructor at RANC, and marked the essay. We are featuring it in our Yearbook. If you like I can send you a copy on publication. Liked your web log. I've just finished a book on nine naval leaders, including John Collins. Perhaps you knew him from SHROPSHIRE? Lieutenant Tom Lewis, OAM, RAN
Thank you for taking the time to tell me of Stuart's success, and for your kind comments about Ahoy. I would be pleased to have a copy of the Year book when available, my snail mail address is : Parklake Towers, 301/598 St Kilda Road Melbourne Victoria. 3004. Yes, I was in Shropshire when J. A Collins was a Commodore, and we were in Japan. Your new book sounds good, when will it be published and available? must make sure I get myself a copy. With Christmas Greetings. Mac. Gregory.
Thanks for that. Yearbook might be out Feb - I have addressed an envelope to you ready for its mailing. Australia's Naval Leaders will hopefully be out in June. All the best for Christmas. Tom
(December 2003) Tom Lewis has just told me of your success of taking out the History Prize at the Passing out ceremony at RANC. Both Terry Kearns who runs Ahoy from Atlanta Georgia, and myself offer our hearty congratulations. Great work, Tom has offered to send me a copy of the Year Book which will include your essay, when it is published. Have a good Christmas and a break after all your studies. Mac.
Thanks for the email! Thanks also for the congratulations. To be honest I think I had good material to work with, so I appreciate your willingness to provide what I asked for. As per your earlier request I will try to email a copy of the report to you, and feel free to put it on your website. I hope your Christmas is an enjoyable experience. Regards, Stuart |
