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Battles and operations

Occasional Paper 55: Reuben Mitchell DSM, RAN – Survivor of HMS E14

June 2019

The following story is of an Australian Able Seaman whom some military historians believe should have been awarded the Victoria Cross for his courage and compassion while under enemy fire from Turkish guns in the Dardanelles during World War I.  The most senior survivor was Petty Officer Coxswain Robert Perkins, DSM who wrote in a report, ‘Reuben Mitchell acted most gallantly.  He was on the conning tower with three officers, passing orders below to the helmsman.  All the officers were swept off the bridge by shellfire and he was left all alone. Although the enemy had the exact range and he was clearly visible, he stuck to his post and took charge of the boat until it sank.  When in the water, he then rescued the wireless operator who was unconscious from head wounds.  There was no senior officer left to recommend him for his outstanding gallantry, and his only reward was the self-evident fact that he had done his duty.’

Reuben Joseph Edward Mitchell was born in Ballarat, Victoria on 28 July, 1894.  Having joined the Royal Navy based on the Australian Station, he served on several ships before joining HMS Challenger and sailing to England on the ship’s return in 1913.  It was while at Portsmouth that he volunteered for submarines and on completion of his training at HMS Dolphin based on Fort Blockhouse, and at HMS Vernon, which included training in HM Submarines A6, A13 and E4, he joined HMAS AE2 to return to Australia as an Able Seaman.

The complete crew of HMAS AE2, taken in the UK in 1914.
Mitchell is second from the right in the top row

When AE2 was deployed to the Mediterranean, Mitchell found himself transferred to spare crew on a submarine repair ship when AE2 undertook her sortie up the Dardanelles in April, 1915.

On 27 January 1918, Able Seaman Mitchell was included in the crew of HMS E14 under the command of Lt-Cdr G.S. White, RN, when they set out to torpedo the German battle cruiser Goeben, which had been damaged by a mine and run aground off Nagara Point in the Dardanelles.

HMS E14

The source for most of this story was written by Mitchell himself in a report which was recently found in a file located in the Sampson Collection on Spectacle Island. It is reproduced here verbatim.

Mitchell’s own account

‘HM Submarine E14, Lieutenant Commander White, RN, left a naval base on the evening of 27 January with an escort as far as the entrance to the Dardanelles. At 3 am 28 January, we forced our way through the first line of nets without resistance. All went well until about 6 am, when we ran aground and were caught in the nets, which we could not clear, so we surfaced, and the Captain went out and cleared the obstacle. We believed it to be the nets, but the Captain did not say. Before going out, the Captain left orders for the Lieutenant to dive at once should he whistle or sing out, and to ‘look after himself as there were 31 men inside; never to mind him.’ While the Captain was on the surface, he found the gates of the Narrows, and that we were at Chanak. He did not hear a shout or anything and came inside the boat and went astern into deep water, and got away without being seen. These were the last nets we felt.

Now the search for the Goeben started and I believe we went on for two miles past Nagara Point and found the Goeben had gone. We found out during our capture that she was taken away six hours before, this we got from a Turkish naval man, who helped get her off. When the Captain found that she had gone, he went back for home, but at Chanak, there was a large German liner which we believed had ammunition for the Goeben.

SMS Goeben

We fired one torpedo at her and a heavy explosion took place. Our boat came to the surface and a heavy fire came from all the forts. Many pieces of shrapnel hit the boat, then a large shell hit the conning tower and did a bit of damage. The captain was pleased at the moment with the behaviour of the crew, not a man moving from his station. Several shells were then heard to pass overhead, but luckily they did not drop a depth charge.

After a time, the boat got out of control, and as we had only three bottles of air left, the Captain thought it would be best to surface. At once we could hear heavy fire and we could hear pieces hit the hull of our boat. As a result of a hit in the centre of the boat, it could not dive again. We ran the gauntlet for half an hour under murderous fire from all round, only a few hitting the hull of the boat. Our wireless operator was badly wounded in the mouth and the left hand, and fell unconscious. The Captain, seeing it was hopeless ran the boat towards shore. His last words were, ‘We are in the hands of God, my men. Do your best to get ashore’.

Captain killed

A few seconds later, I saw his body mangled by shellfire, roll into the water and was taken under. The same shell killed the Navigator, and left me by myself, and other shells killed nearly all the hands.

