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[SonofPeter]

My father (Peter Lornie) served in WW2 first on Battleship Queen Elizabeth until sunk in 1942 and then on Cruiser Sirius until he was injured a in bomb raid in the Mediterranean in 1943. After recovering in Alexandria (?) he joined Royal Navy Party 2420 to the Far East with Force W under Rear Admiral Martin. He signed up for Force W in January 1945 as acting Chief Petty Officer (Steward) arriving in India circa 1st June 1945.

My question is, what ship would he have served on? I imagine it would have been a major vessel (back on Queen Elizabeth???) as he had served previously as a senior officers steward. I don't remember him mentioning ships other than Queen Elizabeth and Sirius.

I was previously in communication with DavidH on this topic in this forum in 2010

Richard Lornie

[PhiloNauticus]

The history of Force W / NP.2420 is given in brief on the Naval History Net. The HQ ship was HMS Bulolo.

In outline:
NP.2420  - Flag Officer Force W & Staff (*attached to Admiralty 10.44 – 11.44
left UK for Delhi 20.11.44
to Chittagong area 12.44
embarked BULOLO:
at Chittagong 01.45
Akyab 02-03.45
Kyaukpyu, Ramree Island 04-05.45
Delhi 06-07.45
Bombay 08-09.45
BULOLO 09-10.45
Singapore 11.45 – 01.46
title lapsed 02.46
[souce: http://www.naval-history.net/xBW-RNNavalParties.htm]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Bulolo

[SonofPeter]

Thank you for the response. I really appreciate the feedback.
The story of the Bulolo is really fascinating. Would your assumption be that it is that ship that my father would have been on?

What a great shame the service records are so Spartan.
There are so many gaps.

 e.g what ship did my dad serve on with NP 2420? Is it possible to find out who served on Bulolo with NP2420?
what happened to the crew after HMS Queen Elizabeth was sunk?
Where were the injured hospitalised after the Sirius was bombed?

I wonder if anyone could fill in a few blanks for me. How I wish I had been as inquisitive when Dad was still around!

[SonofPeter]

Dog with a bone here!!!


Further to my recent post here is a transcription of my father's Service Record.

SHIP                   FROM   RATING & DISCHARGE
Royal Arthur   20 August 1940   Assistant Steward
Victory 2           27 September 1940   Assistant Steward
Queen Elizabeth   14 January 1941   Assistant Steward
Queen Elizabeth   11 February 1941   Leading Steward
                   (19 December 1941  -   Frogmen attack HMS Queen Elizabeth)   
Victory           15 January 1942   Leading Steward
Sirius             9 May 1942           Leading Steward
Sirius           27 January 1943   Petty Officer Steward
                   (17 October 1943 -     Injured in bombing attack)   
Victory             2 April 1944            Petty Officer Steward
Argus             8 August 1944   Petty  Officer Steward
Victory             6 December 1944    Petty Officer Steward
Odyssey
(Force W)              1 January 1945    5 January 1945 a/COG Steward
Braganza
(NP.2420)              1 June 1945   
Victory              7 September 1945   
      
Victory             26 December 1945   Released – Class “A”

I am not sure what the reference to "Odyssey" is in January 45. I have looked up the NP 2410 reference and found it fascinating. I am not sure the dates in the service record tie in with the possibility he might have served on HMS Bulolo.

[SonofPeter]

Sorry in my last post it should be NP 2420 not 2410

[PhiloNauticus]

1 - Queen Elizabeth was not sunk, rather, badly damaged by the Italian attack.  She had temporary repairs at Alexandria following the attack, then she steamed through the Suez Canal and around Africa to Norfolk, Virginia in the United States, where she was repaired before re-joining the fleet. I would suggest that for this, the crew was reduced to essential personnel, with non-essential evidently either being sent back to the UK or drafted to other ships locally

2 - Sirius: the service history may be found here: http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Sirius.htm
This would indicate that she returned to Alexandria following her bomb damage in October 1943, so I would suggest that that is where the wounded were landed for treatment

3 - Odyssey - was a shore establishment; well, really an "accounting base", housed in the Collingwood Hotel, Ilfracombe.  It does not mean that your father actually went to Ilfracombe, rather, he was 'borne on the books' for the purposes of pay etc.

4 - Yes, he would have been on Bulolo

5 - Braganza - was the name of the base at Bombay (modern- Mumbai) in India

[SonofPeter]

Thank you PhiloNauticus,

All extremely useful. A slightly cheeky aside on your comments on HMS QE. If in deeper water would she have been "sunk"? I think as it was the enemy was fooled into believing she was still operational, in spite of sitting on her regal bottom.

Not much seems to have been written on the events in the East in 44-45. Almost a forgotten set of operations after the War closer to home wound up.

Thanks again.

[SonofPeter]

Where would it be possible to find out more about Force W and the actions off Malaya? The Wikipeadia site is limited and other references to Bulolo point to other spheres of operation she was involved in. There must be something else written about Admiral Martin and Force W.

[SonofPeter]

I just came across "War Despatches. The Battle for Burma 1943-44"
It contains a despatch about Force W written by Admiral Martin but is more about the Ramree land operation. No mention of Bulolo.

[NR1234]

Hi sonofpeter, my grandad was part of the same naval party so must have served with your dad during that mission.