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HMS Hecla 1940-1942 World Naval Ships Forums Archive

HMS Hecla 1940-1942

Posts 1 to 50

During 1942 my Father Cyril Arthur Thomas was the ASDIC operator on Hecla when she was sunk off Freetown, Sierra Leone by a U Boat. He was one of the few survivors and spent some time in the water. I don't know anymore so if anyone can fill in the gaps I would be grateful. I have a picture of him in uniform whilen training at Faslane.

HMS Hecla was a Depot Ship, built by John Brown's in 1940 and sunk on 12 November 1942 by U515, west of Gibraltar. An old postcard photo that I have seen records that she was sunk off Casablanca. This photo is of her when she was at Iceland in 1940.
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Here's a bit more about HMS Hecla.
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Hi Kevin, What other ships (if any) was your father on, because being an ex ASDIC operator myself we were usually attached to anti submarine ships such as destroyers, frigates, corvettes etc? I was post war I hasten to add. Bob.

My father was also a survivor from HMS Hecla when she was sunk on the night of 11/12 November. I've previously tried to find information about the Hecla and this is what I've got. Hecla was hit by 2 torpedoes late at night on the 11th. Then by a third shortly after midnight, and she then sank shortly after being hit by a fourth torpedo around quarter past one. Crew of 39 officers and 799 ratings, of which 12 officers and 279 ratings were lost. HMS Venomous picked up survivors, but not before dropping depth charges in the area where there were men in the water, and so contributing to the losses. I understand that my father was in the water for something like 10 or 12 hours before he was picked up, and that he was holding onto something like a door, along with an Irishman. Some of those in the water decided to just swim off on their own after a number of hours. German submarine responsible was U515. There is a painting illustrating U515 being attacked by a RAF Catalina D for Donald, operating out of Freetown, in 1943. Link to a site about the painting [URL="http://www.kriegsmarineart.com/u515.htm"]http://www.kriegsmarineart.com/u515.htm[/URL] My father went on to serve on HMS Howe, I believe, right up to the end of the war. I've only found this site and the Hecla thread now because I was renewing my search for more information about the Hecla because my father died last night, 28th December 2007. His name was Arthur Leslie Horn and he had the nickname of Whip. He had frequent nightmares where he thought he was in the water again all through his life.

Hi snowdrop76 lLke Bob I am puzzled as to why your father would have been serving on HMS HECLA as an ASDIC operator unless he was on passage to an overseas posting. As HECLA was a Destroyer Depot Ship she would have had a number of destroyers or other vessels tendered to her. I believe she was on her way to join the Eastern Fleet when lost and your father may have been on route to join one of these ships. Do you have his full service certificate if so that will hold the answer. Regards stontamar

I believe this is from the British Legion paper from sometime in 1992. I don't know if Harry Cliffe is still around. My father went to one Hecla reunion but found it brought back memories so traumatic that he never went again.
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I must apologise for my previous response. After taking some more time to think and research it is clear that HMS HECLA was not on her way to join the Eastern Fleet when sunk on 12 November 1942 but she had just come out of repair after sustaining damge early in the year. It was this earlier episope I was erroneously recounting. Anyway on to the next part of the problem, what was an ASDOC rating doing on board HMS HECLA. As well as the possiblity that Cyril Arthur Thomas was taking passage it is also possible he was part of the ships company and his job was maintainance of ASDIC sets fitted to escorts berthing alongside HECLA for maintenance or rest. Finally the two photographs of HMS HECLA are interesting in that in Bob's picture two Canadian Flower Class corvettes can be identified (HMCS's BADDECK K147 and EYEBRIGHT K150) and the destroyer HMS ORIBI G66 and Flower class HMCS ARROWHEAD K145 can be seen in the photograph posted by jbryce1437. It is also possible that the Flower HMS STONECROP K142 may also be alongside but it is not absolutely clear if the last number painted on the stern of this vessel is a '2'? It should be possible to take a reasonably accurate guess at a date and location for these two photographs from the information that can be found in each of them. it would of course be easier if the original captions were still available and they held this information? Regards stontamar

