HMS Kelly 1939 - 1941 - World Naval Ships Forums Archive (Page 3)

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HMS Kelly 1939 - 1941 - World Naval Ships Forums Archive (Page 3)

HMS Kelly 1939 - 1941 (Page 3)

Posts 101 to 150

Hi tonclass Thank you very much for the photos of HMS KELLY. A distant cousin of mine Frederick Arthur KINGSLEY died the 9 May 1940 on this Ship. Regards John James

[QUOTE=relwofca;69828]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.[/QUOTE] Hi relwofca, Thought you might like to know your uncle's name is on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
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Glad to have been of help Edna. Many thanks for the acknowledgement. Regards...John

Hi i have just joined the site as ive been trying to find out things about my father who served on H.M.S Kelly i dont know a great deal about it as he was a man of few words but im almost positive that he is the man in the crew pic sitting in the middle row second on the left if anyone could give more info on this pic i'd very much appreciate it. His name was Arthur Jeffries and he served under lord mountbatten. Thank you:)

H Welcome to the forum. I hope that you get the information that you require. You ask for information about a photograph in this thread. as there are so many posts, it would be a great help if you gave the post number which can be found top right of the post with a hash mark (#) in front of it. Thanks Dave

Hi Dave Sorry didnt think of that (lol) the post is #57 Thankyou

Russ, I've sent you a PM about an officer it may have been. Steve

Hi All, New to the forum so be gentle ;-) I'm trying to get some information on my uncle who served on HMS Kelly and I believe was killed when she was torpedoed. From what I have already found trawling round the web this would appear to be in May 1940 and not when she was sunk. (He isn't on the list that someone else previously posted.) His name was William James Polson Jenkins and from the info I have had from my mother (his sister) he was a Stoker. Any guidance as to where I can dig out more info would be gratefully received Thanks in advance Idris

Designated Driver, The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website indicates that Stoker First Class William James Polson Jenkins was killed on 9 May 1940. His grave is in Hebburn Cemetery. See [url]http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2838293[/url]. KELLY's activity on that day is shown on the naval-history.net website ([url]http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-38K-Kelly.htm):[/url] [INDENT][I]"During North Sea duties, KELLY, with HM Destroyers KIMBERLEY, KANDAHAR and HASTY despatched to join HM Cruiser BIRMINGHAM to take part in search for German warships operating in southern North Sea. Joined screen for HMS BIRMINGHAM and remained when HMS KIMBERLEY was detached to refuel. Detached with HMS KANDAHAR and HMS BULLDOG to carry out search for U-Boat. After unsuccessful search took return passage to rejoin screen and came under torpedo attack by E-Boats. Hit forward below bridge structure by torpedo from S21. Ship disabled and sustained serious damage both Boiler Rooms flooded. 27 of ship's company lost their lives."[/I][/INDENT] Tim

Many thanks Tim Idris

Hi, I'm Jon and I'm new to this site. I live in N nottinghamshire and I was a member of the Sutton in Ashfield RNA until it closed a few years ago. I ran the bar on a p/time basis with others and took part in our renowned Xmas panto's. There was a script of sorts but it was mostly ad-lib so you can imagine the fun we had! When it closed down, before everything went "missing"! I managed to salvage the following hand made tableau of HMS Kelly's flag and a hat band, I am led to believe. It was originally in The Lord Lous pub in Southampton and lord knows how it came to be in our club house. As far as I know there is no one left to ask. If there is an HMS Kelly Society or similar I would like to donate this if possible. I do not want it to go to a collector who just wants it to make a profit. I think the crews of the ship paid for it long ago. If anyone can help me I could attach a pic. I tried the "insert image" link above but it didn't work. I usually drag and drop pics into emails etc. but this isn't so simple (like me!) Any info would be appreciated. cheers jc

Jon Welcome to the forum. I posted this address earlier in the thread and am not sure how up to date it is but they may help you find a home for your artifacts.... HMS Kelly Re-Union Association Contact: Rocky Wilkins B.E.M. 97 Broadfields, Harlow, Essex. CM20 3PX. Good luck Regards...John

