Following on from the memoirs by my father-in-law Geoff Cronin, The Colour of Life, and Milestones Along the Way, I thought I would end the year with part of my own father’s memoir about the family and in particular his life at sea from 1937 until he retired in 1971.
In part five my father shared his postings to Scotland in 1943 and Sri Lanka in 1944 and his encounter with and special commendation from Earl Mountbatten. 1943 – 1946 – HMS Forth and captured U-boats, Ceylon, HMS Woolwich, Earl Mountbatten
Part Six -Malta and the Far East 1946
HMS Collingwood
The Electrical Branch of the Royal Navy was formed in 1946 and Collingwood was selected as the Headquarters, and School, for the New Branch. I was very lucky to be in Collingwood at this time of change and after about six months in an office it was decided to form a Radio section and there was a requirement for Radio Electrical Artificers. The first conversion class (REA 1) was made up of myself and one other CEA., three senior EA’s and eighteen newly qualified artificer apprentices. It was a long course, almost two years, spent mostly in Collingwood with a short spell in HMS Mercury. This period was the first time since we married in 1940 that Mollie and I were able to enjoy a normal married life. Shortly after the course finished, I decided to take the examination for promotion to Warrant Radio Electrical Officer, which I duly passed, and was promoted on 4th December 1948.
I remained in Collingwood for courses etc. and received my first appointment to join HMS Triumph on 1st March 1949.
HMS Triumph
Triumph was completing a commission in the Mediterranean, based in Malta, and I travelled out to join her in a passenger ship that sailed from Liverpool. Shortly after joining, we sailed for the UK to re-commission. We spent only a few days in Sheerness during which time Mollie came to Chatham for a short time. Back to Malta with lots of exercising and training and with the prospect of a two-year commission in the Med. Mollie and I decided to move the family to Malta, which went very well. After settling in, we were told that the ship was to leave for the Far East within the next few weeks. This was a very sad time but Mollie faced it in true naval wife style and when we sailed the family’s return passage had not been arranged. They eventually got home in a small cargo ship that took twelve passengers. I think they enjoyed it. Meanwhile we were heading east, with stops at Aden, Colombo, Singapore and finally we reached our destination, Hong Kong.
HMS Triumph – Wikipedia
We had only been in harbour a few days when a typhoon was reported in the area and in true naval fashion we sailed, to ride it out to sea. It was the worst experience I was ever to meet at sea. The ship did everything except sink and how it avoided that I don’t know. We survived and returned to harbour and spent some days clearing up the damage. There followed an extensive period of training and exercising with RN and US Navy ships and early in 1950 we sailed to Japan for a long visit.
We went into the inland sea and tied up in Kure, the main Japanese Naval Base. The Americans and Australians were very much in occupation and conditions were such that fraternizing with the Japanese was still frowned upon. Japan is a lovely country and being there in the spring it was at its best. The climate has both extremes, very cold in the winter and hot in the summer. We continued with training, with visits to other ports. We saw Hiroshima and at that time most of it was still devastated and it was a horrible example of nuclear war.
The time came for us to return to Hong Kong, in June 1950. As we left the inland sea we received instructions to return to Kure to take on stores etc. and then we sailed to the US Base in the Philippines where we joined up with the US Boxer, an American Carrier. Then, after all night meetings, we sailed to join in the Korean War.
The Korean War.
Boxer went to the east coast of Korea and we to the west coast, where our aircraft were quickly in action. We operated from Sasebo, a port in Japan and we were continually providing air support until October 1950 when we ran out of aircraft, mainly Seafires, our fighter aircraft ‑ our flight deck was not strong enough to operate the heavier Sea Furies.
We sailed for the UK, arriving in early November 1950. After leave, I was appointed to HMS Vengeance where I served until 10th September 1951 and then to yet another sea job, HMS Solebay, the Leader of the 5th Destroyer Squadron. I was promised only a short time in this job in view of my long time at sea ,and away from home, and, true to their word, I was appointed to HMS Mercury, the Communications School at Leydene House, on 3rd March 1952.
Lt. Commander Herbert Eric Coleman – January 12th, 1916 – April 5th 1996
As a family we travelled to Sri Lanka, still Ceylon in 1954 until 1956, followed by two years in Malta 1959 to 1961, and two years in South Africa from 1963 to 1965. So we as a family all enjoyed life on the ocean wave.
Ceylon 1956
I hope you have enjoyed this part of my father’s memoirs – he rarely talked about his time in both wars and I think you have to read between the lines at times to understand that despite his brevity, he saw and experienced things that he still could not share. He lost his best friend, Vic Newell, which must have been a huge blow and he left ships that would later be sunk with great loss of life. That has to leave its mark.
I am so glad that we managed to get him to write his potted history of his life during the war years. He did write more in his memoirs about the rest of his career which took us all over the world, retiring from active duty in 1971 but returning as a reserve officer for another ten years until the age of 65. His role in that capacity involved being responsible for trials on weaponry on ships built for foreign navies, and my mother was lucky to accompany him on some of his trips abroad.
We assume that our grandparents and parents are going to be with us for ever and put off asking them to detail their own and their parent’s history. I think it is important that these stories are passed on before they are lost forever.
Eric and my mother Mollie on his 80th birthday in January 1996, a milestone he was determined to reach.
Thank you for reading this short series from my father’s memoir and I hope you have enjoyed and will be inspired to ask your grandparents, or even grandparents if you are lucky enough to still have them, about their lives. Thanks Sally.