Had the Turks stopped firing as soon as they saw us sinking, with a few wounded on deck, many more might have been saved. It must have been half an hour before they put out for us. Amid the cries of the wounded men in the water, several voices were heard saying ‘Goodbye, goodbye all’. Their hands went up and they disappeared for the last time.

Only nine survived

It was hell; when I look back at that fatal half hour, it haunts me. As no boat seemed to be coming out to pick us up, we made for Kum Kale, and were picked up only a few yards from the shore. Soon after the Turks got hold of us, all our clothing was taken from us, and we had to walk through Kum Kale naked. It broke our hearts when we saw only nine had been saved out of 32 officers and men. The three wounded were in a very bad state and unconscious when I saw them last.

On arrival at a small hut, a short pair of trousers, all patchwork, was given to us to put on, which we found to be full of lice. No underclothing was given to us. A small fire was made in a room, and we were very glad to get it as we were very cold; and shortly a filthy-looking Turk brought us some hot tea without milk or sugar. That is all he gave us to bring us round again.

In the evening, we were sent to Chanak and handed over the Germans, and here we remained for two days. Here we were sent to a small room for the night, feeling very tired and hungry, as the crew had nothing while submerged in the Dardanelles and it was midnight when a Turk came with some black barley and maize bread and a dish of beans boiled in olive oil which we could not manage to eat. This was our daily meal; two meals a day and one maize loaf and a bucket of water. During our time at Chanak many visits were paid by newspaper reporters and Germans of high rank.

Sleep was out of the question that night. Many questions were asked of us concerning England. They were under the impression that England was in a very bad state, as the submarine menace was hitting us hard. On the following day, we were sent to Constantinople, and when we arrived were taken on board a German liner, used as German Headquarters. Here we went before a court of German and Turkish officers, one at a time, and many jokes were passed.

At 5.30, we were taken over to the Turks and were taken through Istanbul thinking we were going to a British camp, but found ourselves behind prison bars, for what reason I do not know. We were housed in filthy compartments, among some of the biggest criminal prisoners in Turkey, sitting in a room with huge chains and handcuffs on.

The place was full of lice and bugs. We remained there for two days and then went to another room with 150 of the same kind of criminals, some dying of cholera and dysentery. When we arrived we asked for bread which was not brought to us until 36 hours after. A man named Firuze Hanzandian, an Armenian subject, bought four loaves of bread with one Turkish pound and then gave them to us. He got a flogging for it and was not allowed to talk to us. He said, ‘I am not a rich man, but I am a man.’

Time went on and we were getting very bad; no clothing to cover us up at night, and nothing to lie on but the cold bare floor. We complained of the filthy rooms in which we had to eat and sleep, suffering the same punishment as the criminal offenders who were guilty. After this, another room was allotted to us, which was quite as bad, the smell and stench being abominable. Owing to this, fever and dysentery broke out, which eventually became so bad that two men lay weak on the floor. A doctor was asked for; he came 24 hours after, and the two men were sent to hospital. During our time in prison, no bedding or any covering was given to us. Drinking water had to be obtained from the urinals.

British camp

We eventually saw two British officers and told them of the conditions we were living under as prisoners of war. Pressure having been brought to bear, we were sent to British camp at Samatyra and that consisted of a school room with 150 English (servicemen), some with arms and legs off, waiting to be exchanged. We had no fires unless we could buy our own fuel; no books or anything to read, and hardly any food, only two meals a day and one loaf of bread. I remained in the camp two days and was sent to hospital with typhus fever and dysentery. Weak as I was, I had five miles to walk, arriving almost dead and hungry. A Turk was turned out of one bed and I was told to get in it. I refused and was handled roughly, and given another bed, which was just as bad. The bed and clothing was covered in lice and not many hours after I was covered with vermin.

The following morning I was sent to the typhus ward, and there I found one of my comrades. I was put in the next bed but one, after turning a Turk out, and getting into his clothing. I was in this ward for about two weeks, and left it like a bag of bones and my body almost black with lice. On three occasions the Dutch Embassy gave two ½ lb tins of milk and a third one to go between three Englishmen. My meals were mostly baked wheat or spinach, and that was what I pulled around on.

At times the Embassy used to bring us a little food, about three parcels for all the English, and you got a little tea, sugar, butter, jam, just enough for one piece of bread. What food you received from the hospital was no good. At last we asked to be discharged and weak as we were, we were sent to a working camp.’

