HMS Owen

[rumrat]

This set of photographs show HMS OWEN on survey duties in the Persian Gulf 1954/1955 and give an insight to the daily routine of both the officers and the lower deck ratings.

[kc]

Excellent photos rumrat!

Thanks for sharing them on our forum :)

[rumrat]

Your welcome more to follow
Regards
Dave

[rumrat]

More pictures of OWENS crew and visiting dignitarys.
Regards
Dave

[Ronin]

Dear all,

Starting my research of my late dad... He served on the above and I have the dates from the Ministry of Defence. He was in the Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve. He served from October 1939 and throughout.

Royal Arthur 03/10/1939 - 07/11/1939
Pembroke 08/11/1939 - 01/01/1940
Chantala 02/01/1940 - 06/04/1941
Lucia 07/04/1941 - ?
Milne (For a long time!)

He was mentioned in Despatches in March 1945.

I have a photocopied document compiled by Lt Cmdr GB Mason (For a William Poynton of Abingdon) which is regarding the Milne and its War service. It has 6 poor quality (Photocopied) pictures on the back. I would dearly love to see the originals to see if I could pick out my father.

If anyone has any information or ideas, I would be very grateful

Ronin

[jbryce1437]

Great set of photos Dave. In the pic of Owen's bridge, it looks like they have someone on "hold" on the sound powered telephone to the right:D

[Stan.J]

Ronin, You can obtain more information on the Milne on Naval-History.net
regards Stan.

[Batstiger]

Hi Ronin.

I can supply a few pictures for you if they are of any use but not of the crew.
Royal Arthur and Pembroke were shore bases but here are the other three with a bit of information.

Bob.

[stontamar]

Hi - please note the 6th photograpgh in Bob's sequence shows HMS PATFINDER G10, 2nd Emergency Flotilla or 'P' Class, and not HMS MILNE 'M' Class as labelled. It appears a error may have occurred when linking the information and photograph of HMS MILNE to this forum link.

Happy New Year to veryone.

stontamr

[Batstiger]

Sorry about that, I don't know what went wrong there! I knew I had another one somewhere.

[Stan.J]

http://pembroke
H.M.S.Pembroke

[Batstiger]

HMS Milne ( 1957 ) "M" Class fleet destroyer.

The leader of the "M" class, she was launched by Scott's on the 30th December 1941 and completed on the 6th August 1942 - by John Brown owing to bomb damage to Scotts' yards. Her war service included North Africa, the Atlantic and the Arctic and she sank U.289 off Norway 30th May 1944. She is seen here under tow from Penarth, where she had been in reserve, ( note the guns, director and funnel top in mothballs ) to Hull, where she was refitted by Amos and Smith for transfer to the Turkish navy. She was renamed Alp Arslam. She was discarded in 1970.

[AnthonyB]

Ronin, Is there anyway I could get a copy of the document about HMS MILNE during her war service. Late father-in-law was on her during the war and the wife knows nothing about this time of his life. Like so many he did not talk about it and it is too late now.
Thanks for anything you can do.

[ANGELA HERRING]

I looked at your photos, I have some belonging to my late Father Eric "Chic" Horton, he must've been on HMS Owen in the middle 50's. Can you remember him? Angela Herring nee Horton.

[herakles]

Welcome to the Forum Angela! Enjoy your time with us.

[tmead]

Ronin, I hope this helps, these pictures are of crew on HMS Milne 1942 my cousin Charlie Mead is on the left in the pom pom picture, he told me the ship was the flotilla leader, and he once placed the captains coat around the kings shoulders, whilst on the bridge, he served in the med
Regards
Tony.

23826 ;)23827

[oldsalt]

I think Royal Arthur during the war was at Scarborough, or somewhere like that. In 1949 I joined at Royal Arthur which was at Corsham Nr Bath. I was in the last batch of trainees to join there. The name Royal Arthur was then taken by another camp nearby at Kingsmoor? where Senior Rates leadership courses were carried out. Just a little story about Royal Arthur, after a night train journey from Manchester, bleary eyed and fallen into a heap by a waiting Petty Officer, we shambled through the gate to be greeted by cries, from the old salts of four weeks, " Wait till PHOEBE gets you." Filled with terror over this menacing thing Phoebe, we were relieved in due course to find Phoebe was the camp's lady barber, she showed no mercy, cropping our curls!!:eek::eek::eek:

[SCRG1970]

Ronin, Is there anyway I could get a copy of the document about HMS MILNE during her war service. Late father-in-law was on her during the war and the wife knows nothing about this time of his life. Like so many he did not talk about it and it is too late now.
Thanks for anything you can do.

