HMS Cornwall:1926-1942 World Naval Ships Forums Archive

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HMS Cornwall:1926-1942 World Naval Ships Forums Archive

HMS Cornwall:1926-1942

Posts 1 to 33

I am interested in any information I can find on my Uncle who was on HMS Cornwall and was KIA. His name is Sidney John Gore. I have some photos of him onboard HMS Cornwall with colleagues, if these are of any interest to someone.

Hi Linda Petty Officer Sidney John Gore - Service Number C/J 114038 KIA 5 April 1942 HMS CORNWALL. If you do not have your uncle's service record details his legal next of kin can apply for details held by the Navy by contacting: Data Protection Cell (Navy) Victory View Building 1/152 HM Naval Base Portsmouth PO1 3PX Tel: 02392 727 381/723 114/720 014/727 470/727 531 Fax: 02392 725 829 If release of records is granted there will be a charge applied. The range of files held by The National Archive relating to HMS CORNWALL can be at viewed at; [url]http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchInit=0&txtsearchterm=cornwall&txtfirstdate=1942&txtlastdate=1943&txtrestriction=adm&hdnsorttype=Reference&image1.x=27&image1.y=8[/url] Regards stontamar
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I would like to find any information on my dads ship HMS Cornwall which was sunk in company with HMS Dorsetshire in 1942. My dad was a Royal Marine his name was Peter Edgar Wheeler, He was from Surrey. He passed away many years ago & my brother & I would love to find some photos of Cornwalls crew particularly her RM compliment.

I'm a new member looking for info & photos of my dads old Ship HMS Cornwall. I'm an ex crab (22 yrs) I've posted the subject in another forum so please pardon a bit of doubling up ! Dad was aboard the Cornwall when she was sunk in 1942, He was a Royal Marine & escaped from the shell handling room of one of her turrets he spent about 18 hours in the Indian ocean prior to rescue. My brother & I would love to find crew photos & particularly some of Cornwalls RM compliment. His name was Peter Edgar Wheeler, he was from Surrey. He sadly passed away many years ago.

Service history for Cornwall at:- [url]http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CA-Cornwall.htm[/url] casualties at:- [url]http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1942-04APR.htm#cornwalllost[/url] (5th April, 1942) and Dorsetshire service history at:- [url]http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CA-Dorsetshire.htm[/url] casualties at:- [url]http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1942-04APR.htm#dorsetshirelost[/url] Campaign daily diary at:- [url]http://www.naval-history.net/WW2CampaignsIndianOcean.htm[/url] Hope this is of use. Gets you started. Stewart McLoughlin

Stewart, Thank you very much. Roger.

Linda, Re photos of crew members of HMS Cornwall. I am interested in any photos of the crew as my dad was a survivor of the sinking. He passed away many years ago but I have vivid memories of his nightmares of the event.

Here's a bit more for you Roger if it is of any use. Pic 4 was taken before the hangars were added. Bob.
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Bob, Thanks very much for the pics, Much appreciated.

For any ex Royal Marines. See attached photo of my dads recruit entry, He's in the front row extreme left. his name was Peter Edgar Wheeler. I can't give any dates as this photo only came to light recently.
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Roger, when the CORNWALL was sunk 196 of her crew lost their lives, including 21 Marines.

I am new to this so bear with me. I found it hard to submit a new post so I apologise for adding to this one. My late father served on HMS Suffolk and there is a thriving HMS SUFFOLK ASSOCIATION for shipmates, family and friends. Due to dwindling numbers I wonder if some benefit might be gained from contact with similar Associations of the other County Class Cruisers and yet how to contact them ? I would be interested to learn how I might do this ? Robert

Robert A starting point would be to Google the names of the ships followed by the word 'Association' e.g. HMS Norfolk Association, and see what comes up. Or, if you go to these pages and scroll down a bit, you will find contact details for a few of the ships Associations. [url]http://www.burmastar.org.uk/associations.htm[/url] [url]http://www.angelfire.com/ri/georgev/britishveteransorganizations.html[/url] Good Luck...John

hms suffolk
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Roger, here's a great photo of Hms Cornwall, you'll notice a good few marines are also lining the decks for this paying off photo. Regards Alan
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Just as a matter of interest here are a few photographs concerning the Cornwall. Bob.
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Great pics of Cornwall Bob, dressed overall in 1928 and the Royal Marine Band photos were taken at England Square, Bahia, Brazil in May 1928. The paint ship photo was also taken in 1928, off Rio. Alan's photo of her, with the RM guard and band on the quarterdeck was taken a little later, in 1936. Not sure when this photo was taken, but it shows her main armament undergoing practice firing.
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[B]"I am interested in any information I can find on my Uncle who was on HMS Cornwall and was KIA. His name is Sidney John Gore. I have some photos of him onboard HMS Cornwall with colleagues, if these are of any interest to someone." [/B] Hi Linda my late father JOHN GEORGE MALCOLM was on HMS Cornwall and thankfully he survived the sinking in April 42. He never spoke much about the sinking only that it the sinking, was very swift and deadly. God bless your uncle and all the brave men who went through that day from HMS Cornwall & Dorsetshire. I have some photos also would love to share them with you.perhaps your uncle is on one with my dad!!