After the War

Mitchell returned to London after being liberated at the end of the war where he was able to recuperate from his time in prison. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal on 12 December, 1919. He returned to Australia where he married and raised three children. He passed away on 16 August 1954, aged 60.

Victoria Cross

In a footnote to the above, the Commander of the E14, Lt-Cdr Geoffrey White RN, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, gazetted on 24 May, 1919 for his part in the action in the Dardanelles, which had started the day before the boat set out.

He flew as a passenger in an aircraft during the aerial bombing of Goeben to see her position for himself and to plan his method of attack.

The award of the Victoria Cross to White created a record as HMS E14 is the only vessel in the history of the Royal Navy in which two different commanding officers had won the Victoria Cross, the other Commander being Lt-Cdr Edward Courtney Boyle, RN, who was presented his Victoria Cross on 1 March, 1916 for actions during the 1915 Gallipoli campaign. when the submarine went on a sortie through the straits and past minefields into the Sea of Marmara.

Wreck identified

The wreck of HMS E14 was identified in 2012 found lying at a depth of 65ft at an angle of almost 45 degrees with sand covering nearly all the 181ft vessel.

At least one shell hole was visible near the bows, but that appeared to be the only one.

 

 

Occasional Paper 49: The Good Times and The Bad Times

April 2019

The following paper describes the experiences of a young Royal Navy conscript, Gordon Cansdale who served in the Fleet Air Arm from 1945 to 1947.  Gordon describes the highs and tragic lows of service in the carrier HMS Theseus which visited Australia in 1947 to demonstrate naval air power and the capabilities of an aircraft carrier.

Gordon later settled in Australia where he has lived for more than 63 years.

The old saying that one only remembers the good times can be quite true, but in my case there was one bad time in particular that I will never forget.

As a teenager I learned a song that went something like this:

“Memories are treasures locked in my heart I mean to keep evermore.  Of all the treasures one stands apart, saved from the dear days of ‘Yore’.“

Years ago, (1945) I received notice that I was to be conscripted into the armed forces.  I was hoping that it would be the Navy as my father had served in the Navy in the 1914-18 war.

YES!! I was selected for the Royal Navy, better still, the Fleet Air Arm, a dream come true. Fighter aircraft, Rolls Royce engines, a chance to see the world, and of course a navy uniform.

Gordon Cansdale Air Mechanic (Engines) LFX786429

So, my adventure began by first learning how to march, handle firearms, and not forgetting plenty of naval discipline. Next step was the Rolls Royce School of Technical Training. THIS WAS IT!! learning about the mighty Merlin engine.

On completing this course, I was posted to a shore establishment HMS Blackcap inhibiting engines for storage.  This didn’t last long, as I soon learned that I had been given a sea-going draft. I was to become a member of 812 Squadron (Fireflies) and join HMS Theseus in Ireland.

After a short training period ashore in N. Ireland it was off to see the world.  Those faraway places with strange sounding names.  Gibraltar, Suez, Aden, Trincomalee, Andaman Islands, Nicobar Islands, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea.

The reception we received in Australia and New Zealand was just great.  The street marches with the whole ship’s company through the streets of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland and Wellington.  The people were just fantastic, with dances and sight-seeing trips.  They also organized home visits, and food parcels for our families back home.

BUT! it wasn’t all plain sailing, whilst flying and demonstrating for the Royal Australian Navy there were several disasters.  Two Fireflies collided in midair over Port Phillip Bay and crashed into the sea killing both air crews.  One of the engines was pulled up out of the sea some fifty years later, and is now in the Australian F.A.A. Museum in Nowra which I often visit with an old ‘oppo’ Totty Allman.  The same day a Seafire crash landed on deck, the arrester hook striking a seaman in the walkway and killing him.

For me the worst was yet to come (my disaster day).  It was the job of the ground crew to assist the pilot out of the cockpit on landing. I was the fitter of the Squadron CO’s aircraft (Lt Cdr Wynne-Roberts) and would compete with my rigger mate ‘Spiv’ Daly to be first up on to the plane to do the job.  The winner would then have pole position sitting on top of the cockpit to watch the remainder of the aircraft land.