Hi John, thanks for that, will contact them for info. We had loads of this type of emblem all round the hall and loads of pics, poems by crew members, letters etc. etc. but when they announced the club was closing things started to disappear. I salvaged a few items, put them away and almost forgot them! Now I've retired I have to time to get them to where they rightfully belong. Will let you know how it goes. cheers j

Took the grand children to South Shields museum in July and came across the HMS Kelly display - see attached pics
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[QUOTE=John Brown;131605]Jon Welcome to the forum. I posted this address earlier in the thread and am not sure how up to date it is but they may help you find a home for your artifacts.... HMS Kelly Re-Union Association Contact: Rocky Wilkins B.E.M. 97 Broadfields, Harlow, Essex. CM20 3PX. Good luck Regards...John[/QUOTE] Jon Did you get in touch with him? I tried to send a letter - but got NO response. Does anyone else know who to contact? Linda

Hi, not written to him yet as I've been really busy...how did i find time to go to work!! lol. Hoping to write next week. I have tried to attach a pic of the item but it didn't work. I have a pic on my desktop, but can't find a way to attach it to this page! It has the same emblem as in your pic plus other stuff. Think the hat band may be an original as worn by one of the crew, as it is or rather looks like, an original item. So it may be the 2nd original item from the ship. I hope so as that would make it really significant and mean more. Any help with getting the pic onto this page would be appreciated. cheers j

[QUOTE=LindaDuly;57014]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.[/QUOTE] I just found out that my grandmother linved in the eastern part of London during the war, so that must have been where they met.

Somewhere on the site, quite a while ago, someone posted a pic of the mine damage to Kelly, not the one in this thread, a different one from another angle; can any kind soul remind me where it was? or post it again! thanks tim

Tim, Not sure if this is the picture to which you refer if not so be it. Regards Dave
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Dear Dave, that is exactly the one, it is the closes it can get to illustrate the kind of damage to Somali when she was torpedoed in Sept 1942 on QP14, the return leg of PQ18. Thanks very much. tim

Tim, I have another from a different angle if it's of any help.
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[QUOTE=rimbo;124508]Hi relwofca, Thought you might like to know your uncle's name is on the Chatham Naval Memorial.[/QUOTE] Many thanks.

thanks for those pics, Kely's damamge is a bit frwd of the hit to somali, hers was in the engine room/gearing room which is poss why she broke in half later, kelly would have more structural stiffness below the bridge. tim

[QUOTE=LindaDuly;131794]Jon Did you get in touch with him? I tried to send a letter - but got NO response. Does anyone else know who to contact? Linda[/QUOTE] Hi, Have written to him about 4 weeks ago but not had a reply. Is there an HMS Kelly Association or does anyone know who else I could contact with regard to donating this item please? scubajon

Hi all, Its amazing that they got the old girl back to port with such open damage. I'm no sailor but I remember talking to a old boy years ago and he was saying that you could use compressed air at just a few P.S.I to keep the water out of a hold-depending on the size of the hole I suppose. Cheers....M:)

Hello, I am new to this forum, x-RAF (1956-1973) but with connections and interest in all things military. We won't go into these right now as I am interested in a particular aspect of the short life of HMS Kelly. I lived less than a mile from where Kelly was built (her keel was laid just two months before I was born) and for a couple of years, less than a stonesthrow from those graves in Hebburn Cemetary. My mother told me that Lord Mountbatten patted me on the head when he emerged one day from the shipyard in 1940. I have, so far, not suffered any ill effects from that encounter. However, down to my enquiry... I regularly visit a website (hebburn.org) which is a forum for all 'Hebburnites' from near and far. A question came up a couple of days ago concerning the ship's bell of HMS Kelly. It has already been mentioned on this thread that the bell is now safely on display in South Shields Museum after having been won at auction (Bonhams) recently for approx £7000+. The story goes that this bell was removed from the ship during repairs carried out at the Hebburn yard after damage sustained in action (North Sea). It is also said that the bell was never refitted on recommissioning and presumably the ship served her second stint up to sinking off Crete in 1941, without a bell. I can only imagine that this might have been disturbing (to say the least) for those on board...especially the superstitious ones. I wonder when the captain became aware of its absence? My questions are...Did a warships bell have a practical function during WW2 or was it merely a symbal of old tradition? Either way, I would see it as a very important accessory and not something that would be regarded lightly or forgotten about.

