St Michaels University School - Black Red and Blue Yearbook (Victoria, British Columbia Canada)

Page 16 text:

much too close for comfort--and ahead scenes of a great air battle over the convoy, escorted by another flotilla. I saw a plane shot down from the midst of its orange-tree of bursting shells, it tipped over on one wing and screamed vertically downwards ending with a tremendous splash. But each screen we laid brought us nearer the convoy, this could not go on. So Rear Admiral Vian succeeded in isolating the enemyicruisers while he sent the D.F. in to attack with torpedoes fabout 17301. We first saw the battlewagon emerging from the mists of battle at eight miles. I remember a towering, indented bridge structure and two funnels, and billowing crimson balls of fire shooting out from fore and aft, as we got closer a long black foc'sle and flashes of secondary arm:mentg I could see her throughout the action. We were one of the centre ships upon whom she was concentrating and the shells were coming mighty close-just left, just right, just short, just over, short, over. We closed to 6000 yards. As was practically inevitable just before that we were hit by a 15 projy, causing a certain amount of damage, mainly superficial. We turned just after the others and fired our torpedoesg and the iflotilla hit her. The most terrifying part of all was just after our hit seeing the great fireballs continuing to billow out, if the last one hit, what about this one coming, coming, coming .,.. We were not hit again. But I shan't forget the brownish grey horror with his flashing eyes growing larger and more horrible every minute, and praying with my mind for us to turn and get it over with, while trying to encourage the gun crew by voice at the same time CI gave this up after the first salvo deaf' ened melj. Our damage was not as serious as' one might expect and we, or the BR. Department rather, who performed wonders, soon had it under control and we proceeded. And the convoy was still intact. Casualties so far-the B.B.C. was correct here-were three des' troyers damaged, a number of near misses, no ships sunk, no ships unable to proceed. is It blew hard all night and by next morning there was a tre' mendous swell. We were attacked, weakly twice, but a terrific Stuka formation swoop--about twenty of these peeling off .and diving one after the other from low clouds-there was no sun--settled the fate of the one merchantman we lost. There is more to this story, but as yet I cannot tell it. U I myself am quite all right now with no had effects. Rob Summons, my confrere, was abouttwelve yards from the shell when it burst. Everyone about him was killed -or injured but two. He has a number of scratches, a bad blast burn on his face, he is a bit shaken and otherwise OK. He went up to hospital two 'days ago for a rest, and I think he will be very much better for it when he comes back. 16

Page 15 text:

HERE AND THERE ffflte following is a letter written by Midshipman R. A. Creery, R.C.N. l1937'1940l who,-at the time of writing, was on H.M.S. Kingston., ' - I was in this recent Malta convoy which was attacked by an Iti Battleship of the Veneto class and six cruisers, two heavy, two light, with a destroyer flotilla thrown in. The first action we received was soon after breakfast, when torpedofbombers were sighted, and they continued to attack in ones, twos, thrces and up to sixes, from all angles for the remainder of the day. I was closed up at B 4.7 Gun from half past eight in the morning till half past eight at night. After lunch divefbombers, Ju. 88, and highflevel bombers and lowflevel bombers attacked in waves with Savoia and Junkers torpedofbombers to helpg the sky was continually filled with puffs of smoke and the ominous busyfbee hum of torpedofbombers, the whine of divefhombers, the crash and thunder of an intense barrage. The day had dawned bright and with some medium height clouds and a rising sea which rose steadily with time and which made the accurate gunfire all the more praiseworthyg as soon as the blighters' tried to pierce the screen we all let fly, and not one got through for an effective attack, one even dropped his torpedo while going away! The clouds made the high and low bombers difficult to spot, but the barrage was good and not one hit was obtained during the whole day, though there were several near misses. At two o'clock the engines began to throb and we could feel the ship pulsating with the increasing speed, simultaneously came the order Change to Low Angle-S.A.P. on the trays, the battle ensign broke from the foremast head and the four cruisers and their des' troyer flotillas sped away to the north spreading a great black smoke screen to cover the convoy. We were one of the last ships to come round the smoke screen into battle, and it was a sight. The cruisers to starboard still making smoke and firing rapid salvoes, brilliant orange flashes silhouetted against the darkness, and fountains of water were rising up as the Iti's 8 and 6 shells splashed just astern, just ahead, just to right or leftg I saw a cruiser get hit, but damage apparently ,was not serious as the guns continued to fire and there was no conflagration. We chased them off, setting one cruiser seriously afire amid' ships, the range was still too great for the destroyers. The fleet then came hack towards the convoy and relaid the smoke screen, but it was soon apparent that the Iti's had returned and great geysers of sea proclaimed 15 shells. It was a sight I shall never forget, the grey destroyers forging through the rough sea with spray flying over guns and bridge, cascading down lifting foc'sles, black swirling smoke, blue sky and white clouds, camouflaged cruisers racing up astern keeling with each orange salvo and dirty brown puff of cordite, 15 , 8 and 6 projies spouting water all about us-some 15'

Page 17 text:

I keep forgetting I shall have to hold this letter for a bit, so I'll add-an instalment next week-or perhaps forget about it altogether. Some oaf on the wireless the other night bombastically said, The bigger the odds against the British Navy, the better it likes them. There were a few disparaging remarks passed on him, his character, and his habits by the members of the crew of H.M.S. KINGSTON immediately afterwards. l April Znd. The Hunsdid a fair amount of damage to the convoy the next day, but certainly not what he claims. GovernorfGeneral Robbie made quite a good little speech to the populace saying that he realised what a disappointment ittmust be to all concerned to see the destruction of materials we brought in, but that a surprisf ingly large amount of stuff had been saved that one would not have thoughtpossible. I am in a position to confirm his statement. This letter sounds pretty cheery on the whole I think, if l have given the impression that each round went to us, I didn't mean to, for it is far from it and it has been a really tough battle. Perhaps it still continues what with the heavy raids one hears about on Malta. I don't think I shall be able to add anything else on this affair till I see you again, one thing about the Med-you certainly pile up lines to shoot! A - Rob came back today looking 1OO0k better, and he feels it toog the rest-M-a week he's had-has worked its cure, and he will get another week in a fortnight. Iam going to camp in the country on Monday with a large portion of ship's company, we all do a turn up there, an excellent idea to my mind. - i I iii - - THE I-IUMMINGBIRD ' faftev' 4 Walt Whitmanj Bird of the summer and of joy, ' ' The hummingbird, winging his goldeniiflight Through the scented airg Part bird, part insect he was made, Servant of Nature he lives and dies. These long june days, when in my garden, I listen for that strange sweet humming And, hearing it blend with N1lCllfC1S harmony, l know that he and 'l Are part of that coherent plan , XVhich.pererrates through all things ' - And makes the star, thevstone, the moon, the bird as one. -PETER WYLLIE 17