HMS ILLUSTRIOUS 1939-1956

[nicks]

Dear All

I am keen to find anyone who served with My Grandfather Jeffrey Dawson on HMS Illustrious. Like myself, Jeffrey was from the Isle of Man and he unfortunately passed away in April last year.

If you seach for "Jeffrey Dawson" on the BBC website, there is some information on him under the "people's war" banner.

If anyone worked with Jeff (he may have had a nickname on board of course) or has any information on his naval rank, stories, memories, I would be very pleased to hear from you.

Best Wishes

Nicholas (Jeff's grandson)

[romft1945]

Dad took these when he was on the Illustrious

[Batstiger]

I hope you don't mind ROMFT but I borrowed your pictures and made them more managable.

Bob.

[romft1945]

Thanks Bats Iam looking at the originals now and they dont look as good as yours,perhaps his box brownie was on its last legs Rom:)

[tonclass]

So your the one getting all the photo's shrunk Bob !!!! ;-)
Please stop it forthwith or I'll send the 'crushers' round to fit you up and make sure they give you the odd slap or two.
BIG pix are best - believe me.
Rgds
Rik

[Batstiger]

Rik. I have already given you my answer in the Monitor size thread,
The pics I have put up above fill my 18" screen adequately.
Before I managed them they were far too big!
The one's of yours that I have purloined from SP are four times bigger than my screen so I have to capture them, use Panoram 4 to get them down in size, capture them again to fit the screen exactly.
Someone somewhere has got this all wrong!

Bob.

[nivrip]

Hi,
I'm a new member here and have a particular interest in WW1 naval history and to a lesser extent WW2.

I've recently come across some info about an uncle of mine who served on HMS Illustrious in WW2. He was killed in January 1941 when the Illustrious was bombed by Stukas, along with about 100 others. I believe the ship was badly damaged and was out of action for several months.

I don't know anything about him really, his rank, job or service records. His name was James Eric (or possibly Eric James) Grantham.

Is there any way of getting any more info? Any advice will be much appreciated. :)

[Stan.J]

Hi! Nivrip,
On the 10th January 1941 the Illustrious was bombed and suffered many casualities including James Eric Grantham. He was an acting/Air Articifer 4c Official No.FAA/FX75070.
Regards Stan.

[ChalkyWhite]

In 1941 during the Malta Convoys there was an American Lieutenant Commander USN who was on attachment to the RN, not a member of the RNVR, who whilst serving aboard HMS Illustrious was awarded the DSO at that time.
I have this officers name in my records somewhere and will publish when found.
Anyone with information on this officer I would be interested in hearing from you.

Chalky White

[Rorqual]

Illustrious was in the Mediterranean Fleet 1940 1941
after the major damage in Malta by bombs she made her own way to Gibraltar and then to America for repairs.
She then joined the Eastern fleet and Force H 1942-43
Eastern Fleet and Pacific Fleet 1944-45

Fred

[John Brown]

Nivrip

Welcome to the forum.

You will find your uncles Commonwealth War Graves Commission record here...

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2974372

and a service history for Illustrious here....

http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-04CV-Illustrious.htm

and a casualty list for the ship on 10th Jan 1941 here...

http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1941-01JAN.htm

If you have a search through the forum you will find there has been a lot of information posted on how to obtain somebody's service record.


Hope this helps. Good luck in your search.


Regards...John

[nivrip]

Many, many thanks to all who have responded. Your replies have helped immensely.

[jbryce1437]

Rik. I have already given you my answer in the Monitor size thread,
The pics I have put up above fill my 18" screen adequately.
Before I managed them they were far too big!
The one's of yours that I have purloined from SP are four times bigger than my screen so I have to capture them, use Panoram 4 to get them down in size, capture them again to fit the screen exactly.
Someone somewhere has got this all wrong!

Bob.

Just covering old ground, to see if I have missed any good pics (and I have).
On the subject of fitting photos to your screen width :
If you are using Internet Explorer as your browser, you can get it to automatically resize those huge photographs to your screenwidth, to save you scrolling around to view all of the photo. Heres how:
Click on TOOLS on the menu bar, then scroll to the bottom of the list and click on INTERNET OPTIONS. Then click on the ADVANCED TAB and scroll down to the MULTIMEDIA section. Make sure there is a tick in the box entitled ENABLE AUTOMATIC IMAGE RESIZING then click on APPLY, then click OK and your troubles should be over.
When the image is downsized onto your screen, you can still view the larger version of the pic by clicking on the symbol in the bottor right corner of the pic, which will EXPAND it TO REGULAR SIZE

[Batstiger]

Did I really say that?
We live and learn don't we as the water passes under the bridge!
Happy Christmas Jim.

Cheers, Bob.

