HMS Kelly 1939 - 1941 - World Naval Ships Forums Archive (Page 2)

Naval History by Country :

ROYAL
NAVY

US
NAVY

GERMAN
NAVY

FRENCH
NAVY

*VIEW ALL OF OUR CURRENT ART SPECIAL OFFERS ON ONE PAGE HERE*
NAVAL ART	AVIATION ART	MILITARY ART	SPORT ART

ALWAYS GREAT OFFERS :

20% FURTHER PRICE REDUCTIONS ON HUNDREDS OF LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS

BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE ON THOUSANDS OF PAINTINGS AND PRINTS

FOR MORE OFFERS SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

HMS Kelly 1939 - 1941 - World Naval Ships Forums Archive (Page 2)

HMS Kelly 1939 - 1941 (Page 2)

Posts 51 to 100

Told you I didn't know my ships! Perhaps the Kelly written on the back of them is some chaps name :D Ahh well back to the drawing board...

Can't be sure the one with the badge isn't Kelly, no pennant number showing...it may be a mock photo as the badge looks to have been placed in a cut away window... The only Royal visit to Kelly listed is by HRH Duke of Windsor in 1939 a few years after he abdicated the throne. If it is Kelly and I mean if.... it's a rare one as It hasn't appeared anywhere else ( that I know of) Alan

[QUOTE=alanbenn;36247]Can't be sure the one with the badge isn't Kelly, no pennant number showing...it may be a mock photo as the badge looks to have been placed in a cut away window... Alan[/QUOTE] That photo has the badge and name stuck on as bits of paper. It's slighty different though is that it's the only one with typed words on the back. "HMS Kelly escorting North Atlantic Convoy" I can scan some of the pics in a higher resolution if that helps. Andy

If you wouldn't mind Andy.

Any particular pic(s) or all of them?

Go for all of them !!

Here you go then @ 300dpi. Apart from the word 'Kelly' there's some handwritten scribbles on some of them. Pic 101: Sinking of "Sharmhoist" Submarine (can't make out the name, must be written by a Dr...). Pic 104: Scapa Flow Pic 109: Mauritius Meeting Kelly. Most have stamped Triangles With "Suitable for transmission by Post" on them. [SIZE="1"](I've got some other pics with HMS Cumberland written on the back, now the scanner is glowing I'll start a thread with them in a mo...)[/SIZE]
Attachments :

Nice one Andy !!

Hi I have recently found out that a relative of mine was killed on the kelly when she went down in 1941,i would be grateful to hear from any survivors or relatives who knew Edgar woolridge cole. COLE, EDGAR WOOLRIDGE Initials: E W Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Commissioned Engineer Regiment/Service: Royal Navy Unit Text: H.M.S. Kelly Age: 43 Date of Death: 23/05/1941 Additional information: Son of Rueben Cole, of Plymouth; husband of Doris Cole, of Pontypridd, Glamorgan. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: 41, 2. Memorial: CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL Many thanks david cole

Thank you David and Ron. We're still looking and feel a little closer to our goal. Your help and assistance is generous and very much appreciated. Russ & Doris Breslin

Great pics Andy. It looks like 107 was taken at lunch time;)

With reference to a date for the pictures of HMS Onslow they are certainly pre the 31st December 1942 battle in defence of convoy JW51B. Repairs following the battle with Hipper included a new lattice mast.
Attachments :

[QUOTE=jbryce1437;36576]It looks like 107 was taken at lunch time;)[/QUOTE] Yup - being a square rigged man myself I can assure you that lunch time at sea is always at '45 degrees O' Clock' :D

Photo suggests it is KELLY ie no pennant number and leaders band painted up. Not sure why she seems light in the water or is wearing that colour scheme. Any ideas??? regards gerry

Kelly wore that scheme for a short period in early 1940. I suggest that all the other photos were taken on/from either HMS Suffolk or HMS Cumberland at various times and places during the war from 1941-1945.

