Sir
I have just been on your web site, looking at info on HMS Achilles. My Grandfather served on the Achilles, and he took many photographs of the battle, which were later printed in the War Illustrated magazine. I believe the photograph of the damaged gun turret was one of his.
I still have one photograph, which is a photo of the horizon, with a faint sight of smoke, which was The Graf Spee.
I am trying to track down further info about him, and if these photographs or negatives can be traced. A long shot I know.
I have asked Imperial war Museum in London, and the Navy museum in Portsmouth. Have you any ideas where I may source?
I noticed the book cover re the River Plate, is this available anywhere?
Incidently, my Grandfather, Sergeant Richard Coleman, was killed in the Solomon Islands, on the Achilles later in the war.
Thanks
Regards
Martyn Wood.
Here is the original text by Jack Harker of his book HMNZS Achilles, he was a telegraphist.
Will try to find ou something about the photographs but cannot promise a result.
Best regards,
Mac.
Martyn,
This one of Graf Spee may be of interest to you.
Mac.
Martyn,
A photo of damage to Graf Spee from Pickering Public Library and Ajax Public Library.
Mac
Martyn,
The report of Achilles in action in the Solomons when her Marines were killed.
Next morning, 5 January, we rendezvoused again 12 miles west of Cape Esperance some time after 0915, having secured from all night at action stations soon after dawn, to leave the port watch standing by, and gun crews resting or sleeping near their guns in clear sunny weather under isolated clouds. Steaming eastward at 15 knots in two columns, Admiral Ainsworth I s Nashville led Helena and St Louis in the more seaward column, with O'Bannon and Fletcher disposed on their outward beam, while Rear Admiral Tisdale's Honolulu led our cruisers Achilles, Columbia, and Louisville, and destroyers Drayton, Lamson and Nicholas.
At 0925 four aircraft were seen at 12,000 feet and identified by the flagship as US Grumman Wildcats. A few minutes later Able Seaman Jim Thurston, one of our bridge lookouts, yelled to our Officer of the Watch, 'Three enemy aircraft overhead, sir. Grabbing the TBS mike, the OOW called Honolulu and repeated the warning.
A laconic drawl through the bridge speaker replied: 'Take no notice, they're ours.'
But even while the flagship was still speaking, Achilles' alarm rattlers sent men racing for their guns as the planes peeled off to come hurtling down at Honolulu and Achilles. Men packed our foc's'le along the recreation-space bulkhead, trying to get through doors and down ladders. Those who looked upward saw heavy-machine-gun flames spurting from a Japanese plane's wing as it roared along the ship's side. A large bomb released from the enemy's underbelly sailed through the air in pace with the plane, then dipped to hit and explode on X turret. Others saw the spitting gunfire, angry muzzle flame-jets, and rapid water-spouts along Achilles' waterline. Had the plane not manoeuvered to avoid our upperworks and funnel, those machine-guns would have wreacked carnage among the mass of men on our upperdecks.
The bomb crashed through X turret's thick steel roofing over the gunlayer's position, burst on the starboard breech-block and wrecked the gun-house, killing 11 marines outright and seriously wounding 10 others. The right side of the turret went overboard as its roof split and somersaulted, landing on our quarterdeck, immediately followed by the recently mounted Oerlikon.
Two marines raced for the after searchlight platform with a Lewis gun, saw the plane roaring at them and dived for cover under X turret. One marine struck his head and knocked himself out. His mate, at the rear end of the Lewis gun, caught the bomb-blast and had his head taken off by a splinter. Inside the turret a marine's legs and boots remained, but his silhouette, including the outline of his upstanding hair was etched on the opposite wall. A sergeant entering the turret door, hurtled back against the officers' galley bulkhead and slumped, apparently unconscious, but every bone in his dead body was broken.
We learned later that we had been lucky. Had the bomb hit only a few feet further aft it would have travelled down into the magazines instead of detonating on the massive breech-block.
Three planes attacked Honolulu, spiralling down from a high cloud in quick succession ahead of the flagship. The first bomb fell 25 yards to starboard, the second 50 yards off her starboard bow, and the third 25 yards off her starboard quarter. One Japanese plane crashed in flames as a result of Honolulu's gunfire, or maybe even from a lucky burst from Achilles' B-turret Oerlikon.
These enemy aircraft were all that remained from the Japanese retaliatory attack on Henderson airfield after the successful night landings and our 1st Division's attack on Munda. Ten divebombers and 15 fighters had attacked the big Guadalcanal airbase, but 21 of them were destroyed by US fighters. Our Oerlikons 1, 2 and 3 had managed to get a few bursts in before the planes completed their attack, and Columbia's intense firing over our masts tore a second Japanese to pieces, the burning wreckage scattering over a wide area astern of Honolulu.
It astounded most of us that after all their previous Solomons actions, the Americans could be caught unawares, even with our report of hostile planes; but we consoled ourselves with the Admiral's message of sympathy, cleared away as much wreckage as possible, and settled our nerves under an umbrella of Henderson Field fighters for the rest of that day. Two of our wounded were growing weaker hourly; only eight bodies could be identified; they were laid in honour on the quarterdeck sewn into hammocks weighted with 6" projectiles, and sent to the deep in traditional sea-burials at 1600.
From dawn to dusk next day, enemy aircraft shadowed TF67 while we covered the approaches to Lunga Roads, where relief troops disembarked and the last of the original 1st Marine Division were still making their way aboard emptying troopships. Henderson's fighters deterred the Solomons when the Marines were killed.
Regards,
Mac.
Mac
My Grandfather was one of 13 killed on X turret.
He was a sergeant. Could he have been the sergeant described below? Maybe.
Can you recommend books, web sites to find out anymore?
Also
Is there somewhere in the Solomon Islands where records of burials are kept ( although I believe he was buried at sea.
Thanks for all your assistance.
Regards
Martyn
Martyn,
It appears from this report that those killed from X turret were buried at sea.
These details come from the book that I have already sent to you.
It astounded most of us that after all their previous Solomons actions, the Americans could be caught unawares, even with our report of hostile planes; but we consoled ourselves with the Admiral's message of sympathy, cleared away as much wreckage as possible, and settled our nerves under an umbrella of Henderson Field fighters for the rest of that day. Two of our wounded were growing weaker hourly; only eight bodies could be identified; they were laid in honour on the quarterdeck sewn into hammocks weighted with 6" projectiles, and sent to the deep in traditional sea-burials at 1600.
Glad to help in a small way.
Best regards,
Mac.
Martyn,
This looks like your Richard Coleman. He is recorded on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2466124
Mac
Martyn,
Chatham Naval Memorial photographs taken August 2002
Mac
Martyn,
I would expect your Richard Coleman to also be recorded here on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, see the second last para for details about the Memorial Register.
Mac.
Many many thanks Mac
I live close to Chatham, but I was unaware of my grandfathers name on the memorial. I will take a look soon as I can.
I will try and find copies, or indeed if they could still exist, negatives of my Grandfathers photographs, and send to you.
I have somewhere in the house, photocopies of pages from War Illustrated, that show photographs he took, and also 2 weeks later on the letters page, my grandmother being told that the pictures were by my Grandfather. I will dig them out and scan when next in the office ( I may be repeating myself, sorry)
Any idea where copies or negs might be stored?
Regards
Martyn
Martyn,
Sorry, have no idea where any negs or photos may be kept.
Look forward to hearing from you after you visit Chatham Memorial, we will put anything you send up on AHOY.
Mac.
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