Both your parents had an admirable strength. I loved the bit about one posting making it easier to have a ‘normal’ married life – the constant travelling must have been arduous for them. The typhoon, despite the understatement, must have been terrifying, and his mention of Hiroshime speaks volumes in so few words.
I didn’t realise that he served during the Korean War as well.
I loved the photo for the family, but that one of him and Mollie holding hands is one to treasure! xx
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Thanks very much Alex and I believe he came home from the Korean War and my mother said she wanted another baby as my two sisters were 9 and 10 at the time…I was that baby lol ♥
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Awww! xx
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Another wonderful post, Sally! These stories are a treasure.
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Thanks very much Jennie delighted you have enjoyed..♥
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Another interesting post, Sally. Pros and cons to this sort of life and whether it works for marriages and children depends on the personalities involved. Luckily, your family seemed to do really well.
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I believe initially being wartime Robbie it was expected and it came under the title of duty to the country however hard it might have been personally. I know it took its toll on my mother with four children when my father was away for 2 years at a time. There was not Internet so it was the occasional phone call and letters. However it was made up for by being with him on four deployments. As you say it is not for everyone.. ♥
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I’m not sure how I would react to these circumstances. Life and expectations were different then too.
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Very much so ♥
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I’m so glad that your family was good about recording their stories, Sally. I think there is much to read between the lines – your mom’s life as a military wife, precious time together, time apart, the storms at sea, and the sight of Hiroshima. All things that struck me in this post. Thanks so much for sharing.
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As I read it Diana it is easy to forget that my father was onlu 30 and my mother 29 but they had both experienced more in their lives than most to in a lifetime. My grandmother had died in 1945 at only 52 which left my mother even more isolated. However, the time when we were abroad as a family and when my father was based at home made up for the times apart and was wonderful for us all. ♥
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I can feel the relief when your dad mentions those periods of family time. 🙂
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I didn’t see him from when I was about 4 to 5years old and my mother would show me a picture of him which she had on her bedside.. It was of him at about 24 when they met 16 years earlier. I used to come into her bed first thing in the morning and one day I crept in as usual to find this slightly balding man in glasses in bed with my mother and I screamed the house down. I couldn’t be convinced it was my daddy!! So there was also tensions lol when he came home. ♥♥
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Ha ha ha ha. That is just hysterical, Sally. What a riot. Thanks for the blurt of laughter.
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Thanks for sharing these, Sally. It is a great gift to have this memoir of your father’s recollections of his life. It must have been so difficult to never know exactly where you were going next, especially with a young family. But it is evident from your own accounts, that your parents gave you all a wonderful childhood.
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Thanks Olga. There was a great deal of change but we were used to it and I think that moving every two years made it easier in the last 40 odd years to pack up and move with job changes etc than it might have been ♥
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Thank you, Sally. I loved this bit of history.
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Thanks very much John… hugsx
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😊
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How amazing navy wives must be as well.
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My mother certainly managed everything for two years at a time unlike the 6 month deployments today. Also we rarely travelled with my father but would join him so she had to pack us all up, rent the house out and take us around the world. I don’t think she ever really recognised how capable she was Janet..hugsx
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You would have been also predestinated for a diplomatic career, Sally! This past i think only a few persons had it made to all these countries. hugsx Michael
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Thanks Michael but I feel I might be a bit outspoken for a diplomatic career lol… hugsxxx
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks Michael..hugsx
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Your dad certainly led an interesting life. I agree, we really should have asked more questions when they were with us. But it is their life and personalities that have made us who we are.
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I agree Darlene ♥
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You are so right about our parents memories.
My dad died over 40 years ago – way too young – and I never got to talk to him or hear about his life.
My mum reinvented herself after his death and was very keen on family history. she undertook a ‘one-name’ study on the ‘Wickstead’ name.
More recently, now in her 90’s (94) she is enjoying recording her memories (for herself).
It is what keeps her independent and alert.
She loves her independence, her garden to potter around in and of course all of her family history.
The garage has been converted to make a little office hidey hole for her.
She only lives 5 minutes away and I regularly pop round for a game of cards. (But I do avoid deep conversation as she knows everything and I’m a mere child (67)? lol. I visit with Alexander once a week for a quick 5 minutes – that’s enough for her. She likes her solitude)
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It is great that your mum is so independent still Sue and that is a good thing… particular as she has found an interest that is so absorbing. Her memories will be treasured by generations to come I am sure.. hugsx ♥
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Seeing Hiroshimo must have been very upsetting for your dad.
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It must have been Liz. He was a compassionate man and I am sure he would have been horrified by the aftermath even at his age. xx
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What a nomadic life for your father and also his family!
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At the time it felt normal but looking back on it we certainly had adventures children at that time would not have experienced. Happy memories. ♥
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I agree Sal, these stories are so important to our own history. And as we get older we appreciate them more. Your father was such a regal man serving in two wars, living to tell, and of course, so much that every war vet sees, cannot forget, but lives deep within them. ❤
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I know that this is why he found it difficult to talk about it and I did recognise that after he had handwritten his draft and given it to me he had a lightness about him. He needed to get it all off his chest ♥♥
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Like I always say, get it out of our heads and onto paper. If I didn’t have my writing, I probably wouldn’t even be here anymore. ❤
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Then thank goodness you kept writing my friend as we could not manage without you ♥
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You’re so good for the soul my dear friend. ❤
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♥♥
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