HMS Neptune Disaster: A Tragedy for New Zealand

[kookaburra]

The loss of the Leader Class cruiser HMS Neptune - and all but one of her crew, 764 officers and men dead - along with the destroyer HMS Kandahar in a minefield off Tripoli on the night of December 19-20, 1941, was one of the worst but now lesser known disasters for the Royal Navy in WW11.

It was also terrible blow for New Zealand, as 150 of their naval revservists were among the crew - and all were lost.

It was new to me, perhaps it shouldn't have been, to learn that early in WW11 a decision had been made for New Zealand to man a third Leander Class cruiser, along with the Royal Navy New Zealand Division's famous Kiwis, HMSs Achilles and Leander.

The third ship selected was HMS Neptune - and while she never got to New Zealand as planned to pick up a full NZ complement [thank heavens] there was still a heavy predominance of Kiwis among her crew when she went down. There were also a couple of Australians, and quite a few South Africans, maybe 20 or more lost.

It was an appalling story. HMS Neptune, Capt. Rory O'Conor, was leading a a raiding force of three cruisers and four destroyers to intercept an Italian supply convoy headed for Libya when - at night in bad weather - they ran straight into an Italian minefield laid at an unusual distance from land, about 15-20 miles off Triploi from memory. After striking a first mine, HMS Neptune was to strike three more in initially attempting to maneouvre way her way out, and while drifting disabled. HMS Kandahar was also fatally stricken when she was one of two destroyers sent in to help.

You can read a full account here from the HMS Neptune Association website.
It is distressing, but gripping reading, and, please, don't miss the sole survivor AB Norman Walton's story...

http://www.hmsneptune.com/history1.htm

SPECIAL REQUEST: If any of our Photo Collectors has a good size photo of HMS Neptune I would be grateful if you would post it here - contribuition to the NZ Section. I couldn't find one.

Here is a list of the New Zealanders lost on HMS Neptune, again taken from the Neptune Association website:


Royal New Zealand Navy missing presumed killed.

Alder, Edwin P., Able Seaman
Anderson, Henry B., Able Seaman
Anderson, William J., Able Seaman
Andrew, Norman R., Able Seaman
Andrews, Albert G.R., Shipwright
Armfield, Harry J., Leading Signalman
Ashton, Lindsay R., Leading Seaman
Atkinson, Basil M., Able Seaman
Atkinson, Roy V., Leading Seaman
Ball, Jack P., Able Seaman
Barford, Bryan J., Able Seaman
Barker, Frederick R., Able Seaman
Barron, Alexander D., Able Seaman
Barstow, John A., Supply Assistant
Baskett, George R., Able Seaman
Biggs, Hudson W., Able Seaman
Birss, James A., Able Seaman
Blackley, James B.E., Able Seaman
Boaz, Ernest G., Able Seaman
Brackenridge, Ian H., Able Seaman
Brookes, Norman G., Signalman
Brown, Alan H., Supply Assistant
Brown, James, Engine Room Artificer
Brown, William W., Able Seaman
Brownie, Revell E., Leading Seaman
Buckley, Ross B., Able Seaman
Burt, Ian, Cook (S)
Button, Kenneth A., Signalman
Calvert, James W., Able Seaman
Campbell, Albert V., Able Seaman
Campbell, William A., Petty Officer
Capon, Arthur N., Leading Seaman
Carr, Patrick A., Stoker
Carrigan, John, Able Seaman
Carter, Alan H.J., Able Seaman
Christie, Herbert H., Electrical Artificer
Clark, Ronald H.C., Able Seaman
Collins, Thomas, Able Seaman
Cook, Norman, Able Seaman
Cooper, Howard, Supply Assistant
Coote, James M., Able Seaman
Corbin, Donald H.H., Able Seaman
Cormack, Colin A., Able Seaman
Cosgrove, Charles A., Able Seaman
Cronquest, Robert M., Able Seaman
Dawson, Graeme D., Leading Stoker
Dennison, George S., Able Seaman
Denton, Leo R., Able Seaman
Diehl, Arthur E., Able Seaman
Dimmock, John B., Able Seaman
Dobbs, Raymond P., Leading Telegraphist
Doussett, Edward D., Leading Seaman
Dyer, Robert F., Engine Room Artificer
Elstob, Norman J., Able Seaman
Evans, George D., Joiner
Evans, Victor R.D., Telegraphist
Forgie, Kauru S., Supply Assistant
Friedman, Maurice W., Supply Assistant
Garlick, Bruce C., Able Seaman
Garmson, Alan T., Cook (S)
Garrett, Kenneth E., Leading Seaman
Gibbs, William H., Engine Room Artificer
Gillan, Reginald C., Able Seaman
Gregory, Douglas A., Stoker
Hansen, George, Able Seaman
Hardie, Geoffrey B., Cook (S)
Harris, Herbert E., Able Seaman
Harvey, Douglas M., Petty Officer
Heeney, Arthur J., Engine Room Artificer
Hook, Roy D., Able Seaman
Howlison, James R., Able Seaman
Hubbard, Stanley J., Engine Room Artificer
Hubble, Linus E., Signalman
Hull, George B., Able Seaman
Jenkins, A. Wally J., Signalman
Johns, John W., Able Seaman
Johnstone, William, Joiner
Jones, Mervyn G., Engine Room Artificer
Kennedy, Ian A., Signalman
Kingdon, Stanley L., Able Seaman
Knewstubb, John W., Engine Room Artificer
Land, Arthur C., Able Seaman
Leckie, James C., Leading Telegraphist
Leyland, Frank, Writer
Lord, Lloyd M., Able Seaman
Lovett, Arthur F., Cook (S)
Macaulay, Desmond G., Engine Room Artificer
MacDonald, Robert A., Able Seaman
MacIntosh, Ivan W., Stoker
Marett, Hamel W., Able Seaman
Marsden, Harry, Able Seaman
McCabe, Gilbert, Able Seaman
McCallum, Frederick G., Engine Room Artificer
McComish, Trevor J., Engine Room Artificer
McGee, Noel F., Engine Room Artificer
McIver, Alexander H. H., Stoker
McKinnon, Philip B., Supply Assistant
McLeod, Alan J., Engine Room Artificer
McPherson, Brian E., Midshipman
Moore, John E., Engine Room Artificer
Morley, Roland, Telegraphist
Mosley, Thomas J.P., Able Seaman
Munro, Duncan P., Able Seaman
Murray, Gordon, Able Seaman
Nalder, Laurence N., Engine Room Artificer
O'Connell, Leslie J., Engine Room Artificer
O'Neil, William J., Assistant Cook
Patterson, Samuel J.S., Petty Officer
Payne, Stanley R.A., Painter
Peat, Reginald, Leading Signalman
Percival, Raymond S., Leading Seaman
Perry, Ronald J., Able Seaman
Perry, William G., Able Seaman
Petherick, James D., Able Seaman
Quinn, James B., Able Seaman
Quinn, Ronald F., Able Seaman
Raper Allan S., Leading Seaman
Reid, John R., Stoker
Riley, Bernard D., Leading Seaman
Robertson, Malcolm D., Able Seaman
Rodgerson, George, Joiner
Ross, John V., Able Seaman
Rowe, Frederick, Assistant Cook
Ruddick, Edward W., Leading Seaman
Scott, Jack G., Able Seaman
Simpson, Alfred G., Able Seaman
Simpson, James A., Engine Room Artificer
Smith, George E., Electrical Artificer
Steedman, John J.D., Painter
Stewart, John E., Leading Telegraphist
Sturgeon, Albert V., Engine Room Artificer
Tamplin, Edward H., Able Seaman
Thompson, Bruce M., Paymaster Lieutenant
Toomey, Austin K.M., Writer
True, Jack G., Able Seaman
Vazey, Edward H., Able Seaman
Vercoe, Henry B., Plumber
Walker, Alexander J., Able Seaman
Walkinshaw, Lewis R., Signalman
Walpole, Henry, Supply Assistant
Wangford, William B., Shipwright
Wardle, John C., Leading Seaman
Watson, David M., Leading Telegraphist
West, Selwyn F., Able Seaman
White, Morgan A., Able Seaman
White, William B., Stoker
Wilson, Samuel G., Able Seaman
Wood, Cecil J.B., Able Seaman
Wright, Cyril G., Leading Seaman
Wright, Ernest E., Signalman