It was 6th August 1947 and Spiv had won the race, sitting on top of the cockpit, I had to settle for a seat on the wing.  The next aircraft landed OK, the crash barriers were lowered and it taxied forward. THEN ALL HELL LET LOOSE.  The third aircraft missed the arrestor wires and bounced over the crash barriers. To my horror I realised it was heading straight for us, so I dropped off the wing and ran for the ship’s side. It then clipped the second aircraft and dropped on top of ours.  On impact, debris was showered everywhere, and as I was dropping into the safety net, the batteries burst and I was splattered with acid.  Minutes later I was lifted out of the safety net and rushed below to sick bay, washed down, and treated for acid bums.  My clothes had to be replaced as they were covered in holes, burnt by the acid.

I asked about Spiv and was told that he was missing, presumed killed.  I couldn’t believe that I was with him just a short time before, and the last person to see him alive.  Could easily have been me.

The things I will always remember are the noise of the plane bouncing, the terrific noise of the impact, and someone shouting “There’s somebody down in the net” ME!!!  As they lifted me out there was a wheel, and Oleo leg nearby. All that remained of two aircraft.

When the deck was finally cleaned up, the last aircraft carne in to land, also bouncing over the crash barriers.  It clipped the Island before crashing into the starboard gun sponson, then tipped over nose first into the sea.  Luckily the aircrew were recovered safely.

From Australia, our next port of call was the Solomon Islands which was very interesting as there were ships and a submarine on the beach, Jap relics of the war a couple of years previous.

Port Moresby in New Guinea was also interesting, with a trip out to. Jackson airstrip which still had the odd Zero fighter, and a Betty bomber smashed up.  Also, a wine bar.

Back to Singapore where I learnt I was to leave Theseus and return home for demob with others who had the same demob number as me (72).

The rest of my service was spent at HMS Nuthatch, doing maintenance, cutting grass, painting fences etc.  Finally, my demob and the end of a great adventure with many good times, and a few bad.  Plus, many great friends, and a lot of MEMORlES.

HMS THESEUS – Colossus-class Light Fleet aircraft aarrier ordered under an Emergency War Programme and built by Fairfield at Govan Glasgow. Laid down 6 Jan 1943. Launched 6 July 1944. Commissioned 1946 and decommissioned in 1958. Roy Cragg image
A Fairey Firefly about to land on the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney (III) during the Korean conflict RAN image

Occasional Paper 45: HMAS Adelaide – Boarding Party, Persian Gulf 2004

The following story was first published in the June 2007 edition of the Naval Historical Review. At the time, very little news about the RANs day to day activities was reported in the Australian media, apart from the occasional ‘good news’ story in Navy News. The remote location of Coalition naval forces in the Persian Gulf was the most likely reason.

A brief outline of this incident originally appeared in Brisbane’s Courier-Mail newspaper on 26 January 2006, announcing awards of the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) to both LCDR Johnston and PO Keitley, for coolly defusing a situation that could have ballooned into a major international incident.

The Courier-Mail article was subsequently republished in the February 2006 edition of TOUCHDOWN (the Australian Navy Aviation Safety and Information Magazine), acknowledged as the basis of this NHS article, with the kind permission of its editor, LCDR Shane Firkin RAN. Additional details were obtained by later discussions with LCDR Johnston, for publication in NHSA Review.

This unusual incident developed from a routine boarding operation carried out by the guided missile frigate HMAS Adelaide (Commander Bruce Victor RAN) on patrol at the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab river at the extreme head of the Gulf on 6 December 2004. Acting on directions from the (USN) naval force commander, Adelaide was sent to investigate a large roll on/roll off (Ro Ro) cargo ship which had run aground on a sandbank and remained stuck there for an extended period. The boarding party was despatched several miles distant from the ship in two Rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB) (standard 7m and 12m seaboats carried in most RAN vessels, configured specially for carrying out boarding operations) to check the status of the vessel. This had been checked on several occasions previously. Overhead observation and top cover of the operation was conducted by the ship’s embarked Seahawk helicopter Adelaide’s Flight Commander, LCDR Tony Johnston, was airborne as TACCO and Mission Commander, along with Pilot Lieutenant Sam Dale and Sensor operator (SENSO) POA Andrew Watson. Once the boarding party of twelve personnel and two interpreters led by POCD Keitley had embarked without incident on the vessel and the boats had laid off, the helicopter departed to conduct a surface surveillance mission in the Northern Arabian Gulf (NAG).