Pic 108 and pic 109 are captioned Kelly meeting Mauritius. This if it is the Kelly could only have happened between the 7th - 10th Jan because Kelly was sent to the NW approaches, Mauritius left scapa flow at the same time heading for Freetown and she remained in the Indies certainly for the time that Kelly was sunk. The only photo I'm not sure of is the one with the badge and name on it..... because of what Gerry points out is the leader band on the funnel. The others I'm convinced are Onslow (see attatched photo) If the one in question is Kelly, how come no other photo of it has not appeared before now? Regards Alan
Attachments :

Pictures 102, 108 and 109 are all of Onslow. (O Class single 4.7", K Class twins). Its Onslow as opposed to any other O Class because of her unique aft-extended forecastle to provide extra accommodation for her leader role. The cruiser stern in the forground of 108 and 109 cannot be Mauritius as Fiji class had square stern. It is the lowered quarterdeck of a County - Suffolk or Cumberland - the off-set hatch layout and small depth charge rail is very distinctive. Here are my suggestions for where the other pictures showing bits of the cruiser (Suffolk or Cumberland) were taken: 103. B gundeck, port side facing aft. 104. Quarterdeck, port side looking forward. 105. Quarterdeck, port side looking aft. 107. Main deck, starboard side roughly level with X gun, looking aft. 110. Upper: starboard side looking forward taken from aft superstructure (or aircraft hangar roof if still fitted) probably 1945. 110. Lower: starboard side looking aft taken from aft superstructure (or aircraft hangar roof if still fitted) probably 1945. X 8" turret side and gun barrel visible. 112. Forecastle. Note distinctive sloping side of A turret. 113. Low quarterdeck, looking aft (taken from rear of main deck). 114. Main deck, starboard side looking aft from a point roughly level with aft funnel and showing distinctive aircraft catapult deck supports (and hint of roller door of hangar). Photographer would have been standing on the stern of the large motorboat normally stowed on deck there.

I have just come across this photo in the IWM archive which I hope clinches it. ADMIRALTY OFFICIAL COLLECTION PRODUCTION DATE: 18 - 21 March 1943 MAKER: Hampton, J A (Lt) Royal Navy official photographer OBJECT TYPE: Official photograph DESCRIPTION: Wearing the uniform of an Admiral of the Home Fleet, HM King George VI inspecting the Guard of Honour of Royal Marines on board HMS CUMBERLAND, during a four-day visit to the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. FURTHER INFORMATION: Original caption notes: Some of the Navy's most famous ships, battle scarred but all in fighting trim - battleships, aircraft carriers, heavy and light cruisers and destroyers - were reviewed during this visit. The King visited the cruiser SCYLLA which did sovereign service with a convoy to Russia and sank a blockade runner in the Atlantic and the CUMBERLAND which has steamed 233,079 miles during the war and has only been hit once - by an 11 inch shell during the bombardment of Dakar. Later the King visited a Fleet Air Arm base and a shore recreational centre where he saw an ENSA show starring Leslie Henson. On Sunday morning the King attended a service on the flagship KING GEORGE V. Cheers
Attachments :

Hi I'm new to this so excuse me if i get anything wrong! Trying to find any information on m dad and his naval career, he does not like to talk about it which i entirely understand, so only know little bits and pieces. Have tried getting info from MOD but because records are after 1922 i have to have my fathers permission in writing and i dont think he would do that. If anyone can give me any info at all would be most grateful Here is the little i know He went to Dartmouth navel college when he was 14 in 1934 I believe he was there on and off as he tells me till 1938 1939. He served on HMS Kelly with Louie Mountbatten and I heard somewhere he served with Prince Phillip. He also served on the russian convoys. He was a lieutenant commander and was called Reginald Alfred Sandford. Thank you Emma

Hi Emma, There is a site called 'Royal Navy (RN) Officers, 1939 - 1945 which is quite comprehensive but incomplete. Unfortunately, your father is not listed but there is the facility to E Mail the site for missing Officers and they offer to 'help you out'. I have pasted the link below, [url]http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersS3.html[/url] regards, Bob

