Some of my Grandfathers pics

[Ascent]

Not sure if this is the right place for this so please feel free to move if need be but I thought I'd post up some of my Grandfathers photo's from WWII.

Now he was a Royal Navy man but some of his pics are air related and I thought people here might like to see them.

So the first three are from the invasion of Crete. I have noo idea how he got a picture of German para's and unfortunatley he's no longer around to ask. That looks like a Ju-52 going down in flames to me.

Next up are some pictures of HMS Illustrious under attack.

It give an idea of the ferocity of the attacks.

My Grandad was in one of the rear gun turrets of HMS Eridge, a Hunt type II destroyer sailing in the Med.

There are more pictures but they're specifically naval related including the Graf Spee sinking which he got off a friend on one of the ships there. If people want to see them let me know where they should go up and I'll stick them in.

 

[fubar57]

Awesome

 

[rochie]

amazing, please share more and thanks for showing them

 

[Wurger]

 

[michael rauls]

Wow, really great pics. Would love to see the others you mentioned also.

 

[Crimea_River]

Count me in.

 

[Gnomey]

Great stuff!

 

[Ascent]

As there seems to be some interest in this I'll post a few more up. I'll start with a bit of background.

This is John Thomas Yeeles taken in 1942 when he was aged 22. He was in the Naval reserves before the war started so in September 1939 he was at sea aged 19.

That's my Grandad on the left, unfortunatley I don't know who the others are.

This is HMS Eridge, a Hunt type II destroyer. My grandad was on her from her commission in February 1941 until she was torpedoed in August 1942. Considered a lucky ship they had a single fatality in that time when she was torpedoed and she survived twice the average length of destroyers in the Med. Her captain later wrote a book about his time on her called Red Tobruk, which has pride of place in my library.

 

[Ascent]

Here are some pictures of the Graf Spee from my grandfathers collection. He knew someone on one of the ships that chased her which is where he got the photos from.

 

[Tieleader]

Very nice shots all. Got more?

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Great stuff

 

[parsifal]

Some photos ive seen before, others not. The difference is however that these photos look like original prints. Thankyou so much for sharing them.

 

[parsifal]

HMS Eridge service history (from Naval history.net)


February Contractor's trials and commissioned for service.
28th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.



March Took passage to Scapa Flow on completion of trials and storing..

Worked-up for operational service with ships of Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow.

Joined Irish Sea Escort Force for convoy defence duties.



April Convoy defence in Western Approaches and Irish Sea in continuation.

26th Joined HM Destroyers HARVESTER, HAVELOCK, HESPERUS, HURRICANE, LEGION,

OTTAWA (RCN), RESTIGOUCHE (RCN), SAGUENAY (RCN) and Polish ORP PIORUN with

HM Destroyer BEAGLE as escort for military convoy WS8A during passage in NW

approaches.

29th Detached from WS8A and took passage to meet Convoy SL71.from Freetown to Clyde as

Local Escort.



May After arrival of SL71 in Clyde continued escort duty in NW Approaches.

22nd Joined escort for military convoy WS8B in Clyde as Local Escort with HM Cruiser CAIRO,

Destroyers COSSACK, MAORI, OTTAWA, SIKH, RESTIGOUCHE, ZULU and Polish ORP

PIORUN.

26th Detached from WS8B with Local Escort and returned to Clyde.



June Nominated for service at Gibraltar with 13th Destroyer Flotilla

18th Passage to Gibraltar.

21st Joined Flotilla at Gibraltar for Atlantic convoy defence.



July Gibraltar deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

17th Deployed with HM Destroyers AVON VALE and FARNDALE to meet military convoy WS9C

on passage from Clyde in Atlantic west of Gibraltar.

On meeting detached from WS9C with HM Cruiser MANCHESTER, HM Destroyers NESTOR

(RAN) and LIGHTNING for escort of troopship PASTEUR to Gibraltar

(Note: One source suggests ship took passage with WS9C from Clyde but may not be correct

as other data suggests she joined 13th Flotilla in June 1941

18th Nominated for escort of Malta Relief convoy (Operation SUBSTANCE).

