HMS Sir William Hillary, Help sought. World Naval Ships Forums Archive

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HMS Sir William Hillary, Help sought. World Naval Ships Forums Archive

HMS Sir William Hillary, Help sought.

Posts 1 to 11

Hello,this is my first post on this wonderful forum,i am trying to find out information relating to the circumstances of death of Seaman John Barnard Norton Whyte from Oban Scotland. Died 18th April 1942 on H.M.S Sir William Hilary which was hired for Air-Sea rescue dutys,i believe the vessel was based out of Culver around this period but i am struggling finding anymore details. Any help or pointers would be very much appreciated. Thanks H

[QUOTE=Heavies;10128672]Hello,this is my first post on this wonderful forum,i am trying to find out information relating to the circumstances of death of Seaman John Barnard Norton Whyte from Oban Scotland. Died 18th April 1942 on H.M.S Sir William Hilary which was hired for Air-Sea rescue dutys,i believe the vessel was based out of Culver around this period but i am struggling finding anymore details. Any help or pointers would be very much appreciated. Thanks H[/QUOTE] Sir [I]William[/I] Hilary was the founder of th RNLI, so maybe this vessel was a lifeboat? I couldn't find any vessel of that name in the (rather thorough) list of the RN in January 1942 on naval-history.net (see: [url]http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4201-40RNShips2Home.htm[/url])

[QUOTE=Gwyrosydd;10128676]Sir [I]William[/I] Hilary (not Edmund, see thread title!) was the founder of th RNLI, so maybe this vessel was a lifeboat? I couldn't find any vessel of that name in the (rather thorough) list of the RN in January 1942 on naval-history.net (see: [url]http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4201-40RNShips2Home.htm[/url])[/QUOTE] From the listed website- Culver Air-Sea Rescue Service - yacht SIR WILLIAM HILLARY, motor anti-submarine boat MA/SB.34, both at Culver, RAF high speed launches HSL No.103 at Calshot (Training Duties), No.112 fitting out for foreign service, No.119 at Gosport And what else i came across on a google search- A Motor boat of 40 ton, she was built in 1929. Requisitioned on 24th October 1940 and apparently used as an R.A. F. Air Sea Rescue vessel until 4th November 1940. From 5th November 1940 she was placed in Naval Service as an Air Rescue Craft based at Culver, Isle of Wight and was compulsorily acquired on 13th November 1940. Re-allocated to Air Sea Rescue duties at Lyme Regis on 17th November 1943 and remained in service until handed over for disposal on 1st October 1946. During her Naval Service she was manned by R.N. crew and is recorded as being at Southampton during January to July 1942, Yarmouth - July to October 1943 (refitting) Lyme Regis - November to December 1943. Portland -December 1943 to January 1944 (repairs) Lyme Regis - January to March 1944. Weymouth -March to May 1944 Padstow - May to June 1944. Falmouth - June to July 1944 (repairs) Lyme Regis July to October !944. Falmouth - October to December 1944 (repairs & refit) Clyde and Cambeltown until April 1946. Shortly after World War II she was purchased by a Mr Muirhead and fitted out as a luxury cruiser powered by two Gardiner diesel engines and having no less than 10 berths, she was renamed ISLE OF COLONSAY and was used for some 30 years around the coasts of the British Isles. In 1976 she was sold to a Mr Sim and again in 1984 she changed hands. On her way to the Mediterranean she went to the rescue of another vessel in the Bay of Biscay and towed her to Lisbon but shortly after leaving to resume her own journey she was struck by a large tanker and sunk without loss of life off Cape St Vincent. H

Looks like she may have been a requisitioned vessel operating as part of the Naval Patrol Service. His entry on the CWGC site can be found [URL="http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2457545/WHYTE,%20JOHN%20BARNARD%20NORTON"]here[/URL]. Not sure if his Service Record would contain the circumstances of his death and may only have the entry Discharged Dead. His death certificate will probably contain the cause of death, but possibly not the circumstances. Not sure if the local press would have reported it. Jim

[QUOTE=Heavies;10128677]From the listed website- Culver Air-Sea Rescue Service - yacht SIR WILLIAM HILLARY, motor anti-submarine boat MA/SB.34, both at Culver, RAF high speed launches HSL No.103 at Calshot (Training Duties), No.112 fitting out for foreign service, No.119 at Gosport And what else i came across on a google search- A Motor boat of 40 ton, she was built in 1929. Requisitioned on 24th October 1940 and apparently used as an R.A. F. Air Sea Rescue vessel until 4th November 1940. From 5th November 1940 she was placed in Naval Service as an Air Rescue Craft based at Culver, Isle of Wight and was compulsorily acquired on 13th November 1940. Re-allocated to Air Sea Rescue duties at Lyme Regis on 17th November 1943 and remained in service until handed over for disposal on 1st October 1946. During her Naval Service she was manned by R.N. crew and is recorded as being at Southampton during January to July 1942, Yarmouth - July to October 1943 (refitting) Lyme Regis - November to December 1943. Portland -December 1943 to January 1944 (repairs) Lyme Regis - January to March 1944. Weymouth -March to May 1944 Padstow - May to June 1944. Falmouth - June to July 1944 (repairs) Lyme Regis July to October !944. Falmouth - October to December 1944 (repairs & refit) Clyde and Cambeltown until April 1946. Shortly after World War II she was purchased by a Mr Muirhead and fitted out as a luxury cruiser powered by two Gardiner diesel engines and having no less than 10 berths, she was renamed ISLE OF COLONSAY and was used for some 30 years around the coasts of the British Isles. In 1976 she was sold to a Mr Sim and again in 1984 she changed hands. On her way to the Mediterranean she went to the rescue of another vessel in the Bay of Biscay and towed her to Lisbon but shortly after leaving to resume her own journey she was struck by a large tanker and sunk without loss of life off Cape St Vincent. H[/QUOTE] William Hillary (2-ls)! no wonder I couldn't find it! :confused:

[QUOTE=jbryce1437;10128678]Looks like she may have been a requisitioned vessel operating as part of the Naval Patrol Service. His entry on the CWGC site can be found [URL="http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2457545/WHYTE,%20JOHN%20BARNARD%20NORTON"]here[/URL] Jim[/QUOTE] Thanks Jim,i do have a copy of this page. H

[QUOTE=Gwyrosydd;10128679]William Hillary (2-ls)! no wonder I couldn't find it! :confused:[/QUOTE] CWWGC as well as some others list the vessel with one "L",and several others use 2 "L"s. H

Sir William Hillary was the Dover lifeboat 1929 - 1941

Many thanks for that info navalis. With that info, you can find a photo of her on [URL="http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=H1CoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT155&lpg=PT155&dq=dover+lifeboat+Sir+William+Hillary&source=bl&ots=t7x-EaEynT&sig=4wsjvjtvMBgPkFf5JkvF2tiZVs4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=U9l4VKP_O-Ge7gbQjoAQ&ved=0CFYQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=dover%20lifeboat%20Sir%20William%20Hillary&f=false"]this link[/URL] Jim

Hi Navalis, i have a couple of photos of her,one is the same as listed on the link and the other is her in 1930.I just cant find anything relating to her period in service around the time of Johns death on the 18th of April 1942. Thanks for everyones help so far. H

Sir William Hillary 1930
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