I have just been reading about HMS Hecla .My father sailed on her .I can remember watching her sail down the Clyde en route either to Iceland or on her ill-fated trip to South Africa. I know that she was torpedoed in the Indian Ocean and put back in to Simonstown SA for repairs. Later she was again torpedoed off Freetown and sunk. My father was one of the survivors who spent 10 or so hours before being picked up ,I believe, by an American destroyer and eventually landed ashore in Portsmouth.Being an Optician in 'civvy' life he was involved in the repair of telescopes.I think that he was a Petty Officer. My mother had photographs of paintings done by a South African depicting what he remembered of the sinking. Unfortunately these were not among her effects when she died . My father spent the rest of the war stationed on HMS Cyclops off the Isle of Bute.

U-515 was commanded by Werner Henke, one of the most successful U-boat commanders of the war. On the same day he sank the Hacla he also damaged the S.S. Marne and three weeks later sank his largest prize the 18,713 ton S.S. Ceramic off the Azores with only one survivor out of 656 on board, and he was captured by the U-boat. In all he sank 21 vessels of 131,769 tons and damaged 4 others. Henke was the subject of a sustained personal attack over the air-waves after the Ceramic sinking and on 09.04.44. was eventually captured, with most of his crew, and taken to the U.S. of A. He was detained and interrogated at length, being threatened to be handed over to the British as a war criminal. This may have had something to do with his subsequent attempted escape over the compound wire when he was shot and killed. He is buried at Fort Meade U.S. of A. Stewart P.S. If I knew how to, I'd post a couple of pictures, but I don't, so I won't. Sorry.

S.S. Marne should of course read HMS Marne (G.35). The various U-boat sites will provide further history of U-515, as does the book 'Hitler's U-boat War the hunted 1942-1945', BLAIR, Clay, 1998, Weidenfeld & Nicholson, ISBN 0-297-84077-0, at libraries if not available, and the book 'S.S. Ceramic the untold story' by HARDY, Clare, 2006, ISBN 1-904908-64-0, available via Amazon.co.uk for £15 or [url]www.ssceramic.co.uk[/url] Stewart

Stewart, PM me if you would like me to explain how to post pictures.

For Herakles and Astraltrader. Had a go a posting my pictures, got as far as the 'preview' stage and then it said that they were too big i.e. 29 - 58 for the forum size of 19.5. Ah well. Thanks anyway. Stewart

Read my PM to you pls Stewart.

Dear YoungWhip My father was also a crew member of the Hecla - and after the ship hit mines in May '42 was (if I understand correctly) seconded into the SA Navy while HECLA was laid up in Simonstown for repairs. He rejoined the ship when she sailed again only to be torpedoed in November. He was picked up by HMS VENOMOUS. Year later, like your father, he attended one (just one) HECLA reunion. He often said that with the HECLA "he spent more time swimming than stoking !". If anyone out there remembers Charlie or "Chas" STONER - drop me line ? olive oyle

The Hecla lost 284 crew in the sinking.

Sorry for my prolonged absence. I have caught up on the replies, many thanks. My Father died many years ago and the only information that I had for his service was that he served and got his feet wet on the Hecla. I know that he was an Asdic / asdoc operator. I have a picture of him at Dunoon July 1944 (Marked on the back of the photo) during training:confused: So it appears that although he was serving on Hecla it would seem that time he would not have been an Asdic operator? I am now confused, how can I find out what other ships he served on.

[url]http://www.servicepals.com/index.cfm/pcms/site.gallery.view_image/imageID/6924/[/url] Sorry for the link to another Service web site, but the 'original' picture is on my puter at work.