[jbryce1437]

The bigger the bridge, the better:D

Happy Christmas to you too Bob;)

[Fellows]

Hi all I found your forum while searching for information on my father who I believe served on HMS Illustrious, HMS Unicorn and the Esperance Bay during WWII His name was Arthur Fellows born in Birmingham area 1909 He was an accomplished musician so may well have been involved in a band or the like on board.
I don't know much more as he died in 1962 when i was 18mnths old.

If any of his old shipmates remember him I'd be thrilled to hear from you.

Cheers
Dave

[vgray]

Hi Could Anbody Please Help With Any Information Regarding My Grand-father mr James Drummond Gray On Worked On The This Ship,even Any Information About Her

Thank You. Valerie Gray.

So Happy To Have Found This Forum

[jbryce1437]

Hello valerie and welcome to the Forum. Do you know what years(s) your grandfather served aboard Illustrious and what job he did as there may be someone around who can recall him?

Jim

[vgray]

thank you for your reply regarding my grandfather.

I think my granfather was Sub Lieutenent and he worked on ship WW2 ? His son (my father) was born 1944 to which im sure my granfather was still on the ship.

I have the Illustrious flag :) and a few confidential photographs!

[vgray]

My grandfather was a Sub Lieutenant, i have found out he had an injury in 1944.

[jbryce1437]

Hello again Valerie, do you have a copy of his service record that you can post on the site? If not, you will find details on this thread on how to obtain a copy. That should show his movements in greater detail.

Jim

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7485

[vgray]

Hi jim im afraid i don't have a service record? :(

thank you for your help.

[Alan Markland]

I was aboard Illustrious circa 1954, when her Captain turned her around in a Norwegian Fjord using the propellers of the fixed wing aircraft lashed to the flight deack. Was it Trondheim? Years later, whilst in the Mechant Navy, (about 1976.) I met a retired gentleman at the Barcelona Yacht Club (I think he was Commodore.) who said he was that Captain. Anybody know his name? Alan.

[navalis]

..if it was 1954, then I believe her Commanding Officer at that time was Captain Kenneth Short DSO

[Alan Markland]

Hello, I served in Illustrious 1954/5. Retiring in 1973 I eventually went to live in Malta, in Senglea, which became known as 'The most bombed place on earth,' after the blitz of 1941 much of which damage was incurred by the Axis forces efforts to knock Illustrious out of the war. My roof garden overlooked Palatorio Wharf where the ship once lay, already severley damaged and being patched up by the brave Maltese Dockyard Maties. When I first went to live in Senglea and told them I was ex navy, they embraced me. When I said I was in Illustrious they kissed me. If you go to Malta for a holiday be sure to visit the little park on the promontory overlooking Grand Harbour. Tell the older folk who you are and they'll love you. Alan.

[ceegee]

Can anyone help me with some research I am doing for a friend. He is trying to trace a documentary film made on board HMS Illustrious in 1949 for a relative who served on her. The person he is helping served on Illustrious as a 'tiffy' and remembers them making the film and then all the crew going to the Odeon Cinema in Plymouth to a special showing of it, and seeing himself on screen in one of the gun turrets. The only thing I have managed to track down is one titled 'Tiffy - Naval Artificer' which has scenes filmed on Illustrious, as well as other smaller ships. However, this is only 30 minutes long and the one he saw lasted an hour and three quarters. Was another documentary made or, as I think, the crew were shown all of the footage shot, and then this was edited down into the shorter film which was released. I would appreciate any help.

[vgray]

Hi there i came across your message because i searched HMS Illustrious to find more information about her as my grandfather served on her. I dont know much about the ship but i hope you find the interesting information you are looking for, good luck

[Bonzo]

My brother Maurice did his National Service in the Coldstream Guards and came across the RN in 1951 when his Battalion was shipped to Cyprus in the carrier Illustrious, I have several photos of the occasion that I have posted, one shows the Guards ready to march on to the ship a second shows the flight deck of Illustrious approaching Gibraltar with guards everywhere.The third I find most interesting - the hangerdeck showing their sleeping arrangements, have you ever seen as many hammocks.

[jainso31]

Again a nice set of shots, conveying a slice of histoty Bonzo -the sleeping arrangents (hammocks),:eek: had my jaw dropping.thanks for sharing.

jainso31

[Bonzo]

What occured to me jainso31 is, were they assigned a particular hammock, if so how did they find it. If not did they sleep in any one that was not occupied. Unfortunately my brother is not with us now so I can't ask him.

[qprdave]

Here is a report published in The Times on 31st Oct 1951 about HMS Illustrious being used as a troop ship. Also other reports from the area where they are bound.

Dave

[oldsalt]

Were the Guards taught how to "lash up & stow" ?