Thank you, will email them now regards emma

I am trying to find out if there is a Reunion planned for ex HMS Kelly personnel and thier relatives. Can anyone help please Thanks in advance

My brother was very friendly with Surg.Cdr. Basil Alderson who was, I believe, on board when Kelly was in action in the Med. in the 1940s; Does anyone have any information about what happened to him after that? They lost contact after my brother was on Atlantic convoy Ednamay

Ednamay You will find quite a bit of info on the Cdr, later Capt. Surgeon, here..... [url]http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=266&inst_id=21&nv1=browse&nv2=person[/url] Good luck with your research Regards...John

hi I'm new to the forum and only registered in order to try to find more info about my grandfather. He served on HMS Kelly under Lord Mountbatten and was one of the survivors when it sunk. Other than that I don't have any info about his service or function. I'm not sure if he was engaged to my grandmother or if he was just a very steady boyfriend, but he dissapeared before my father was born in Oct. 1945. His name was Robinson or Robertson - and his nickname was Robbie. I guess he was born around 1920 - but it is only a guess. He might also have been Scottish - but I'm not sure. My aunt thinks that he might have been married and that is why he left when there was a baby on the way, but it is only her guess. My grandmothers name was Joyce Winifred May Basham - she died in 2004 and she never told us anything about him - we just knew that my father and his sister had 2 different fathers. My grandmother lived in Perivale or Eastbourne arround my fathers birth, so "Robbie" must have been in that area in the spring of 1945. Any info or a crew list so I maybe can find out more about him, I'll be very happy to receive.

Welcome to the Forum Linda. I am sure that you will get some help here Have you tried the Kelly Association? I don't know the address Have a look at this website!!! [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Kelly[/url]

Thanx I have already seen the wikipedia page about HMS Kelly. I found another web-site ([url]http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_kelly.htm[/url]) but the forum there sends you back to this forum. I haven't tried the foundation - because I don't know anything about it. I am born and raised in Denmark and still live here, and I have very few relatives left in England (that I know of), and this makes it a bit more difficult. Again any help is highly appreaciated - e.g. a web-site for the foundation or maybe a name to contact.

Welcome to the forum Linda I don't know how up to date they are but here are contact details for the Kelly Re-union Association which may be able to help you... HMS Kelly Re-Union Association Contact: Rocky Wilkins B.E.M. 97 Broadfields, Harlow, Essex. CM20 3PX. Good luck with your research Regards...John

I will try to contact him - thanx.

Lloyd I was interested to see your father was on Kelly; would you kindly ask him if he remembers Sur. Cdr. Basil Alderson? He was a friend of my brother but we lost trace of him after they went their separate ways in the war. Ednamay

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I'm looking for as many pictures as I can find of HMS Kelly. I'm working on a model of her for my grandfather who worked in the shipyard where she was built. I haven't had very much luck finding any on the internet. Thanks

I have moved your post to an existing thread about Kelly. Perhaps there is something here that might be of help.

John Brown .... Sunday 5th July, 2009 Many thanks for your lead on Basil Alderson, which I have only just now seen; it was very very helpful. I wish I could have found it before my brother died. They met through scouting and I'm sure it was the inspiration behind my brother joining the Fleet Air Arm in 1939. Regards, Ednamay

[QUOTE=Russbreslin;13067]My 87 year old mum (nee Doris Brindley) would dearly love to find any information on one of the crew members aboard HMS Kelly whom she met during the war years. This gentleman was a gunnery officer and we believe was called Howard (Dixon/Dickson/Dickinson ??). His fate has since been a wonder to her and as we have been unable to obtain either a full crew list prior to the Kelly's tragic end or a survivors list afterwards, this has always remained a mystery. I would love to answer her questions and hope that someone may provide them for us. Many thanks. Russ Breslin[/QUOTE] I do not have info on a crew list, but I do know that a ship's complement photo taken shortly before she was lost exists in the War Museum housed in Fort St Elmo, Valletta, Malta. There may be other info with it. Hope this helps. Dick Bell