Hello melonseed16 and welcome to the Forum. You will find a photo of the bell in South Shields Museum attached to my post #114. Not sure about the story of her sailing without her ships bell, but she may have had two cast, one for ceremonial occasions, and kept in pristine condition, and the other for day to day use. Perhaps someone who was responsible for looking after the ships bell on a ship could comment. I know that on the old Ark Royal, we had two bells, one of which was in the chapel, but may have been from the previous ship of the name. Jim
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Thanks for that reply Jim. I remain intrigued by a ship that went to sea without her bell, especially HMS Kelly, a ship that seems to have carried no good luck at all in her very short life. It surprises me that nothing was made of such an omission in the film 'In Which We Serve'. Anyway, I am going to continue with my research because I am a bit sceptical (grumpy old man!) of the story and there will be few people left, if any, that could personally verify such an occurence or provide evidence. I have started by writing to South Shields Museum but have had no reply so far to my letter - copy below...and please note the purely coincidental name of the gentleman who will deal with the enquirely. The words of John Dunne come to mind here, not that it is related in any way at all to my quest but I thought I might quote them anyway... "No man is an island entire of itself Every man's death deminisheth me Therefore, send not to ask for whom the Bell tolls It tolls for thee" Dear Mr Bell, I was recently informed that you have acquired the ships bell from HMS Kelly. I have always been interested in various aspects of military history and worked for many years in the museum 'industry'. I was curator of the York & Lancaster Regimental Museum during my last 15 years up to retirement in 1998 and had served 18 years in the RAF in my earlier years. My son-in-law is currently a Commander in the RN and his last command was HMS Exeter (built on the Tyne). I find it intriguing that HMS Kelly should have left the Hebburn shipyard after repairs in 1940 without her bell. Being very inquisitive and having spent many, many, years delving into military historical research, I would love to find out where the bell has been lingering all these years and who has been claiming ownership/title to it all this time. My questions are simple but only a beginning to my quest. 1. Who placed the bell on the auction market? 2. What evidence do you have to place the Bell's provenance beyond question? I have a close but sad tie with your museum. My father (William Robson Scott) worked as an assistant there and died on the main staircase due to a heart attack (1976). I never ever met him as he and my mother parted company when I was only two years old (1940), but that is another story. However, it is interesting that at the time of HMS Kelly leaving the Tyne without her bell, I was living with my grandparents in Arthur Street, Hebburn (only half a mile from where the ship had undergone repairs). Even better, my mother told me that on the day that Lord Mountbatten come out of the shipyard gates, he patted me on the head when I toddled into his path. I have suffered no ill effects from that encounter ! Anyway, I have gone on long enough but hope that you can set me on the path of my research. There are many leads that I can follow but I thought that a word from you might be a good start. With kind regards, Don Scott South Yorks

Hi Don, I have had a look at the original info relating to the sale at Bonhams and it reads as if the bell was removed during the repair work at the yard before she recommissioned. I assume that a further bell was struck, which was carried by her when she departed the yard. It would be very unusual if she sailed without a bell. [URL]http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=36998&int_modo=1[/URL] Perhaps a member of the Kelly Association may be able to answer the query, as the museum may not have anything other than the sale documents. [B]HMS Kelly Re-Union Asociation[/B] Contact: Rocky Wilkins B.E.M. 97 Broadfields, Harlow, Essex. CM20 3PX. Jim

Scarcely in the glorious history of the British Royal Navy has a ship achieved so little and yet acquired such a remarkable and ill founded significance as HMS Kelly. For the real story of British destroyers and their actions of WW2 one needs look no further than the truly remarkable story of HMS Jervis, an identical ship so seriously overlooked as to be criminal, and actually the most famous destroyer ever to see service under the white ensign. I must stress this is not intended to belittle those who lost their lives on Kelly that fateful day 23 May 1941, but we need to keep to the facts and maintain history as it happened, and i'm afraid the Jervis v Kelly comparisons will always leave Jervis the victor.