Most of those who survived the sinking of the HECLA were rescued by HMS VENOMOUS and there is a chapter about the HECLA in the book written and published by Bob Moore in 1990: A HARD FOUGHT SHIP: THE STORY OF HMS VENOMOUS The book is long out of print and as a retired publisher whose father served on HMS VENOMOUS, 1944-6, I offered to publish a new edition which since the death of Bob Moore 14 months ago is being completed by Captain John Rodgaard USN. TWO POINTS: I would like to hear from anybody who has photographs or reminiscences which may be useful in the new edition If anybody wants to be sent details of the new edition when it is available next year please e-mail me at: [email]bill@fischer-balcke.de[/email] Bill Forster

Harry Cliffe died five years ago but the HECLA, VENOMOUSE AND MARNE ASSOCIATION is still going though reduced to some thirty members. They have not had a reunion for a couple of years. For further details write to the Secretary at: Norman Johns The Old Chandlery New Road, Instow Bideford, Devon EX39 4LN Most of the members are Hecla survivors in their 80s - or older. Details of the sinking of HMS HECLA are contained in the following Admiralty report at the National Archives in Kew:- Admiralty: War History Cases and Papers, Second World War*ADM 199/2013 Analysis of U-boat attacks: HMS HECLA, 11 - 12 Nov.1942 and Convoy M.K.F.I.(Y), 15 Nov.1942 . Analysis of U-boat attacks: HMS HECLA, 11 - 12 Nov.1942 and Convoy M.K.F.I.(Y), 15 Nov.1942 Admiralty: War History Cases and Papers, Second World War Date: 1943. Bill

My Grandpa, Cmdr Sydney Gregory Clark, now 93 years old, served as an officer on HMS Hecla and was on board when it sank. To He is currently writing an article about the ship for the Royal Naval Museum, including his memories of the ship sinking etc. I have passed this interesting thread on to him but if anyone has other contribution please email me. Many thanks. Thomas Clark

When the last Hecla ( Survey Ship ) was being sold a dinner was arranged at Drake WR for all who had served sboard her. My wife & I went , we were privilaged to meet some of the survivors from the Repair ship & a lively lot they were.

Stoker Charley Brierley (bottom right on the survivors photo's) I had the honour of meeting Chas on a few visits to the re-union. Sadly the re-union is no longer going due to the hotel's charges going through the roof. A sad loss and a great bunch of guys. My Grandad (Cheif Petty Officer Jabez Skelhorne) was engine room atrificer on Hecla and is now buried in Ceuta with C Stoker and Albert Thick also from Hecla. I have lots of photo's from Iceland, South Africa etc if anyone can explain how to upload them? Also a lovely pic of HMS Graph from iceland shortly after capture. On most of the pics are 3 or 4 other mates who remain nameless. It would be amazing if someone could recognise them and put names to faces. I also have a copy of ships menu, MOD inquest report on the sinking and the mine off South Africa, Eye witness accounts, Pics of the burial at sea of the casualties of the mine, ships play script from "crossing the Line" play onboard Hecla and various other bits and bobs which may be of some interest. 66 years tomorrow since Hecla was last seen. Rememberance day x 2 for a lot of us.

Think I just sussed how to upload photo's.:p
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Dear Mr. Brierley As you say a moving 2 x Remembrance Day for those who survived the sinking of Hecla... Stoker Charlie Stoner died on 4th September 2008 aged 87. Did you ever serve together after the Hecla ? Best wishes Olive

Sorry Olive. I am the Grandson Of CPO Jabez Skelhorne. I was merely stating that Stoker Chaz Brierley is pictured bottom right on the survivors photo. He sadly died the other year. A very nice man. Does anyone else have any Hecla photo's? I will upload mine as soon as I can find them.