I thought that I would add this Obit here as he did serve on the Kelly [B]21 August 2001[/B] [B]CAPTAIN EDWARD 'DUSTY' DUNSTERVILLE,[/B] who has died aged 88, was Mountbatten's flotilla signals officer in the Kelly; he was one of the few officers whose character featured in Noel Coward's film In Which We Serve (1942), set in the aftermath of Kelly's sinking by German dive-bombers in 1941. He was twice mentioned in dispatches during the Second World War and was later the youngest captain in the Navy. During the 1950s, he oversaw many of the key developments in modern naval signalling and was in charge of naval planning for Suez. Edward Trevor Lloyd Dunsterville was born on January 25 1913 on Jersey, the son of Major (later Colonel) Herbert Dunsterville, RA. He spent his childhood at Woolwich, then in Ireland during the Troubles, where his father commanded the citadel at Cork, and where he recalled going home in the dark at the age of six armed with a service revolver lent to him by his father. Dunsterville was top of his term at Dartmouth and a term cadet captain. He went to sea for the first time in 1931 and, as a midshipman on the China station in Shanghai, witnessed the Japanese invasion of 1937 from the Bund while dressed in the uniform of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. After attending the Royal Naval College at Greenwich and then Portsmouth for further technical training, Dunsterville qualified as a signals officer in 1938, again top of his course. In 1939, he joined the destroyer Kelly, the fastest ship in her class, and described by her captain, Mountbatten, as having "the most beautiful lines of any ship I had seen". As flotilla signals officer to the 5th Destroyer Flotilla, Dunsterville saw various actions in Kelly in the Channel and Baltic through 1939 and the spring of 1940, and was mentioned in dispatches following the evacuation from Namsos. On the night of May 9 1940, Kelly found herself in foggy weather off the coast of Denmark. Several of her crew later recalled having noticed the dim shape of the German E-boat; shortly afterwards, what appeared to be a whipping tow-cable rising from the sea brought cries of "Torpedo!". On the bridge, they thought at first that it had been set too deep - Mountbatten even exclaimed, "Thank God that one was a dud!" - but then came a tremendous explosion from below, and everyone was thrown about. Dunsterville hit his chin on the voice-pipe and smashed some of his teeth. The torpedo had struck Kelly in the forward boiler room, tearing a hole in the plating some 40 feet long, killing 27 of the ship's company, and almost breaking her in two. She was taken in tow by the destroyer Bulldog but had small chance of survival, as a gale sprang up shortly afterwards. For four days, Kelly was at the mercy of the seas, and on some occasions had to be temporarily abandoned by her crew. There were frequent attacks by enemy aircraft, all of which were successfully beaten off. Kelly was eventually brought safely to harbour and repaired, and by May 1942 was back in action bombarding German positions on the island of Crete. At daybreak on May 23, Kelly and her fellow destroyer Kashmir attacked two caiques carrying troops and ammunition, an action that brought upon them the unwelcome attention of German dive bombers. From 5.30am they were repeatedly attacked. Kashmir was struck amidships and sank immediately. Kelly was soon also hit, and she too sank with great rapidity, drowning nine officers and 119 ratings. On the bridge, Dunsterville and Mountbatten had seen the fatal bomb coming straight at them and knew it could not miss. They remained perfectly calm, holding on as the ship tilted. Dunsterville later recalled "clinging on for as long as I could - then I was swept down, came up too near the propellers for comfort and went down again". When he resurfaced, he found "a lot of us bobbing about and we found bits of wood to hold on to". Eight officers, including Dunsterville and Mountbatten, and 120 ratings were rescued. After the sinking of Kelly, Dunsterville served on Admiral Cunningham's staff at Alexandria, where he helped set up the naval signalling equipment for the Eighth Army. He returned to Britain via Lisbon on the second commercial flight to England, the first one having been shot down. He was posted to the Far East and served again with Mountbatten in Ceylon. He finished the war as fleet signals officer to C-in-C East Indies (Admiral Power). After the war, Dunsterville went as Commander (Applications) to the Signals Research Establishment at Haslemere, Surrey, where he helped set up the modern system of naval signalling. In 1951, he got his first command on the frigate Loch Quoich, based in Ceylon, and the next year was promoted Captain, the youngest then in the fleet. As Chief Staff Officer for the Mediterranean Fleet, he was responsible for naval planning of Suez, and in 1957, as Captain of the cruiser Gambia, he took her through Suez as the first ship to make passage after the crisis. He became Director Signals Division in 1959 and retired from the Navy the next year. He then joined Racal Electronics, becoming director of Racal Slough. After final retirement in 1973, Dunsterville served as a local councillor for Maidenhead and Windsor, and as chairman of Bisham Parish Council. He travelled extensively, and wintered in Spain. Dusty Dunsterville married, in 1940, Justine Marcel; their engagement was portrayed in In Which We Serve, as a party on board Kelly for "Flags". She died in 1990; he is survived by their son and daughter.