21st Joined HM Cruisers EDINBURGH, MANCHESTER, ARETHUSA and MANXMAN as

destroyer screen during escort of convoy WS9C with H M Destroyers COSSACK, MAORI,

FEARLESS, NESTOR, FOXHOUND, FIREDRAKE, HM Escort Destroyers AVON VALE

and FARNDALE in Force X.

23rd Detached from screen to escort HMS FIREDRAKE under tow to Gibraltar after being damaged

in air attacks.

(For details of Mediterranean operations during 1911 see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE

CLOSELY by C Barnett, THE BATTLE FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN by D MacIntyre and

Naval Staff History ( HMSO-2002).

27th Joined HM Destroyers FAULKNOR, FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FOXHOUND, FURY,

COSSACK, MAORI, NESTOR and ENCOUNTER as destroyer screen for HM Battleship

NELSON, HM Aircraft Carrier ARK ROYAL and HM Battlecruiser RENOWN to cover

passage of convoy taking personnel to Malta (Operation STYLE - See above references).

31st Returned to Gibraltar with major warships of Force H on arrival at Sicilian Narrows.



August Resumed Flotilla duties at Gibraltar

4th Transferred with HMS AVON VALE to 2nd Destroyer Flotilla at Alexandria.

Passage via Cape of Good Hope and Indian Ocean



September Passage in Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

29th Arrived at Suez.



October Joined Flotilla for convoy defence and support of military operations.

Deployed in eastern Mediterranean.



November Transferred to 5th Destroyer Flotilla based at Alexandria.

Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and support of military operations.



December Flotilla deployment in eastern Mediterranean in continuation.

1 9 4 2​

​

January Flotilla deployment in continuation.



February

16th Part of escort for ss CLAN CAMPBELL and ss CLAN CHATTAN as Convoy MW9A to Malta

from Alexandria with HM Cruiser CARLISLE, HM Destroyer LANCE, HM Escort Destroyers

AVON VALE and HEYTHROP (Operation MFM)

13th Under air attacks during which ss CLAN CAMPBELL was damaged and was escorted to

Tobruk.

(Note: ss CLAN CHATTAN was damaged later on 14th and had to be sunk by our own forces

This operation was a failure.

See above references.)

17th Resumed Flotilla duties at Alexandria.



March

20th Joined HM Escort Destroyers AVON VALE, BEAUFORT, DULVERTON, HEYTHROP

HURWORTH and SOUTHWOLD of Flotilla to carry out anti-submarine sweep off Alexandria

prior to departure of Convoy MW10 for Malta (Operation MG1 -see above references).

After HMS HEYTHROP was hit by a torpedo from U652 NE of Bardia took the stricken

ship in tow.

21st Tow abandoned when HMS HEYTHROP sank 5 hours later.

Refuelled at Tobruk prior to joining escort for Convoy MW10

22nd Joined escort of convoy with same ships, except HMS HEYTHROP.

After threat from superior Italian force including battleship LITORRIO cruisers GORIZIA,

TRENTO and BANDE MERE detached with HMS CARLISLE and sister destroyers to escort

convoy to south away from enemy force.

(2nd Battle of Sirte. - See above references.).

23rd Because of vulnerability of convoy to air attacks and difference of speed of the mercantiles,

nominated as escort for ss CLAN CAMPBELL with H M Cruiser PENELOPE, HM Destroyer

LEGION and HM Escort Destroyer HURWORTH

Under heavy air attacks during passage to Malta..

(Note: CLAN CAMPBELL was sunk about 8 miles from Malta.

Rescued some 100 of crew.)

Took passage to Grand Harbour to land survivors and rejoin escort.

25th Sailed to Alexandria with HMS CARLISLE, HM Escort Destroyers BEAUFORT,

DULVERTON and HURWORTH.

29th Arrived at Alexandria and resumed duties with Flotilla.



April Deployed with Flotilla for escort of support convoys to Tobruk.