Don Welcome to the forum. I'm afraid I can't help you with your questions but it is always good to hear from a Hebburn Lad. My late father (ex WW2 RN) was born in Hebburn and I have many relatives still living in and around the town. My grandparents and one of my uncles are buried just yards away from the Kelly lads. I hope one of our members can help with your query but in any event it would be good if you remain on the forum as I'm sure you have a lot of info to share. Regards....John

Happier times... I came across these photos on Norman Dunns photo website reportedly showing Kelly crewmembers including Mountbatten playing a game of bowls against staff from Leslies' Yard... Regards...John
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Looking for any information on an AB who served on the Kelly. AB Crossman was an Asdic operator I believe he was awarded the George Medal presented by the King at Holyrood. Anyone know how I can confirm this ?? and why he would have received this medal? He also received the DSM when he served on HMS Leamington,which was in the London Gazette 27 January 1942 His Offical number was C/JX141478. Thank's Rycroft

Morning Guys, New to the forum and this is my first post.. I thought you might like to sea a picture I recently aquired of the Kelly...sadly I cannot find any info on the artist J(?)Cousins...but it appears it was done for R.N.A.A. Rhodesia..
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[QUOTE=Rycroft;166311]Looking for any information on an AB who served on the Kelly. AB Crossman was an Asdic operator I believe he was awarded the George Medal presented by the King at Holyrood. Anyone know how I can confirm this ?? and why he would have received this medal? He also received the DSM when he served on HMS Leamington,which was in the London Gazette 27 January 1942 His Offical number was C/JX141478. Thank's Rycroft[/QUOTE] Hi Rycroft, I think you may have mixed your medals up the George Medal was civil decoration,I've checked the list of George medal winners and can not find his name there,sorry.

[QUOTE=rimbo;10004365]Hi Rycroft, I think you may have mixed your medals up the George Medal was civil decoration,I've checked the list of George medal winners and can not find his name there,sorry.[/QUOTE] Thanks for your help. I have been away hence not replying sooner Thank's again Rycroft

[QUOTE=culverin;153962]Scarcely in the glorious history of the British Royal Navy has a ship achieved so little and yet acquired such a remarkable and ill founded significance as HMS Kelly.[/quote]I cannot disagree with this sentiment. I have long thought [I]Kelly[/I]'s fame came more from her brief association with a certain, very well-favored individual among politicians and moneyed families, and perhaps as well because of her one-time paint scheme! [QUOTE]For the real story of British destroyers and their actions of WW2 one needs look no further than the truly remarkable story of HMS Jervis, an identical ship so seriously overlooked as to be criminal, and actually the most famous destroyer ever to see service under the white ensign.[/QUOTE]I have not yet caught up on [I]Jervis[/I] but I have read (or am reading), of the exploits and remarkable careers of other great Royal Navy destroyers--[I]Petard[/i] (a story written by the same author as [I]Mediterranean Maelstrom[/I], GG Connell), [I]Faulknor, Venemous[/I], and the [I]Laforey[/I]s. There are still others whose histories I hope to learn, starting with HMS [I]Wild Swan[/I]. I have also read of the exploits of the famous RN 20th Flotilla in Peter Smith's outstanding [I]Into the Minefields[/I], dealing with perhaps the most hazardous of all service to be performed by HM destroyers --that of minelaying-- as exemplified by the sterling work done by this historic flotilla's destroyers in BOTH world wars. This is not meant in any way to belittle [I]Jervis'[/I] historical contributions, but merely to point out that no destroyer's career can [U]singularly[/U] represent the whole field of the many and varied service careers performed by others, of which but a few are mentioned above. [I]Jervis[/I], herself was a very lucky ship to be sure, but luck should play no part in diminishing the exploits of those whose luck ran out ([I]Ardent[/I] and [I]Acasta[/I], [I]Electra, Glowworm, Hardy[/I], et.al.) However, and perhaps like yourself , I would tend to question the placement of HMS [I]Kelly[/I]'s career on any list ahead of a good many, and surely deserving, others. Dan