[astraltrader]

Jeff I have this photo which I quite like and as well this close up which gives a good view of her amidships.

Will check my seperate hard drive later to see what I have stored.

[qprdave]

kookaburra

I have placed, in the "Crews Lost" thread a report and the full losses of HMS Neptune which includes Australians, South Africans as well as the New Zealanders that you have posted above

Dave

[kookaburra]

kookaburra

I have placed, in the "Crews Lost" thread a report and the full losses of HMS Neptune which includes Australians, South Africans as well as the New Zealanders that you have posted above

Dave

Ah, Thanks Dave, I had missed that. Still, I think a separate post here for the attention of the New Zealanders can stand up, as it must have meant so much to them. Imagine what a tragedy that was for a small country at the time, and how much worse it would have been them if the ship had been fully crewed from NZ as initially planned.

Of course, a very sad story for everyone.


Thanks Terry too for posting the pics. Much appreciated. K.

[qprdave]

"I think a separate post here for the attention of the New Zealanders can stand up, as it must have meant so much to them"


Of course, you are right.

So many young men of the Old Empire died for what, arguably, was Britains cause. God bless them all!

[spruso]

Just been checking on the two Australians lost on Neptune. Both had been attached to HMS Osprey prior to being sent to Neptune. May have been sent from Oz to do an Asdic Course. Very unlucky to both go to the same ship.

Cheers
Bruce

[Old Salt]

There is a good book on this loss.

'Neptune's Legacy'
Author : Nixie Taverner
Arcturus Press, 2003 , Fleet Hargate, Lincolnshire UK
ISBN 0 907322 86 7

Includes interview with the sole survivor, mariners' memories of serving in the ship 1934-41, roll of honour, biographies of casualties etc.

[Old Salt]

I originally read of this incident from the war diaries of my father in law, who was in HMS Aurora, also damaged by mines that day. He basically says that one minute Neptune was there and gone the next. At the time I did not realise the NZ connection with the crew of Neptune.

[spruso]

Found this photo of HMS Neptune in my files. Taken at Simonstown 1937.
Cheers
Bruce

[Old Salt]

Found this photo of HMS Neptune in my files. Taken at Simonstown 1937.
Cheers
Bruce

Thanks Bruce, a superb photo. Our 150 sailors are especially in our thoughts today (ANZAC Day)

[Dean nz]

G'day all,
My great uncle Alfred Jenkins A1808 was a signalman on Neptune and also one of the casualties.
If anyone is interested the NZ sound archives have a recording available that was never released it was Xmas greetings home to families delivered by Neptunes crew.
The recording was done only a few weeks prior to the sinking and this is the reason it was never released, I heard my relative speak and it was a pretty powerful thing!
I'm keen to hear from any other relatives of Neptune casualties here in NZ as I'd like to raise the profile of this here at home.
Cheers.