Here's my Grandad, Jabez Skelhorne on deck in Simonstown.
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Hi. I am researching family history and I've discovered that a family member was lost on HMS Hecla on 12 Nov 1942. His name was Alexander Summerbell, D/SSX 12361, Able Seaman. He was 19 years old and born in West Hartlepool. I think his father was William Summerbell, who served in WW1 and his uncle, also Alexander Summerbell, was lost in action at Ypres/Passchendaele also aged 19 years. Alexander's (1942) grandfather would have been my great uncle.

Can anyone tell me how I can get hold of my fathers service record from the National Archive, I tried a search and went through a list of names which did not include him. Thanks

Its a while now since I applied for records but, the National Archives only holds records for Royal Naval Seamen (1853 - 1923) For service between 1928 and 1938, please contact The Directorate of Personnel Support (Navy) Navy Search TNT Archive Services Tetron Point William Nadin Way Swadlincote Derbyshire DE11 0BB Tel: 01283 227913 Fax: 01283 227942 I presume that your father served in the RN after 1938, in that case his service records can be obtained by writing to: Data Protection Cell (Navy) Victory View Building 1/152 HM Naval Base Portsmouth PO1 3PX This page on the National Archives site explains things a little clearer: [url]http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/royal-navy-service.asp[/url]

[QUOTE=AEGLINTINE1;28154]Hi. I am researching family history and I've discovered that a family member was lost on HMS Hecla on 12 Nov 1942. His name was Alexander Summerbell, D/SSX 12361, Able Seaman. He was 19 years old and born in West Hartlepool. I think his father was William Summerbell, who served in WW1 and his uncle, also Alexander Summerbell, was lost in action at Ypres/Passchendaele also aged 19 years. Alexander's (1942) grandfather would have been my great uncle.[/QUOTE] you have a pm

My wifes grandfather was in the Royal Corps of Signals during the WWII and we know he was on his way to India and we think he was aboard H.M.S. Hecla when she hit a mine of South Africa. What we would like to know is if there is anyway we can find out if Hecla was carrying any troops on board her at the time. She was with Convoy WS18 and I think H.M.S Hecla was the only one to be damaged and taken to Simonstown.

You may have seen postings from me about a new edition of: A HARD FOUGHT SHIP: THE STORY OF HMS VENOMOUS the ship which rescued survivors from HMS HECLA. The book will be published on the 14 April 2010. It contains the first hand accounts of many HECLA survivors in the chapter A VERY, VERY, LONG NIGHT about the sinking. Contact me if you would like to receive further details of the book (send a private message). My father served on VENOMOUS. Bill Forster

Does any-one have any info regarding the HMS Hecla that was struck by a mine off Cape Aghulas in May 1942? She was towed into Simon's Town dry dock, Selborne, for repairs that lasted 18 weeks. I am busy compiling a history of the 142 vessels that were docked here and painted the ships badge on the dock walls. Any info/pictures would be most welcome.

There's a thread on HECLA on this website under "Naval History" "Royal Navy Ships and Crews" - [url]http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=478&highlight=hecla[/url] Tim

Thanks for that, I have viewed that thread but it does not contain the sort of info I am looking for. I have also been to U-Boats.com site and have found some info, but I really want to have details of the day by day activities. I beleive there are details in the National Archives, but living in SA it is not possible to visit. Bob

Cmdr Gregory Clark, 93 years old, who was on an officer on board HMS Hecla says: Our mission: "Hecla was a Depot ship for Destroyers. We would supply crew, supplies, ammunition and torpedoes to Destroyers. Due to submarines, we kept our signals to a mininum. Even as an officer, I knew little about our exact destination at any one time. We were wary about being spotted by enemy planes, so we were always looking for hiding places. On the sinking: "We were on our way from South Africa to the Indian coast, to find a new hideaway. I was asleep in the officers mess, when the alarm went off, and a shout came throughout the ship "action stations". There were about 20 officers in the mess at the time. Then there was a great bang, and I knew we had been hit. Then there was a shout to abandon ship and "every man for himself". It was a great melee of confusion, but I made my way to the rope and down to the kali float. I recall dragging a man on board the kali float. The next thing I remember was waking up in hospital."