If you let me know the dates you are interested in I can probably give you the info from Dyers " L and M Class destroyer History"

Regards

gerry

[Paddy]

I was coxn of "Heron", one of the survey boats during the 1962 commission.
We got stories of a problem on the previouse commission " 1961" when the boat hanging from the same davits as heron was lost. I gather that in coming alongside to pick up in rough weather, she hooked on to the davit by the bow, only, on the crest of a wave, when she dropped into the trough the snap of the cable pulled part of the keel up through the deck, sinking the boat.

It would be nice to know what actually happened and if extension strops were fitted to the davit blocks at that time.

I have on occaision, come to the davits, passing the ships stern with the ships props leaving the water in foul weather but I found that the extension strops made the opperation reasonably safe, with forty men ready to run away with the tension rope as soon as I gave the order to snatch on the strop hooks.
maybe the powers that be called for extended strops after the calamity.

Paddy

[dogsbelly]

Hello, all.
I stumbled across this forum looking for something else but saw some poeple were asking for info and photos and caught my eye, Anyway
I have a crew photo of HMS Royal Arthur, No 411 Class 1949, complete with names (as they are wrote on the back).
My uncle Robert (Robbie) Barrow from Seaham - Co. Durham, served for many many years and was always told of the stories, now he has passed away i have all his photos, map charts other crew photos, inside quarters, sleeping quarters etc.

If your interested some of the ships he sailed on, Centaur 1961-63 ( i have a cruise chart Oct 21 1961- may 16th 1962, and 4th april - 2nd sept 1961), Orion, Goldcrest (i have a crew photo), Illustrious (proclaiment document), just to name some.

I plan to find out more than i know (very little), like most people its finding the time.

Rob.

[SCRG1970]

Rob

Welcome to the forum.

Please post any info/photos etc you have it will help others researching and you will probably get some feedback to help your own research

Regards

gerry

[dogsbelly]

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/may-1949-hms-royal-arthur-c.jpg
My Uncle Robert Barrow May 1949 HMS Royal Arthur Corsham Wilts
http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/royal-arthur-crew.jpg

Back Row (Left to Right)
E Kellaway N.A.II / D Yuill S.A / A Denya S.A / J Wood E.R.A / R Attree S.A / R Barrow S.A / G Braban S.A

Centre Rank (Left to Right one name is missing?)
D O'Donovan S.A / A Wright S.A / R Little S.A / H Foster S.A / J Whittle S.A / P Richardsons S.A / J English S.A

Front Row (Left to Right)
J Thorpe S.A / R Windle S.A / J Leslig S.A / P O Tucker / E Fake S.A / T Hopkins S.A / C Dry S.A

I dont know what the S.A stands for and can anyone tell me the ranks lowest to highest? My uncle was in service for 30+ years he did work his was up but i cant remember what rank.

Anyway hope this helps people, i have more, and will post soon.
Also please note i have reduced the image size quality as it would take about an hour to view it ( i have scanned it at a very high resolution in case i ever lost these photos) if anyone wants a copy i can print them out and post them as long as you cover paper/post costs.

[dogsbelly]

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/Goldcrest.jpg

Mixed crew (orion Diana Cambridge Goldcrest & others)
I dont have any names except my uncle (R Barrow Goldcrest) Bottom Middle.
Can someone confirm the stripes mean one for every 4 years service?
Also do i need to move the to a different post as its not Arthur?

[dogsbelly]

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/Centaur2.jpg



http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/Centaur.jpg

My apologies for the size, but its difficult to read if its smaller.

[qprdave]

Yes you are right. 4yrs service with good conduct (or not getting caught), man's time i.e. 18. Time spent before the age of eighteen does not count

[TACKLINE]

'Royal Arthur'was a Butlins holiday camp,taken over by the RN at the beginning of WW2. At Skegness,not Scarborough. HMS Lucia was a depot ship,and I remember her at Colombo January 1942.She was there to my knowledge for at least the whole of that year,and survived the air attack on the harbour by Japanese carrier borne aircraft on Easter Sunday.