The photo below is of CORNWALL and HERMES at Singapore in 1935. Notice the awnings over CORNWALL's turrets. I have never seen these in a photo before. I suppose they were to reduce the heat for the poor blokes working in the turrets. Were they in common use? Cheers Bruce
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Looking at her from that angle you wouldn't think she was this long! Bob.
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Given it was during the hot season, when temperatures would have been 100+F-I would have thought that awnings would have been a pre-requisite as you say; for the relief of crew members working in the turrets. jainso31

In old photos of capital ships the whole of the upper deck seems to be covered in canvas awnings in the tropics. Given the huge bulk of these awnings where were they stowed?. Were they kept in dockyards and distributed to ships as required, or were they stored onboard. How were they put up ?. was it a huge evolution or a well oiled task?. I'm really curious. :confused::confused:

[QUOTE=Linda;1465]I am interested in any information I can find on my Uncle who was on HMS Cornwall and was KIA. His name is Sidney John Gore. I have some photos of him onboard HMS Cornwall with colleagues, if these are of any interest to someone.[/QUOTE] My Uncle was also on the Cornwall, Leading Stoker Denis Galliers, I have no photos maybe you could e-mail one or two in case by chance he is on one. my address is [email]abberley1@sky.com[/email]. Thanks

Here is a higher resolution picture of one I posted some time ago. Bob.
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Some of my fathers photographs of his trip to China Station on HMS Cornwall 1928 have become mixed with others in a box trying to sort them into his album is difficult as not sure of the details hope you can help top two photos is this the HMS Cornwall with aircraft launching runway ? photo 3 is from the album showing an aircraft being recovered and titled aircraft recovery H.K. photo 4 any info on this not sure of location or if related to this journey many thanks for any help Cliff Sutcliffe
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I may be wrong, but I don't think the photo's with the aircraft relate to HMS Cornwall? I thought the ramps on turrets for aircraft launches were used by WW1 battleships. Cornwall would have had a catapult amidships...

Hi Cliff have extracted photos and tried to clean them up - results not brilliant due to the small size and low resolution, but was worth a try. The group photo wouldn't stand enlargement. [COLOR=White]. . .[/COLOR]
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I think pictures 1 and 2 are Glorious in her battlecruiser incarnation? Picture 3 however is an athwartships catapult like the one Cornwall carried.

The aircraft in the first three photos are Fairey Flycatchers; this type did not enter service until 1923, by which time both GLORIOUS and COURAGEOUS were in reserve. The superstructure in the second photo appears to be that of a Royal Sovereign class battleship. Numerous small and large alterations were made to the bridge structures of this class, but the only photos I can find showing the protruding chart table on the front of the compass platform (as here) are of RAMILLIES, which did carry a Flycather at some point. CORNWALL was not fitted with an athwartships catapult until after Flycatchers had been withdrawn from service.

[QUOTE=tjstoneman;10119049]The aircraft in the first three photos are Fairey Flycatchers; this type did not enter service until 1923, by which time both GLORIOUS and COURAGEOUS were in reserve. The superstructure in the second photo appears to be that of a Royal Sovereign class battleship. Numerous small and large alterations were made to the bridge structures of this class, but the only photos I can find showing the protruding chart table on the front of the compass platform (as here) are of RAMILLIES, which did carry a Flycather at some point. CORNWALL was not fitted with an athwartships catapult until after Flycatchers had been withdrawn from service.[/QUOTE] Thanks TJ. Do you think it's the same ship in all 3? Picture 1 looks like an A turret, which was why I thought Glorious as I was looking for a post-WW1 ship with a single turret forward - I didn't suggest Courageous as I think her catapult was on the aft turret. Picture 2 would seem to be a B turret due to the catapult's height against the bridge structure? Not sure about 3. Could equally well be a turret-top catapult, looking at it again. I've run all 3 though a picture search and they don't seem to appear anywhere else on the internet.

Neither of the first two photos show a catapult. Neither Glorious nor Courageous ever carried catapults; both ships were fitted with flying-off platforms on both turrets in 1918. The object partially visible across the top of the third photo is not very clear; however, it doesn't look like a catapult to me, and it's hard to see how a turret top catapult would be visible that close to the ship's side. The turret with the flying-off platform in the first photo is certainly a "B" turret - "A" turret is visible ahead of it (below the blast bag on the left gun) - and the configuration is right for a Royal Sovereign class ship. The turret in the second photo has a 30ft rangefinder fitted - so must be "B" turret. Other features of the ship (three scuttles on the front face of the upper searchlight platform level, shallow support webs to the front of the compass platform, protruding chart table, shape of screens around lower searchlight platform, all match some photos of RAMILLIES, but don't appear thus on photos other ships of the class - and the other classes with two twin 15" Mk I turrets had different bridge structures.

Sorry, muddling up my terms. I meant platform, not catapult! Yes, I can see A turret now. So it looks like the first 2 at least are Ramillies. As to the 3rd, the aircraft is being recovered - so presumably a boat crane is being used? The planes are wheeled, not fitted with floats - so it looks as though something has gone badly wrong in that 3rd picture.

[QUOTE=Roger wheeler;1520]I'm a new member looking for info & photos of my dads old Ship HMS Cornwall. I'm an ex crab (22 yrs) I've posted the subject in another forum so please pardon a bit of doubling up ! Dad was aboard the Cornwall when she was sunk in 1942, He was a Royal Marine & escaped from the shell handling room of one of her turrets he spent about 18 hours in the Indian ocean prior to rescue. My brother & I would love to find crew photos & particularly some of Cornwalls RM compliment. His name was Peter Edgar Wheeler, he was from Surrey. He sadly passed away many years ago.[/QUOTE] Hello my name is Stephen Howes I am the son of Sgt Stephen George Howes RM Serving on HMS Cornwall during its sinking. My father pulled someone carrying a cordite charge from a gun battery. Many years later they were to meet working for Firestone Tyre Co in Brentford. I know very little of my fathers service history. I have a few photos & programe Newspaper cutting of a football match between HMS Cornwall & China 2-0 to Cornwall. My granddaughter needs photos for a school project so I could copy them to you. Cheers Steve

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