REUNION OF OLD SHIPMATES AT BOOK LAUNCH FOR “A HARD FOUGHT SHIP: THE STORY OF HMS VENOMOUS” On the night of 11 November 1942 George Male, a sick berth attendant on HMS Hecla, on passage to the invasion beaches off Algeria was woken from sleep by a violent explosion as a torpedo struck the starboard hull. Four more quickly followed and as Hecla keeled over and began to sink he joined hundreds of his shipmates swimming for their lives or hanging onto overloaded Carley floats. HMS Marne, one of two escorting destroyers, rescued fifty men but then had its stern blown off HMS Venomous, an elderly V & W Class destroyer built in 1919, was now their sole hope of rescue but during the course of a very long night it had to frequently break off from rescuing survivors to fight the U-boat lurking nearby hoping for another kill. Nearly seventy years after the sinking of the Hecla George Male will meet some of the crew members of HMS Venomous, including Harry Haddon, who rescued him and 500 other survivors at the book launch for “A Hard Fought Ship: the story of HMS Venomous” on Wednesday 14 April at the RN Museum in Portsmouth. The sinking of the Hecla is just one chapter in the story of HMS Venomous told in A Hard Fought ship. Sydney Compston, a gunner on Venomous when it rescued hundreds of exhausted troops from Dunkirk, and Stephen Barney, a Midshipman when it escorted the invasion force to Scilly in 1943, and Thomas “Yorkie” Russell, a stoker on Venomous when it was sent to Kristiansand in Norway in May 1945 to accept the surrender of German naval forces, will also be at the book launch. The authors of A Hard Fought Ship are Robert J Moore, a former CO of TS Venomous, the Sea Cadet Corp Unit which keeps the name of Venomous alive long after it was scrapped, and his good friend, Captain John Rodgaard USN who took over when Bob Moore died two years ago. In his lecture at the book launch Captain Rodgaard will tell the story of the ship and show some of the 170 wartime photographs in the book. The families of many of those who served on Venomous will be there to meet the men who served alongside their fathers and grandfathers. The lecture is being held in the Princess Royal Gallery of the RN Museum at the invitation of its Director, Graham Dobbin, at 12.00. If you would like to attend please e-mail [email]venomous@holyellhousepublishing.co.uk[/email] or phone 01727-838595.

[quote=Hecla1975;25794]Think I just sussed how to upload photo's.:p[/quote] Hi to all! As Hecla1975 said in his own post only three members of the crew are buried in the [URL="http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=2022404&mode=1"][COLOR=#800080]CEUTA (SANTA CATALINA) MUNICIPAL CEMETERY,[/COLOR][/URL] concretely in block "Santa Gema" Other (the most) are conmemorated in the [URL="http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=142001&mode=1"][COLOR=#800080]PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL[/COLOR][/URL] [I]A curiosity for me: What kind of materials are stored in the warehouses of HMS Hecla, for submersibles perhaps?[/I] Jan.