Sometime after the helicopter had departed, the boarding party sighted a small boat in the distance coming towards them at speed. The unidentified boat was soon followed by several others. These were assessed as belonging to the Iranian Republican Guard Navy (IRGCN) – a maverick organisation known to have carried out the detention of a similar Royal Navy boarding party earlier in the year.

While the boarding party went about their business, Adelaide’s boats came under threat from the newcomers, and with only the coxswains remaining onboard, withdrew from the scene to avoid any escalation. At the height of the confrontation with the Iranians, as many as six IRGCN armed boats circled the stranded vessel, with their crews brandishing AK-47 rifles, assorted small arms, rocket-propelled grenades and rocket launchers. The Australian boarding party, armed only with light side arms, 9mm pistols and two shotguns, prepared to fend off the threatening boarders.

LCDR Johnston in the helicopter had by now completed his surface patrol and was returning to Adelaide. Once onboard, Johnston was informed of the developing situation by the Command Team and began making immediate preparations to relaunch. Upon returning, the aircraft had been released for programmed maintenance, which was quickly stopped. The flight maintainers set to, to return the helicopter to full serviceability, which they achieved in less than half an hour, enabling a rapid response to the unfolding crisis.

Johnston and his crew, now supplemented by Lieutenant John Flynn in the rear cabin, took up a watching position two miles to the west of the incident ship at 1000 feet. From this vantage point the aircraft could easily surveil the entire area and its approaches, keep clear of weapon envelopes and maintain good communications with all parties.
The boarding party was advised to maintain a low profile and stay out of sight as much as possible. It was with some relief that they realised that the Iranian gunboats could not get close enough to the merchantman in the shallow water. An attempt was made by some of the gunmen to board the ship via a commandeered cargo dhow, but this proved unsuccessful when the boat grounded on a sandbar some 65 yards short.

It was decided that it might be too risky to send the RHIBs back alongside to re-embark the boarding party, as the boats might be attacked, captured or sunk in any escalation, so they were ordered to return to the Adelaide. Indeed, the entire boarding party would run the risk of capture during a boat transfer back to the ship. Johnston decided to return to his ship refuel and to brief his command on the tight situation facing the recovery of the boarding party. PO Keitley later commented that the Iranians appeared to be testing the Australians’ resolve by being highly aggressive at times, then mellowing again afterwards.

Navy RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) and boarding party in the Arabian Gulf
(Image: Defence PR Photographic Collection)

Decision to recover

Meanwhile the tense situation had been relayed to other Allied forces in the area, to summon strong support in the event of outbreak of hostilities, or to prevent the capture of Adelaide’s boarding party by the Iranians.  Ultimately the requested support was not forthcoming, and in the event, LCDR Johnston decided to recover the entire boarding party by winching them off the merchantman, without risking the boats.  A dummy pass was made at low level to observe the reactions of the Iranian boats.  This action tended to confuse them, although one in particular took up a close-in position, possibly to threaten the Seahawk in the hover.

Having relayed his intentions to PO Keitley, Johnston came in again and hovered low over the bridge.  He winched off seven of the boarding party and promptly flew them safely back to Adelaide, less than 10 minutes away.  He took off again immediately to attempt a similar operation for the remainder of the boarding party.  This time the Iranian gunboats appeared more alert and tense, and Johnston was forced to carry out a series of approaches to mask his real intentions.  Finally he came down low to winch the remaining members of the boarding party from the upper deck.  Subsequently, while the evolution was precisely conducted in a remarkably short period, Johnston records it appeared to take ‘… an extraordinarily long five minutes…’ in the hover, and he swept away when PO Keitley was finally winched onboard, blindsiding the most aggressive of the Iranian boats by departing in the opposite direction to his earlier approach.  Breathing a collective sigh of relief, the remaining boarding party members were returned safely to Adelaide.

Commenting on the situation much later, LCDR Johnston maintains that the ship’s previous mission-capability training, including the winching drills for all boarding parties, paid dividends when the crunch came in this unexpected incident.  It was a measure of the dedication and professionalism of the entire ship’s team that a successful conclusion was achieved in the face of increasing threats and adversity, without having to rely on external armed support, which may well have led to a need to ‘fight it out’, perhaps with ensuing casualties, loss of prestige, adverse propaganda, or the indignity of capture in the circumstances.