[dogsbelly]

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/sleeping.jpg

Is there not a thread where people have stories, starting from when they boarded to when they left, i understand this would take a long time, but if we all chip in with pictures of locations, the ship they were on, and crew members adding as much info as we can this would be a fantastic read!
For example the centaur cruise chart i have posted (can be anyone elses) has the dates and where it went to, we could fill in the gaps add pictures of some of the docks (even google earth would help there) and stories/ accidents etc.

[oldsalt]

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/may-1949-hms-royal-arthur-c.jpg
My Uncle Robert Barrow May 1949 HMS Royal Arthur Corsham Wilts
http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/royal-arthur-crew.jpg

Back Row (Left to Right)
E Kellaway N.A.II / D Yuill S.A / A Denya S.A / J Wood E.R.A / R Attree S.A / R Barrow S.A / G Braban S.A

Centre Rank (Left to Right one name is missing?)
D O'Donovan S.A / A Wright S.A / R Little S.A / H Foster S.A / J Whittle S.A / P Richardsons S.A / J English S.A

Front Row (Left to Right)
J Thorpe S.A / R Windle S.A / J Leslig S.A / P O Tucker / E Fake S.A / T Hopkins S.A / C Dry S.A

I dont know what the S.A stands for and can anyone tell me the ranks lowest to highest? My uncle was in service for 30+ years he did work his was up but i cant remember what rank.

Anyway hope this helps people, i have more, and will post soon.
Also please note i have reduced the image size quality as it would take about an hour to view it ( i have scanned it at a very high resolution in case i ever lost these photos) if anyone wants a copy i can print them out and post them as long as you cover paper/post costs.
This Royal Arthur was at Corsham, Wilts, near Bath. It was a new entry training establishment. I joined Royal Arthur on 25th Oct. 1949, we were the last new entry class. There was another camp at Kingsmoor ? which , I think, took the name Royal Arthur, this was the Senior Rates leadership school.

[Stan.J]

I joined Royal Arthur in August 1948 for kitting up and initial six weeks training before going on to Raleigh.
I am second from right ,back row...I looked young then???

[tonyrod]

hi everyone, , royal arthur may 14 -20 june 1940 anyone you know on this photo,?
the 1 tanned with arms crossed in the middle is billy rodaway my uncle posted to the H.M.S.PRINS ALBERT,
a little help needed, regarding the class photos did every class have one
even in war time, royal arthur Skegness (1939 -1946) Corsham from 1946 until 1992. ,tonyrod

[jonti]

I attended a 6 week Senior Rates leadership course at 'Royal Arthur', Corsham in 1956 and experienced one of my most embarassing moments. The class of about 30 spent time on the Parade Ground under the control of each of the class, with a POGI telling the control person where he wanted the squad to march to and in what formation. On the day of my passing out test controlling a parade and as I started shouting my instructions to the class, a small plane flew overhead and circled the parade ground completely drowning out my voice. The examiner was most unimpressed but I was not invited to make another attempt to control the squad. Rob T

[sailorbryan]

http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/may-1949-hms-royal-arthur-c.jpg
My Uncle Robert Barrow May 1949 HMS Royal Arthur Corsham Wilts
http://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww119/dogsbelly/HMS/royal-arthur-crew.jpg

Back Row (Left to Right)
E Kellaway N.A.II / D Yuill S.A / A Denya S.A / J Wood E.R.A / R Attree S.A / R Barrow S.A / G Braban S.A

Centre Rank (Left to Right one name is missing?)
D O'Donovan S.A / A Wright S.A / R Little S.A / H Foster S.A / J Whittle S.A / P Richardsons S.A / J English S.A

Front Row (Left to Right)
J Thorpe S.A / R Windle S.A / J Leslig S.A / P O Tucker / E Fake S.A / T Hopkins S.A / C Dry S.A

I dont know what the S.A stands for and can anyone tell me the ranks lowest to highest? My uncle was in service for 30+ years he did work his was up but i cant remember what rank.

