Joining the Far Eastern Fleet


Things were now very quiet in Diégo Suarez and we were expecting to return home for a long overdue refit and home leave when, on Wednesday 27th May, all hell broke lose on the Lightning. I quote from an account written at the time by my mess mate Tom 'Buck' Taylor.

"The Captain clears the lower deck and gives us a speech which holds nothing but bad news. He tells us that we can wash all hopes out of our heads for a refit. We are going to join the Eastern Fleet, so God alone knows what lies ahead of us. For 13 months we have been in commission and we have only had 48 hours leave. We feel we have had a raw deal and the lads are really chocker. I don't fancy putting on paper how I really feel. We will meet up with the Japs most probably and be out there for quite a long time. The atmosphere with the crew is very tense. I can't go further with any details but, if I am spared during the war, I will be able to read this in years to come and I will never forget how utterly fed up I feel".

This event is also imprinted on my memory. Commander Walters stood in front of us looking very gaunt and grim faced. He was a good skipper and, to a man, we would have followed him to the ends of the earth if he had asked us to - but we were bone weary and the poor ship was badly in need of repairs. I am sure that he was as demoralised as we were, but he had to keep his feelings to himself - he must have been a very lonely man.

After the announcement we returned to our messes. In my mess, number 3, we talked amongst ourselves, we had set our hearts on a trip home and there was even talk of a strike. Eventually, the buffer - CPO Jago called us all together and had it out with us. The atmosphere was heated. It was he who finally calmed us down and said that the skipper had done his utmost to get us a ticket home, but the war was going badly in the East and we were needed urgently out there. Reluctantly we resigned ourselves to what was to come.

At 1730 on the 29th May 1942 we went to sea with Laforey and Lookout, bound for the Eastern Fleet based at Colombo. On the way out we received a signal from Ramilles wishing us good luck against the Japanese. We arrived at Mahe in the pretty Seychelles islands two days later at 0800 on the 31st. Here we anchored to refuel and store ship. I was on the Starboard watch and we were granted shore leave at 1300. The island immediately struck me as paradise. A balmy climate, palm trees and friendly inhabitants. The scenery was magnificent with high mountains in the distance. All manner of fruit was growing wild, and we made certain that our mess was well stocked with fruit and poultry. The rate of exchange was 1 shilling and six pence to 1 rupee. After a wonderful run ashore I returned at 1800 and we preceded to sea at 2030. I was so struck with the island that, when I married, I named my house Seychelles and that is still so today. As we go to sea we learn that Ramilles was struck by two torpedoes this morning - obviously by the sole remaining enemy submarine in the area off Madagascar. We all hoped that our mail home was not aboard her when she was hit.

On the first day of June this 'happy' band of matelots joined forces with Formidable, Illustrious, Warspite and the new cruiser Gambia. In the evening Tom Taylor entertained the mess by charging thrupence a go to clip off a piece of his hair, leaving a couple of inches at the front as per Standing Orders.

On the third day of June we were cheered up by having a practice shoot at a drogue towed by an aircraft from one of the carriers. One of our men (who shall remain nameless) did not realise the rules of the game - he very nearly shot down the towing aircraft, and received a good telling off from the Chief Gunner's Mate. Tom Taylor was so good that he shot the drogue down and got a mention for his marksmanship.

A classic picture of HMS Lightning, in the Indian Ocean, returning a downed pilot to his aircraft carrier.

Tom Taylor continues the story -

"At 1300 on 5th June one of the carriers' Martlet aircraft crashed in the sea and we recovered the pilot, uninjured. At 1630 we arrived at Colombo, and immediately show ourselves up as we get a wire wrapped around a propeller. This was removed by a diver two days later. On the 8th we have a boiler clean and twenty new ratings come aboard - five of them in our mess including another Geordie - Ted Fay, making us a very cramped seventeen. These were survivors from the Prince of Wales, Repulse and Dorsetshire".

On 9th June the Commander in Chief, Admiral 'Slim' Somerville, came aboard to inspect the ship. The First Lieutenant, Duncan Carson, recalls the occasion -

"When Lightning arrived in Colombo to join the Far Eastern Fleet under Admiral Sir James Somerville she was ordered to berth at a detached mole. The next morning a signal was received from C-in-C that he would like to walk around the ship at 1100. (Routine not to be disturbed.).

Hands were sent to clean at 1030. We were not then aware that it was the Admiral's habit to arrive early. At about 1045 when the Chief Boatswain's Mate, the Quartermaster and I were rigging up the gangway ladder, I saw the Admiral's barge flying the flag creaming towards us.

The Captain was in the bath in the after superstructure and I told him of the barge's approach. - 'Keep the Admiral away until I am ready' was the order. So we started fumbling with the ladder, dropped a bolt and nut into the water, had to send for a spare. The Admiral lying off in his barge advised us in fruity language how to rig an accommodation ladder and was very cross. We got it in place at the same time as the Captain appeared, looking immaculate. The Admiral walked round, addressed the ship's company and seemed fairly well pleased. Taking a glass of sherry with the Captain afterwards he expressed himself as satisfied except for the First Lieutenant who seemed to have no idea of how to solve a simple seamanship problem. The Captain told me afterwards not to worry as he, it would be, who wrote up the report (S.206) and not the Admiral. Just as well".

I remember that address by the C-in-C. The ship's company assembled on the quarter deck and Admiral Somerville gave us a stirring speech, saying just what we all wanted to hear - he would be keeping us in the Indian Ocean for as long as possible. Three cheers for the Admiral!
Whilst the ship was having her boiler clean we were allowed shore leave, these are Tom Taylor's memories.

"On the 10th at 1330 I went ashore and took a bus ride of about 11 miles to the Grand Hotel for a swim. Later, a native guide showed me around various places. One was a type of native tabernacle where I saw all manner of idols, paintings, pictures and flowers. One idol was covered with jewels and another was solid gold".

By the 11th our boiler clean was complete and the next day, at 0600, we put to sea as 'A Force' with Warspite, Indomitable, Illustrious, Gambia and four destroyers including Laforey and Lookout. Our task was to sweep the area to the Chagos islands to try to bring the Japanese to battle, and then proceed to Addu Atoll to oil. We were delayed putting into Addu Atoll until 16th June by the severity of the monsoon. By 1715 that day we had completed oiling and set sail for Colombo, arriving at 1745 on the 18th after picking up three survivors from a downed swordfish, one was slightly hurt.
On the 20th whilst in Colombo we put ashore to play football against the team from Gambia. We beat them three - nil. Tom King also had his arm tattooed - it soon became infected and made him quite ill.

Two days later we again went to sea with Laforey and a submarine for de-gausing trials and an ASDIC sweep. The next day, the 23rd we left Colombo, for good, with Force A for Mombasa, calling at the Seychelles to oil on the 28th. We arrived in Mombasa at 1700 on 1st July 1942. It was here that my good friend Leading Seaman Tom King was to leave the ship owing to continued ill health (later diagnosed as tuberculosis). He never put to sea again, much to his ever lasting regret. Fortunately, after several years, he made a complete recovery and I am happy to say that I have now met up with him again after fifty years.



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