Wonderful article qprDave but would like to point out Hms Kelly was sank by German bombers off Crete 23 May 1941 not 1942. Having spoke will now crawl back into my book, cheers buddy

Actually it does say that it was bombed, Towny (Holmer Green). The E-Boat badly damage it and it got back to Immingham for repairs....Oh Ok Didn't notice that

OK Matey, but true what an Ole Three Badgeman told us "Never believe what you read in papers" ha,they should have looked at the headstone,shouldn't they. Would like to use some of your photos if i may on my website. Ron

How is God's County (Bucks)?

I'm afraid it's not my Website. I did a search and found it

Everything is very well here, The sunbeds are out slight breeze full sunshine and the beers getting abit on the warm side. Still paying all the taxes though,as we here in the big "A" have to support all the locals up in the hills of Holmer Green. cheers

Well, someone has to pay for the smocks and bits of straw to chew on.

I would be very keen to hear stories of his time on Kelly. My Uncle was killed on the Kelly 9th May 1940. His name does not appear on the Hebburn memorial and he is listed as an unknown sailor. His name was Gordon Fowler.

I've recently aquired a print of HMS Kelly which has been signed by some of the survivors back in the 70's I should try and identify the names as it would be nice to find out a little more about who they were.

any chance of scanning it and posting it on the forum

Hi folks,I am a great nephew of Lt Cdr Lord Hugh Beresford who was killed aboard the Kelly.I would love to find out any info anyone might have of him,anecdotes photos etc.I would also like to find any naval architect drawings of kelly,I want to build a scratch built model.Thanks

Charlie Here is a small obituary, published in The Times on 16th Jul 1941 Dave
Attachments :

Charlie As there were about 6 different threads about HMS Kelly, I have joined them all to yours. So, unless you initially did a search (which is always the best thing to do before posting) and found these threads, have a look through this thread from the start. You might find something of interest Dave

I have posted a report and crew losses here:- [B]Post #231[/B] [url]http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?p=113332#post113332[/url]

[QUOTE=John Brown;55971]Ednamay You will find quite a bit of info on the Cdr, later Capt. Surgeon, here..... [url]http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=266&inst_id=21&nv1=browse&nv2=person[/url] Good luck with your research Regards...John[/QUOTE] Thanks to you and Bob Shayler, I have at last got round to picking up the detail on Basil Alderson, a fellow scouter with my brother when he was in the Portsmouth Area. He had served with Mountbatten before and was headhunted by him for Kelly in 1939. Edna

Previous Posts

More Posts

Everything we obtain for this site is shown on the site, we do not have any more photos, crew lists or further information on any of the ships.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE. ALL IMAGES DISPLAYED ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT LAW, AND ARE OWNED BY CRANSTON FINE ARTS OR THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. NO REPRODUCTION OR COPYING ALLOWED ON OTHER WEBSITES, BOOKS OR ARTICLES WITHOUT PRIOR AGREEMENT.

Contact Details
Shipping Info
Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy
Privacy Policy

Sign Up To Our Newsletter!

Stay up to date with all our latest offers, deals and events as well as new releases and exclusive subscriber content!

This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE

Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com

Return to Home Page