May Flotilla duties in continuation.

28th During escort of Convoy AT4 to Tobruk with HM Escort Destroyers HERO and HURWORTH

took part in sinking of U568 in position 32.42N, 24.53E (off Tobruk) with HM Destroyer HERO

and HM Escort Destroyer HURWORTH.

Rescued 42 survivors from submarine.

(For details see U BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)



June Nominated for support of Malta relief convoy MW11 with ships of Flotilla.

(Operation VIGOROUS - See above references for details).

11th Sailed from Port Said with H M Cruiser COVENTRY, H M Escort Destroyers AIREDALE,

ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, CROOME, DULVERTON , EXMOOR and HURWORTH as

escort for four supply ships in Convoy MW11C each of which was towing an MTB.

(Operation REMBRANDT - This was a diversionary Operation to distract attention of the enemy

from the passage of the relief convoy in VIGOROUS).

12th ss CITY OF CALCUTTA in Convoy MW11C damaged in air attacks and detached with HMS

CROOME and EXMOOR for passage with an escort to Tobruk

14th Joined escort for VIGOROUS convoy and under air attacks

to Convoy under threat of attack from major Italian force.

15th After conflicting instructions and heavy expenditure of ammunition and fuel VIGOROUS was

abandoned.

(For full details of this ill-directed attempt to pass a convoy to Malta see above references).

17th Resumed duties with Flotilla in eastern Mediterranean.

Deployed with Flotilla for convoy defence and support of military operations.



July

10th Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, BEAUFORT, DULVERTON and

HURWORTH in support of military operations.

11th Took part in bombardment of Mersa Matruh with same ships.

(Note: Ammunition ship STURLA was sunk in this bombardment.)



August Flotilla duties in continuation.

27th Deployed with HM Escort Destroyers ALDENHAM, CROOME and HURWORTH for support

of military operations.

28th Took part in bombardment of airfield at El Daba with HMS CROOME and HMS HURWORTH.

After completion of bombardment under attack by E-Boat and hit on port side aft

Explosion caused extensive flooding in Engine Room with loss of electric power.

Significant structural damage including 20 ft hole from keel upwards.

Disabled ship taken in tow to Alexandria by HMS ALDENHAM.

(Note: E-Boat was sunk by HMS ALDENHAM.

See THE LAST DESTROYER by FA Mason.)

Made return passage screened by HMS CROOME and HMS HURWORTH.

Under air attack by Ju87 dive bombers.

31st On arrival at Alexandria withdrawn from service for survey.



September Paid off after survey showed repair to be uneconomic.


Source:

HMS Eridge, escort destroyer

S p e c i a l N o t e​

HMS ERIDGE remained hulked at Alexandria and was used an Accommodation Ship between 1944 and 1946. She was also used as a valuable source of spares for the other HUNT Class destroyers in service in the Mediterranean.. For example in April 1943 one of her shafts was used to replace the damaged item in HMS ALDENHAM after a grounding (See THE LAST DESTROYER by FA Mason). This Escort Destroyer remained in use for accommodation purposes after VJ Day until 1946 when placed on the Disposal List. She was sold at Alexandria to a Greek shipbreaker in October that year.

 

[Ascent]

There seems to be some debate about if it was an E-boat or an Italian MAS boat that fired the torpedo that took Eridge out. The Captain attributes it to an Italian boat in Red Tobruk.

Also on one Malta convoy they fired off so much ammo they were reduced to firing blanks and practice rounds at German bombers to scare them off as they had no live HE rounds left. That was when they were trying to protect Clan Campbell.

 

[Ascent]

On with the pictures.

All the previous pictures my grandfather wasn't physically at, these next ones he was.

This is HMS Heythrop after she'd been hit by torpedo from U-652 and before Eridge took her in tow. The last picture seems to be as they were positioning for the tow, although it might be preparing to take crew off before she went down.

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Wow!!

 

[michael rauls]

Truly amazing pics!

 

[rochie]

incredible stuff, many thanks for sharing those