My daughter is learning about WWII at school, which led me to looking for information about my grandfather's naval service. I found some photos and documents and have posted them in an album [URL="http://www.photobucket.com/HMSKelly"]here[/URL]. My grandfather was Frederick George Burden and was Warrant Ordnance Officer on HMS Kelly. None of the photos have anything useful written on the back so I cannot give dates/places, I don't even know if they were taken by him, he doesn't seem to be in any of them, perhaps because he was behind the camera? Quite a lot of the pictures look as if they show the Kelly having sustained damage possibly in 1939? There are some photos with people in - it would be lovely to think that maybe someone out there might recognise a relative? I would love to know what the chap is doing in the photo named HMSKelly9! The copy of the reference from Mountbatten indicates that my grandfather served under him until the date the Kelly sunk - would that indicate that my grandfather was actually on the Kelly when it went down, or just that Mountbatten went on to other things after that date? We have never been sure how long my grandfather served on the Kelly. All comments/thoughts on the photos would be really welcome.

CAPTAIN D FIRST EPISODE. HMS Kelly the first of a new flotilla identical in all important respets to the Javelin, was laid down in 1937 at Hawthorn Leslie yard on the Tyne.The low silhouette and single funnel distinguished the J and K clases from other destroyers. The most revolutional feature was the construction of the hull on a longitudinal system for greater strength.The Mountbatten address to the crew through its adaptation by Noel Coward in the film IN WHICH WE SERVE has entered national folklore. The ships of the fifth flotilla Kelly, Kingston, Kimberley, Kelvin, Kashmir. Khartoum, Kandahar and Kipling all used a light mauve paint the inspiration of which had come from a Union Castle liner which Mountbatten had noticed was hard to pick out against the skyline. The Naval Stores Department had made it up specially and called it Mounbatten Pink, The charitable said that the idea had come from someone else and that anyway in certain lights ships so painted stood out with embarrasing clarity. Kelly thought that she was in battle with UBoats within days of the outbreak of war, one still cannot be certain seventy one years on but evidence suggests that there were no German submarines within fifty miles of that spot. In september 1939 Kingston and a month later Kandahar arrived from the Cyde, Mountbatten was now in practice as well as theory Captain D commander of the Fith Destroyer Flotilla, the Fighting Fifth as he christened it. Ray H

CAPTAIN D SECOND EPISODE Then in october they moved to Scapa Flow but before arrival they were diverted on a mission. The City Of Flint had been capture by the German Pocket battleship Deutchland and was sailing with a prize crew down the coast of Norway sheltering from time to time in territorial waters. Kelly arrived on the scene and was confronted by a Norwegian gunbost who warned them to keep outside the three mile limit. Mountbatten made the mistake of aiming to intercept City Of Flint at a position where logic suggested she had already passed disregarding the advice of two of his officers.City Of Flint made it safely back into Norwegian waters. Mountbatten later took both officers aside and apolojised for his mistake. Ray H

CAPTAIN D EPISODE THREE Racing for home Kelly turned abruptly and was hit by a huge wave and she heeled over fifty degrees to starboard. All the boats, davits and guardrails were swept away one stoker washed overboard and drowned.The general opinion was that the combination of speed and sea could have caused the terrific roll. The Kelly was proceeding at 28 knots through a sea in which half that speed would have been appropriate, emergencies demand desperate measures but City Of Flint was already lost. If Mountbatten had a purpose in pushing on at such a reckless speed it was not apparent.It seemed more likely that as was his wont he was ordering full speed out of sheer impatience to reach wherever he was going in order to start on something else. The impulse was laudable but in the circumstances should have been curbed.He was lucky to escape so lightly. The Kelly limped back for repairs and strengthening of her bottom. Ray h