[Alimilna]

My uncle, George Richard Waterman, (known as Dick Waterman) served as a doctor on the Illustrious during WW2. As far as I know, he was on board at the time it was hit. He was part of the ship's complement when the Illustrious was taken to the USA for repairs. There he met his future wife, and after the war he settled in America. I remember that a number years ago I visited the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich where the mangled ship's bell from the Illustrious was on display. I do not know if that is still the case. In 2009 the present HMS Illustrious visited Greenwich and I watched from the Royal Observatory the flypast which took place to celebrate 100 years of the Fleet Air Arm.

[Tom Edwards]

I served in Illustrious Sep 48 to Feb 49. When the terrible loss of life in a Liberty Boat (open pinnace) in Oct 48 took place I was an evaporator watchkeeper. It was late at night when an Engineer Officer came into the evap. space and told me to go up to the flight deck asap. He did not say why and to whom I should report. He seemed quite shocked and dazed. It took me just moments to close down the evaporator plants (to prevent any saline water entering the feed/fresh water tanks) then up to the flight deck. In the evap. space it was 110deg F. up top it was gale conditions with very cold winds and the ship (large as it was) pitching and tossing quite badly. I was not able to find anyone to report to but eventually learned that we were to look over the side for survivors from a ships boat. Approx. 40 mins later I was told that I would be sent ashore to the breakwater with an Aldis lamp to search for bodies(?) How I was to get into a boat from the ship or from the boat onto the breakwater no-one seemed to know. Confusion reined supreme with little or no direction - to the best of my recollection I never heard any pipes relating to the problem. However, when I got down to the weatherdeck still wearing nothing but my very thin coveralls, I learned that it was all cancelled. Before I went on the morning watch 'Special Sea Duty Men' was piped and the ship proceeded to sea. During the forenoon the Captain spoke over the Tanoy system saying why he had put to sea, what had happened to the pinnace but with little info on the personnel in the boat.

Am surprised that there is nothing in the forum relating to that incident.

[SheppeyMiss]

Hi Tom

A warm welcome to the Forum, I look forward to reading more of your contributions, as I am sure many other forum folk will.

If you haven’t already done so, can I suggest a wee look at the Welcome thread (here (http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7490)). I found it a very helpful guide to using the Forum when I first joined, just over a year ago. There are some more links there to other guides and tips that you may find useful. If you find you could do with any further assistance with any aspects of the Forum, please do not hesitate to contact any of Forum Moderators.........the Captain spoke over the Tanoy system saying why he had put to sea, what had happened to the pinnace but with little info on the personnel in the boat.

Am surprised that there is nothing in the forum relating to that incident. I had a look and did find something on the forum. It commemorates the 60th anniversary of the HMS Illustrious Pinnace Disaster, here A Belated "On this day" (http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2741&highlight=%91HMS+Illustrious+Pinnace+Disaster%92).

Regards
Missy

[Tom Edwards]

Thanks for the response Missy, I guess I used the wrong 'key' in my search, am still a little mystyfied as to why the key 'Illustrious' would not bring up the item you called up.
I did read the Welcome bits and realize that I will have to refer to them from time to time - if there is anything pertinent that you can pinpoint in my post perhaps you would be good enough to alert me in a 'pm'. That way we would not be cluttering the forum.
If you were closer I could offer a 'sippy' but thanks to you and all others who welcomed me aboard.
Tom

[SheppeyMiss]

No problem Tom, I've just pinged a PM your way. Missy:)

[neil6814]

Tom.

All the dead, those that were found anyway, are buried in the cemetery above the Naval Base in portland. I walked around the cemetery a few years ago. I then went down to the library in Weymouth and looked it all up in the local papers. There was quite a bit to read, several pages in fact.
I was on the Illustrious myself in 1953.

Neil.

[Jan Ackermann Erickson]

I have 2 photos of HMS Illustrious from my fathers war journal 1943-46. He served on the HMS Woolwich. I'm not sure who took them or if they are copyrighted, but here they are:

[astraltrader]

Thanks Jan - very much appreciated. :)

[emason]

Illustrious in Plymouth Sound, June 1940.

109637

[RNfanDan]

Illustrious in Plymouth Sound, June 1940.

Thank you, Mr. Mason...a nice Christmas gift for us to see!

Dan

[CEvans]

Good evening all.

I am really enjoying the site and reading all the posts and looking at the pictures.
My grandad was aboard HMS Illustrious during the second world war he was called Ivor Evans orginally from Wales but moved to Plymouth before the war and joined the Navy and if memory serves me correctly he did boxing as well on ship.
As for his job aboard ship I am trying to find out but as he has past away its a bit sensitive.
If anyone remebers him or knows where I can gain more info about his career that would be a great help.
He was and always will be someone I look up to.

Thanks Chris