Sorry, your grandfather was not able to get to last month's book launch for A HARD FOUGHT SHIP which includes a long chapter on the sinking of HMS HECLA and the rescue of survivors by HMS VENOMOUS. The book launch was a great success & a lot of fun. Most of those attending were relatives of those who served on HMS VENOMOUS but some of the veterans were there as well:- Sydney Compston, AB and Gunner in 1939-40 Harry Haddon, AB from 1942-3. Midshipman Stephen Barney, 1943. George Male, sick berth attendant on HMS HECLA when it was torpedoed on 11 November 1942. Thomas "Yorkie" Russell, stocker from 1944-5 George Male, a survivor of HMS HECLA, met former AB Harry Haddon who was on VENOMOUS at the time. The Portsmouth News included almost a full page about the launch and it received loads of publicity elsewhere & is selling so well that a reprint may be needed (touch wood!) so if anybody reading this has photographs or additional information please do contact me by e-mail (or by sending a private message). The book is dedicated to the memory of all those who served on HMS VENOMOUS between 1919-46 (including my father) and costs £18.99 but can be bought by mail order from the publisher (that's me!) for £12 plus p&p. Bill Forster Holywell House Publishing [url]http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/[/url] [QUOTE=Thomas Clark;89119]Cmdr Gregory Clark, 93 years old, who was on an officer on board HMS Hecla says: Our mission: "Hecla was a Depot ship for Destroyers. We would supply crew, supplies, ammunition and torpedoes to Destroyers. Due to submarines, we kept our signals to a mininum. Even as an officer, I knew little about our exact destination at any one time. We were wary about being spotted by enemy planes, so we were always looking for hiding places. On the sinking: "We were on our way from South Africa to the Indian coast, to find a new hideaway. I was asleep in the officers mess, when the alarm went off, and a shout came throughout the ship "action stations". There were about 20 officers in the mess at the time. Then there was a great bang, and I knew we had been hit. Then there was a shout to abandon ship and "every man for himself". It was a great melee of confusion, but I made my way to the rope and down to the kali float. I recall dragging a man on board the kali float. The next thing I remember was waking up in hospital."[/QUOTE]

I recently bought a copy of the second edition of [I]HMS Venomous - A Hard Fought Ship [/I]from the 'rain forest book company' and have just finished it. A jolly fine read it is too! Highly Recommended for anyone interested enough in navy ships to be at this Bulletin Board. [quote]"We were on our way from South Africa to the Indian coast, to find a new hideaway.[/quote]They were actually on their way to participate in "Operation Torch" which would hardly have been a nice new hideaway!

Lieutenant Commander Geoffrey Mason, RN (Rtd) (c) 2007 published "SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2 and OTHER PAPERS" This [URL="http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-aContents.htm"]website[/URL] gives full service histories for hundreds of RN ships. Unfortunately he didn't cover HMS Hecla and there is only a page with a couple of photographs. For interest's sake though, its well worth a visit.

[quote=tjstoneman;87639]There's a thread on HECLA on this website under "Naval History" "Royal Navy Ships and Crews" - [URL]http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=478&highlight=hecla[/URL] Tim[/quote] Thanks Tim, you beat me to it. Threads now merged to keep evrything together in its right place. Cheers

One of the longest and most dramatic chapters in the book I have published about HMS VENOMOUS is the one describing the sinking of HMS HECLA and the rescue of 500 survivors by HMS VENOMOUS, the V & W CLass destroyer on which my father served later in the war. This is the most detailed account of the loss of the HECLA and the rescue of its survivors yet published and is likely to remain so for many years to come. But I have already traced fresh information which I shall be publishing on the web site I have created at: [url]http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/[/url] Take a look and if you have photographs, journals, diaries or letters kept by a family member who served on HECLA please get in touch. Bill Forster

Do take another look at my web site on the eve of the anniversary of the sinking of HMS HECLA and the rescue of 500 survivors by HMS VENOMOUS. There is a lot more information and some wonderful new photographs of HMS HECLA provided by George Male and the grandson of Jabez Skelhorne, one of the unlucky ones who died after their rescue by VENOMOUS, and were buried at sea while en-route from Casablanca to Gibraltar. And at last the full story of Warrant Officer Jimmie Button, the anti-submarine Boatswain who saved the lives of many of the survivors only to die himself as a result of is exertions, is told. See WHAT'S NEW at: [url]http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/new.html[/url] More than half of the 1,000 copies of A HARD FOUGHT SHIP I had printed have been sold. A Hard Fought Ship: the story of HMS Venomous; by R.J. Moore and J.A. Rodgaard. Holywell House Publishing, 14 April 2010. 234x156 mm with 384 pp, 170 photographs and 12 maps and plans. ISBN 978-0-9559382-0-7. Paperback, *£18.99 It can be bought for £17 post free (cheaper than Amazon) in the UK from this web site, see: [url]http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/purchase.html[/url] Bill Forster