CAPTAIN D EPISODE FOUR Repairs had hardly been completed when news came in that a British Tanker the Athol Templar had been torpedoed at the mouth of the Clyde.With another destroyer Kelly was despatched to the rescue, Mountbatten suspected that the tanker had been mined and any rush to the scene could lead to his destroers suffering the same fate. He questioned the order with the Flag Officer who checked with the CinC and was told that the order stood. Mountbatten steered gingerly towards the tanker, an anchored mine bumped along the ships bottom and exploded at the screws. By midnight Kelly was back in dock again for a stay of eleven weeks. Ray H

CAPTAIN D FIFTH EPISODE At the beginning of march 1940 Kelly her repairs completed was at sea again. At dawn on ninth of march she was in collision with Gurkha and sustained a large gash in her bows. The fault was Kellys and she became a laughing stock in the fleet.So it was back for another six weeks repairs. Ray H

CAPTAIN D SIXTH EPISODE After completion of repairs she sailed for Norway and she arrived after a botched campaign. The Kelly was part of a French and British force sent to embark what could be salvaged of General Carton de Wiats forces who had landed a fornight before and were pinned down.It was a tremendous undertaking to embark the whole force in one three hour night but the Navy did it and earned my undying gratitude so wrote the general. Less than a week later a flotilla of destroyesr led by Mountbatten was accompanying HMS Birmingham in quest of a group of German minelayers believed to be off the Dutch coast. When three miles behind Birmingham Mountbatten diverted claiming that he had contacted a UBoat and with Kandahar commanded by Commander Dobson gave chase. After a quarter of an j hour Dobson grew anxiuos as the b Birmingham vanished over the horizon but Mountbatten insisted on giving it another twenty minutes.This yielded nothing and joined by Bulldog they set off in pursuit of Birmingham. Dobson was congratulating himself on this uneventful ending to what he thought was an ill judged enterprise when to his surprise Kelly began to signal Birmingham with an Aldis lamp to advertise ones presence to him was thr height of irresposability. Retribution followed, a torpedo hit Kelly on the starbosrd side blasting a fifty feet hole in her side tearing open the forward boiler enveloping the ship in smoke and steam. Kelly was crippled but survived, twenty seven men killed many more injured. She had no power and only emergency lighting. Bulldog who had been lying behind appeared out of the darkness and within an hour had Kelly under tow. At 1.am a german Gunboat appeared headed for Kelly with pom poms blazing, mounted her starboard side and swept along it taking away boats and guardrails.She disappeared into the darkness apparently to sink. It took ninety one hours to tow Kelly back across the north sea, they reached the Tyne on may 13th, it would be another six months before she would sail again. Ray H

CAPTAIN D SEVENTH EPISODE The purpose of the expedition was to harass German minelayers but Mountbatten had allowed himself to be diverted into a fruitless search for a UBoat, he then dallied too long. A report prepared for the CinC stated that Mountbatten had blundered into a trap. If that contributes too much cunning to the Germans it is evident that he contributed largely to his own undoing. From disaster he won glory, the return of the Kelly was am epic of skill and heroism. Mountbattens feat caught the imagination of the public and also Winston Churchill. He was mentioned in dispatches, Winston stated that that surely this young officer was worth a DSO. The First Sea Lord refered the matter to the CinC who replied that many more destroyer officers were more deserving of the honour, he thought that Mountbattens reputation was inflated and accepted that the heroism would not have been necessary but for the initial blunder.When the First Sea Lord insisted that bringing back the Kelly was sufficiently remarkable to warrant a decoration the CinC replied that owing to a series of misfortunes, mine, collision, torpedo Kelly had only been at sea for fifty seven days during the war and any captain would have done the same. Though Mountbatten did not know it the interest taken by Winston Churchill was worth a dozen DSOs. Ray H