The citation for the award to Lieutenant Commander Anthony Johnston of the Distinguished Service Medal reads:

‘For distinguished command and leadership in action as Mission Commander of HMAS Adelaide’s Seahawk helicopter during Operation Catalyst.

During December 2004, facing overwhelmingly superior and hostile forces and without the support of coalition aircraft or firepower, LCDR Johnston showed exemplary leadership, courage, composure and determination as Mission Commander and Scene of Action Commander to facilitate the safe extraction of HMAS Adelaide’s boarding party from perilous and harmful circumstances. ’

Editor’s Note

In another well-publicised incident, a group of fifteen sailors from HMS Cornwall, operating in circumstances not dissimilar to those described above, were taken prisoner by the Iranians and held for about two weeks.  In light of the similarities between that incident and the one described above, I invited LCDR Johnston to clarify the means by which helicopters, and more particularly RHIBs, fixed their positions in such potentially contentious waters.  His reply:

‘Re navigation.  The Seahawk nav system is an integrated package that combines inertial x 2, Doppler and GPS.  The boats have their own GPS.  The ship has an excellent nav package itself.

In the case of 6Dec04, the ship easily established the exact location of the target vessel within Iraqi waters.  They were only eight miles away, unable to close due to the shoal waters that had claimed the merchantman, as well as other duties precluding same.  This check had occurred well prior to any boardings taking place.

We had all been operating in the area for almost 4 months and knew the region intimately.   Weather and visibility on the day were excellent, allowing us to visually cross check our position with some well known local and coastal features.  I also have radar coverage from a very watchful air controller onboard Adelaide to keep me honest.  The bottom line here is that all of this is SOP and we all know where we are.

Clearly, I cannot speak for our ‘friends’, but you have to think that they have some sort of electronic navigation assistance.  The simplest indication of where you are is whether you are North East or South West of the SAA channel as this is the inter-national boundary (as can be seen on any chart).  The ship was obviously South of that line – placing it in Iraqi waters without doubt.’

Occasional Paper 46: Lieutenant Kenneth Robert Hudspeth DSC, RANVR

Lieutenant Kenneth Robert Hudspeth, Distinguished Service Cross and 2 Bars, RANVR, WWII

Lieutenant Kenneth Robert Hudspeth, RANVR was one of many Royal Australian Naval personnel whose service in Royal Navy units during the darkest days of World War 2 has gone largely unnoticed in Australia.  This story of the self-reliant and courageous LEUT Hudspeth who completed several hazardous missions in the then SECRET, X-Craft (midget submarine) earned him the Distinguished Service Cross and two Bars.

Thanks to a research query about Hudspeth received by the Society, the story of his remarkable war service can be told.  This story was researched and compiled by Dennis J. Weatherall JP TM AFAITT(L) LSM an active volunteer of the Society.  Dennis is a qualified Australian Military Historian and accredited Member of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides.

Early Life

Kenneth Hudspeth was born in Echuca, Victoria on the Murray River on 31 March 1918.  His Father Robert was born in 1891 in Carlton, and mother Ada (nee Sim) in 1894 in Box Hill, Victoria.  There were two other brothers born into the Hudspeth family, Bruce in 1919 and Donald 1921 in Hobart, Tasmania.

Robert Senior started work at 14 years of age and studied at night school to become a teacher.  He went on to become the first Principal of Hobart Technical College having established the school, recruited and trained staff in the specific trades required.

Kenneth Robert Hudspeth, was encouraged by his father to be aware of the bushland, and became a keen bushwalker in Tasmania’s south-west region.  He was also interested in all water activities and subsequently became a Sea Scout and crewed local cruising yachts.  With such involvement, Kenneth never lost his deep interest in maritime matters.

On finishing school Kenneth, following in his father’s footsteps became a trainee in the Tasmanian Education Department and was assigned to Hythe area school in the suburb of Southport following training.

Early Career

Following the outbreak of WWII, Kenneth offered his service to the Navy and was selected as a Sub Lieutenant RANVR.  His first posting being to HMAS Cerberus for induction followed by HMAS Rushcutter to undertake Anti-Submarine warfare training in the newly established school commanded by CMDR Harvey Newcomb RN.

SUB LEUT Kenneth Robert Hudspeth – 1940

During the Battle of the Atlantic up to 20 percent of all A/S Officers were Australian RANR/RANVR serving in the Royal Navy (RN).

