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Malta Album World Naval Ships Forums Archive

Malta Album

Posts 1 to 10

Well, as my I/D suggests I’m not really a Ship person, being one of those strange types who is more interested in what happened above. Please don’t hold it against me!:o Recently I have been lucky enough to acquire an album relating to a soldier’s service on Malta 1938-43. Unsurprisingly there are a few photo’s of Ships in there and I wondered if anyone might be able to assist with identification? Before anyone worries about breaking bad news I’m aware that a lot of the shots were ‘acquired’ rather than ‘taken’ by my man- I’d also be interested to know where any have been published out of interest. Where the shot is annotated I’ve included what it says- I’ve also included some shots that I’m sure will defy identification just for interest. (Incidentally the number by the side of each shot just places the image in the album for me) So forgive my first post being a request- I hope it provides some amusement if nothing else. 18 [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0013.jpg[/IMG] 16 I’ve found this in ‘The Air Battle of Malta’ HMSO 1944, p 51 titled ’ The Talabot Gets it’ [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0006.jpg[/IMG] 17 [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0001.jpg[/IMG] 18 ‘Essex moored at Ricosolia, Malta 1942’ [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0007.jpg[/IMG] 19 ‘Bombing of Convoys to Malta’ [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0010.jpg[/IMG] 20 [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0009.jpg[/IMG] 21 ‘Bombing of convoy outside Malta’ [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0011.jpg[/IMG] 50 [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0012.jpg[/IMG] 56 ‘Action Stations’ [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0003.jpg[/IMG] 57 ‘Bombing of Convoy outside Grand Harbour’ [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0008.jpg[/IMG] 58 ‘Dockyard Malta’ [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0004.jpg[/IMG] 59 Looks pre-war to me- note the Submarines alongside [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0002.jpg[/IMG] 60 Others have identified this as HMS Glorious [IMG]http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/stan992/Handley/Ships/scan0005.jpg[/IMG] Hope the pictures are of interest and thanks in advance for any help you can offer

Hi. It is probable Submarine Depot Ship HMS MAIDSTONE. [url]http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-28Depot-Maidstone.htm[/url] >59 >Looks pre-war to me- note the Submarines alongside Best regards Alex

Welcome to the forum Stan and thank you for the photographs, some of which I have seen before. May I suggest that you scan them seperately at a larger format and then repost them? We can then have a good look at them and the experts will be forthcoming with the answers. Regards, Bob.

Stan, Thanks for posting – some interesting photos. I have some identifications for you: Photo 17 shows the tanker SS OHIO after Operation PEDESTAL, the convoy of August 1942. I think it shows her beached in Bighi Bay, with a small ship alongside. Photo 19 is either BARHAM or MALAYA – I’ve seen the photo before, and think it’s caption said MALAYA – the pole mainmast, instead of a tripod, supports this assumption. Photo 56 is an octuple 2-pounder pom-pom mounting – probably a posed shot, since the crew is still in caps and best uniforms! Photo 57 is probably BARHAM – the only battleships with a tripod foremast and large gap between foremast and forefunnel were BARHAM and MALAYA – the latter had a different shape to the bridge front. Photo 58 – not sure about the merchant ship, but the destroyer in drydock is one of the 4” gunned ‘L’ class (GURKHA, LANCE, LEGION and LIVELY), possibly LANCE which was drydocked in No 2 Dock in late March/early April 1942, before being blown off the keel blocks on 5 April. Photo 60 is confirmed as GLORIOUS – the only carrier with the flightdeck extended over the quarterdeck as shown – with a Swordfish about to land on. Tim

Gents Thank you very much indeed- I'm off to a very good start on this one now.

Found a couple of these images as I was ferretting around in the storeroom..... Image 57 - doesn't appear to be the bombing of a convoy outside Malta, rather an action between the British and Italian fleets of 27th November 1940 off Cape Spartivento, Sardinia. The ship behind the shell strike to me looks like it might be either RAMILLIES or RENOWN. (RENOWN was sent from 'Force H' along with ARK ROYAL, and SHEFFIELD to protect a fast eastward convoy heading to Malta and Alexandria from Gibraltar. RAMILIES, BERWICK, NEWCASTLE and COVENTRY were sent to meet them off Sardinia. Aircraft spotted Italian battleships and destroyers and forces were sent to intercept them) Barham was at that point providing cover for HMS EAGLE in another part of the Mediterranean, during an attack at Tripoli, I think. This image is from the collection of the Graphic Picture Unit and has the reference GPU.8023.A No 21 is the same event - if you look closely you can just see the stern of HMS ARK ROYAL behind the large plume of water in the foreground. These 'splashes' were caused by the attempted bombing of the carrier by Savoia 79s. Taken by Lt Everett RN. MOI reference number ZZZ.8054.C

Stan Pic 20 Depth Charge attack by ship in forground. Not sure if the guys would be standing around like those on the quarterdeck if they were being attacked.

stan pic 59 i agree it looks like HMS MAIDSTONE and the subs alongside are the River Class subs SEVERN,CLYDE & THAMES could you post this one again i would love to add it to my photos sjl

Re my previous post.. Please ignore, it looks like the 'official' caption is wrong. Image #57 is likely to be HMS Barham as first pointed out by Tim. I was going by the caption and not the image (if that makes sense) and the caption I have appears to be wrong. Oh well, back to the ship recognition class.... Apologies for my ignorance! Doc

Thanks- especially for the identification of previously seen photo's. My chap was on the island from 1938 so it was always highly unlikely he would have had the opportunity to have taken photo's of attacks at sea.

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