ABC (Admiral Cunningham) when C in C. Mediterranean stated that in his opinion Mountbatten was 'a very average' Captain(D). Faint praise indeed. There were allegations that Mountbatten was a member of a right wing cabal that planned to overthrow the Wilson's second government during a crisis period about 1975 but the plot came to naught. He is also alleged to have met with disenchanted MI5 officers who wanted to overthrow Wilson's first government in 1967 but decided to take no further action. KELLY and JERVIS were both built by Hawthorns at Hebburn occupying adjacent slips. I have read that Mountbatten had the choice of either, the renowned Captain Mack taking JERVIS. I further read that Mountbatten caused the building plan of KELLY to be altered so that he could have a State Room aft. I assume he retained a Night Cabin close by the Bridge. Of all the WW2 warships only WARSPITE received more battle honours than JERVIS.

It was early in december when Kelly put to sea again, on the first day the Engineer failed to hear an order and the ship rammed the SS Scorpion and had to return to dock for repairs to her bows but this was a familiar set back. In april 1941 the fifth flotilla was sent to Cunninghams fleet in the med, to him fell the miserable task of sending his fleet to Crete without any air cover. Early on may23rd Gloucester and Fiji was sunk the battleships were empty of short range ammo so he recalled them. Too late a corrected version of the deciphered mesage was produced. The word was not empty but "plenty". At 4.am Kelly and Kashmir bombarded the German held airfield with very accurate gunfire resulting in its recapture.By first light the two ships were retreating helter skelter chased by twenty fopur dive bombers. Kashmir was hit first and sank within two minutes, Kelly was hit shortly afterwards at the foremost end of the after superstructure. She turned turtle to port the screws still turning.She capsized with guns still firing. Mountbatten spent the next few days in Alexandria with the C inC another destroyer officer staying there noticed the CinCs irritation with his guests ebulliance. At dinner the day after Mountbatten left for England Cunningham turned to his guest and said. "The trouble with your flotilla my boy, is that it was thoughly badly led".The night before Mountbatten left what was left of Kellys officers gave him a farewell dinner but with more gaps than places it was a sad affair. If destroyers could leave skid marks Kelly would have disfugured every sea that she sailed in. Mountbatten was impetuous he pushed the ship fast for no reason, except his love of speed and imposed unnecessary strain on his officers and other ships in the flotilla. He lacked the mysterious qualities of Sea Sense to see that his ship was in the right place at the right time. By the highest standards he was no better than second rate. SO ALL THIS IS WRITTEN IN THE BIOGRAPHY OF LORD LOUIS. Ray H

Caprice,there certainly was a lot of cooperation between Mr A P Cole the ships architect and Mountbatten with Daring and Kelly. In particular the bridge, weather shields and positions of instruments, therefore it is logical to assume that there were others. These two men became firm friends. Ray H

[QUOTE=Anthony Fennemore;11537]G'Day, my name is Tony, I live in Australia,my Grandfather was Ch.E.R.A. on HMS Kelly, sadly he was killed during the Battle of Crete in 1941.He died before I was born, I do have a list and photo of the ships crew.[/QUOTE] Hello Tony my name is Graham Williams my father was on HMS Kelly in 1941 hes name was Lenard Williams he worked in the boiler house on board sadly he passed away 15 years ago and i have been trying to get some information about his service time on board you say you have a list and photos of the crew i would be very much in your debt if you could pass that on to me many thanks graham.... my response is Graham Williams-21937530....

Hi In the Second world war lord mountbatten took over the County Hotel in Immingham for his HQ whilst HMS Kelly was being repaired by Immingham workforce, He placed name plate behind the bar ( Does anyone remember what it said ) The hotel is a 100 year old this year and i want to place a replacement County Hotel

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