Hudspeth departed for the UK in the “Imperial Star” in January.  Postings then followed in quick succession and included; HMS Ferret and HMS Clarkia.  After gaining his Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate and serving 15 months on North Atlantic convoy escort duties in 1941 & 1942, he volunteered for submarines and was posted to HMS Dolphin, HMS Cyclops (Submarine Depot Ship) and from October 1942 to August 1944, HMS Varbel I and II.

He was promoted LEUT RANVR on 15th January 1943 and assigned for commanding officer duties in Midget Submarine “X-Craft”.  His first command was X-Craft X10.

HMS Varbel I – named after CMDR’s Varley and Bell, both RN Engineers who designed the X-Craft prototypes. Originally the “Kyles Hydropathic Hotel” requisitioned by the Admiralty, located at Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute, Scotland.
“Bute’s War”, locations of HMS Varbel I and II
HMS Varbel II – “Ardtaraig House” was also requisitioned by the Admiralty early in the war and became HQ for the 12th Submarine Flotilla, located at the head of Loch Striven Scotland.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hazardous service

The Admiralty had requested volunteers for special and hazardous service, stating they must be below 24 years of age on selection, unmarried, be good swimmers and of strong and enduring physique”.  After volunteering and selection interview at HMS Dolphin Hudspeth was accepted without an explanation of what ‘hazardous service’ was.  He was subsequently posted to HMS Cyclops then HMS Varbel where he commenced training (and was told what hazardous service he’d just volunteered for).  Training commenced immediately in the new midget submarines known as X-Craft.

HMS Cyclops (F31) depot ship for the 7th Submarine Flotilla home based at Rothesay 1940-1946. Originally the passenger liner “Indrabarah” built by Laing and Co. for the Indra Line Ltd. Purchased by the Admiralty whilst under construction on 27th October 1905, scrapped in 1947. Photograph taken on the Rothesay Bay Firth of Clyde Scotland.
X-Craft Surface running possibly the X21 with LEUT J.V. Terry-Lloyd SADF as CO standing on the casing.
C-Craft control room, craft number unknown. This image shows the very limited crew space available.
HMS Bonaventure (F139) was designated as depot ship for all Midget Submarines. Built by Greenock and Grangemouth Dockyard Co. in Greenock, Scotland for the Scottish “Clan Line”, it was to be launched as “Clan Campbell” but the Admiralty requisitioned her on the day she was launched – 27th October 1942 – and once converted was commissioned into the RN on the 26th January 1943.

Operation Source:  22nd September 1943

Operation Source was a Top Secret Operation to neutralise three German Capital ships, SMS Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Lutzow.  Hudspeth was one of six midget submarine CO’s detailed to attack these vessels.  His target was the battleship SMS Scharnhorst, later downgraded by the RN to a Battlecruiser due to carrying only 11 inch main guns.  All were at anchor in the Kaa Fjord.

X5 was the Mission commander commanded by Commander LEUT “Henty” Henty-Creer RN who was Australian born.  X6 was commended by LEUT Donald Cameron RNR and X7 commanded by LEUT Godfrey Place RNR.  These three X-Craft were detailed to attack the SMS Tirpitz.  X5 was lost with all hands either during the attack or withdrawal (there is no definitive record), although the Admiralty refuses to dive on the wreck (located in 1974) to check if, in fact, they had deployed their two tons of explosives and were actually sunk on their escape from completing their attack on Tirpitz.  Both X6 and X7 succeeded in damaging their target, although both X-Craft were forced to the surface within the anti submarine net around the Tirpitz.  Both were craft were scuttled.  Two X7 crew members never escaped their craft.  The six surviving crew members were taken as prisoners of war (POW’s).  Both CO’s Cameron and Place were awarded the Victoria Cross.

On the 18th September 1943, X8 commanded by LEUT J Smart RNVR was en-route to attack the SMS Lutzow (Pocket Battleship).  It was under tow by its mother submarine, HMS Sea Nymph when the tow line parted.  It was found the next day.  As LEUT Smart had been forced to jettison both saddle charges during the passage X8s participation in the mission was cancelled.  Unfortunately, X8 was scuttled on the 18th September and the crew returned to the “mother” submarine for passage home.