Anyway hope this helps people, i have more, and will post soon.
Also please note i have reduced the image size quality as it would take about an hour to view it ( i have scanned it at a very high resolution in case i ever lost these photos) if anyone wants a copy i can print them out and post them as long as you cover paper/post costs.
SA stands for Stores Assitant. There were two sub branches one related to all the heavy equipment held in store and the other related to victualing

[Geoff ward]

I have recently joined your forum in the hope that someone might be able to help me. My father, Arthur Ward, served in the Royal Navy from 1943 until 1957 having started out as a boy seaman serving on the TS Mercury.From 1951 until 1953 he served on HMS Owen, a hydrographic survey ship, in the Persian Gulf. Sadly, my Father passed away last year and I am trying to get a picture of the Owen's crest to have it engraved on his headstone.If anyone could help me I would be most grateful or if anyone served with him or has any information about the Owen I would also be most grateful. Thank you

[joseph bonnici]

Geoff here is the badge you re looking for by courtesy of Ed Joseph

[joseph bonnici]

oops forgot to upload the badge Joseph

[Geoff ward]

Thanks Joseph, much appreciated.:),Geoff.

[rumrat]

Geoff,
If you PM me your e-mail addy i'll send you some photo's i have from a personal album taken on OWEN Between 1953- 1955 mostly crew pix etc.if they are of any good to you.

Regards
Dave

[Geoff ward]

Dave,
Thanks for your reply to my post. I would be really interested to see the photos and have sent you a pm with my email address.
Best regards,
Geoff.

[Langley]

Hi Geoff,

My Dad, Ernie Tong, also served on HMS Owen from 1951 to 1953 and was the Radar Petty Officer. He has told me many stories over the years about his time in the Persian Gulf (he's 82 now) and I'm sure he would be happy to share his tales.

In which department did your father serve on the Owen and did he have a nickname? I will ask my Dad whether he remembers him.

Best regards,
Beverley

[Paddydj]

Beverley,

I am currently writing the history of the Bay class ships and their survey ship relatives. I would be delighted to include your fathers memories in the book project if he would like me to.

You can contact me directly at patrick@pbmedia.plus.com

Look forward to hearing from you

Patrick Boniface

[Nobby_N]

I sailed in HMS Owen in January 1964 from Zanzibar to Mombasa. It felt very strange. I was in my first civvy job after leaving the RN. I had been working on the NASA satellite tracking station for Cable & Wireless providing HF communications to pass the telemetry data back to the United States. As well as me (ex REM) there was a ex PO RE whose name I cannot remember among the C&W Project Mercury Contract employees. On January 12th '64 I woke up to find that there had been a revolution. A group of us UK civilians moved into one large house so that we were together and could be contacted and instructed by the UK High Commission on what to do. There were actually no attacks on Europeans but it was a bit hairy all the same. On 15th January we were told to get ourselves to the harbour where we were taken out to HMS Owen. We managed to smuggle the prison governor out in the bottom of the car, as he was, to put it mildly, not popular with the revolutionaries. He was known as 'Topper' Brown, and that was not because of his head-gear. Owen was covered in dozens of civilian refugees, male and female, adults and children. We were decanted from Owen the next day in Mombasa. The crew were calm and helpful, and were all we might have expected of the RN in those circumstances. As I said at the beginning: it felt really strange to be a passenger in a RN ship when only seven months beforehand I had been a crew member in HMS Blackpool visiting Mombasa of all places.

So, what can I say: it has to be - Three Cheers for H.M.S. Owen! and my own very belated and hearty thanks to any crew members from that time who may be reading this.

John (Nobby_N)

[Marion546]

I am trying to find out information about my father George Patrick Cooper., centre, back row. He was at HMS Royal Arthur in October 1944. On the back of the photo are signatures, John W. Fairfax, P.H. O'Connor, R.B.J. Taylor, S. Brooker-Carly,H. C. Edney, B.S.M Asquith and T.B. Rumbles. He wrote that they were the remains of the famous Arbuthnot Division and had had big eats at the Elite Cafe in Skegness. He went to Burma and Singapore and one of his friends recalled he spent some time in Trincomales, Ceylon. The only thing he ever said about his time in the Royal Navy was that he fought the Americans in the bars of Singapore.

I hope someone can help me with this
Marion