Don Preece was commissioned by his shipmates to draw humorous cartoons of life at sea for sending home with letters from Iceland and South Africa. His daughter was only a few months old when he died on the 11 November 1942 but has been getting to know her father by reading the letters he sent to her mother which she only found when her mother and step father died. His cartoons and extracts from his letters can be seen at: [url]http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/DonPreece.html[/url] Can anybody identify "Old Pie Face"? Bill Forster

Like several others I have come accross this forum as a result of family history research. George Arthur HADLEY was born 1897 in Aldershot the son of a colour sergeant in the 3rd Battallion South Staffs Regiment who died in 1901/2 in Simonstown from disease whilst fighting in the second Boer war. In 1911 George is in he Navy at Plymouth as a stoker. It seems that he retained this grade as his service record shows him as a stoker on the Hecla and died 1942. If anybody has any information on him that would be appreciated. Regards,

[QUOTE=Batstiger;1167]Here's a bit more about HMS Hecla.[/QUOTE] Hello There. I am new to this site, and also a complete dweeb when it comes to computers...( were are my glasses, lol) My uncle was Stoker 1st Class Thomas David Arthur Waldock C/KX97148 who like many of his ship mates died on 12/11/1942 on H.M.S Hecla. I would be very interested to hear from anyone with any information/group photos or even recolections of My uncle( although unlikely) due to the passage of time. I look forward very much to hearing form your members. Best Wishes DC2011

[QUOTE=Batstiger;1167]Here's a bit more about HMS Hecla.[/QUOTE] Some more pics of H.M.S HECLA, with Winston Churchill..
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HMS HECLA was lost 69 years ago around midnight on the 11 November, Remembrance Day. And next year will the 70th Anniversary of its loss. A fairly detailed history of the ship (including the photographs in the previous post) can be seen at: [url]http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/hecla.html[/url] I am in contact with most of the survivors alive today and with the families of many others who have "crossed the bar" and sent them the following e-mail: --------- Remembrance Day is also the 69th Anniversary of the sinking of HMS HECLA. Some of the men rescued by HMS VENOMOUS and HMS MARNE during that long night are alive today. Year by year their numbers dwindle but their children and grand children have much to be grateful for on this anniversary. I receive new stories and photographs from the men themselves - and their families – and headline them on the “What’s New” page of my web site: [url]http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/new.html[/url] Can you contribute photographs and stories about HECLA on this 69th Anniversary of it loss? Earlier today I phoned Norman Johns who with Harry Cliffe and George Male founded the HECLA, MARNE AND VENOMOUS ASSOCIATION in 1991. More than 200 guests attended the 50th Anniversary dinner at Stratford in 1992. Last year Norman handed over the yacht rigging business he started with his father in 1946 to a friend and neighbour but he and his wife are still in touch with many of his former shipmates on HECLA. George Male, who lives a few miles from me, is over 90 and rather frail but I phoned Les Proctor in Canada today and he is fit and well. As is Fred Lemberg in NZ, see: [url]http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/lemberg.html[/url] And Fred "Slinger" Woods in Australia Herbert McWilliam’s paintings and letters describing the sinking are in “A HARD FOUGHT SHIP” but you can see some of his other wartime paintings and read about his life at: [url]http://www.holywellhousepublishing.co.uk/HHMcwilliams.html[/url] I am also in touch with Bill Clayton (Plymouth), Jim Coullton (Lancashire) and Les Mortimer (Australia) but Greg Clark, the youngest officer on HECLA when it was commissioned died a few months ago. Next year will be the 70th Anniversary – do you have ideas on how to celebrate it? --------- Contact me if you would like to be added to my mailing list. Or have ideas for commemorating the 70th Anniversary of its loss. Bill

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