X9 commanded by SBLT E.V. Kearon RNVR and X10 were designated to attack SMS Scharnhorst on the 16th September 1943.  Unfortunately, X9 under tow from HM Submarine Syrtis had dived and failed to surface on the same day.  It was found the towing hawser had also parted.  All four of its crew were lost.

X10 Crew: Left to right: SBLT G Harding; LEUT K.R Hudspeth CO; SBLT B Enzer; SBLT E Page (Passage CO) and seated left bottom ERA Tilley.

Other crew members of X10, unofficially named “Excalibur”, the legendary sword of King Arthur, included;  SBLT Bruce Enzer RNVR, 1st LEUT  SBLT Geoff Harding RNVR and Diver, ERA Tilley (who been seconded from fleet submarines).  Harding was the youngest of all X-Craft crewmen, he’d just turned 19.  Passage CO was “Ernie” Page, a tall, red-bearded Irishman.

X10’s target was the SMS Scharnhorst, believed at the time of departure from home base to be at anchor astern of the SMS Tirpitz in the Kaa Fjord.  Unknown to X10 as at 1300, 12 September when she left base under the tow of HM Submarine Sceptre, the Scharnhorst had slipped her moorings on the morning of 22 September and headed to Alten Fjord to undertake Gunnery practice.  Subsequently, Scharnhorst received a signal from Tirpitz advising she’d been under attack and had been torpedoed.  As a consequence, Scharnhorst did not return to her berth in the Kaa Fjord.  This situation unknown to LEUT Hudspeth became important post mission.

After slipping her tow from HM Submarine Sceptre at 2000 on 20 September, X10 dived to test her trim.  All was satisfactory, so course was set for the allocated target SMS Scharnhorst.  Given known technical reliability issues with the X-Craft it is not surprising that Hudspeth was beset with multiple mechanical break downs.  First the periscope motor started to smell pungent when raised and lowered, then the motor burnt out and the craft filled with fumes.  Next the Gyro compass failed as did the magnetic compass light, finally the boat started to leak above the switchboard and all fuses blew.  Every crew member, regardless of trade, was put to work in an endeavour to rectify the defects and hopefully resume X10 its mission.  At 0215, X10 bottomed out at 195 feet just 4 miles from Kaa Fjord and where it was presumed SMS Scharnhorst was at anchor.  Finally, one of the two side saddles (explosives) flooded.  It seemed little else could go wrong?

LEUT Hudspeth asked his crew if they wanted to proceed to their target in the condition they now found themselves in.  All responded yes.  After serious consideration as their CO and having heard multiple explosions at 0815 from the other attacking X-Craft, he weighed carefully if he should continue and if forced to the surface, the consequences of losing both his craft and crew.  He also considered the impact on other craft successfully attacking their targets.  X10 stayed bottomed all day then at 1800 Hudspeth called off the mission and limped back down the Fjord to the rendezvous for return to Loch Striven, Scotland.

Map of Kaa Fjord showing the location of SMS Tirpitz and where Scharnhorst should have been on the day of the attack.
Commanding Officers of X-Craft on Operation Source with the exception of X5 CO LEUT “Henty” Henty-Creer RNVR. Left to right; LEUT T Martin RN X9, LEUT Kenneth Hudspeth RANVR X10, LEUT Basil McFarlane RAN X8, LEUT Godfrey Place RNR X7 and LEUT Donald Cameron RNR X6.

LEUT Hudspeth was awarded a DSC (Distinguished Service Cross) on 11 January 1944.  His citation read: “For outstanding courage whilst in command of HM Submarine X10 during Operation Source in September 1943.  This submarine penetrated Alten Fjord on 22 September 1943 to within four miles of where Tirpitz was lying.  LEUT Hudspeth bottomed in this position in enemy waters throughout 22 September while he and his crew worked in trying conditions to make good the vessel’s defects.  The attempt was in vain and LEUT Hudspeth had to come to the correct though bitter decision to withdraw, when so near his goal.  The successful double passage of the approaches to Alten Fjord required determination and skill of a high order.  The application and endurance shown in the attempt to remedy defects deserve credit.  The information this Officer was able to bring back was of great value”.

Operation Postage Able:  17 to 21 January 1944

As the planning went ahead for the invasion of Europe, scheduled for the summer of 1944, it was realised that the Admiralty had no close inshore charts of the French coastline.  Therefore, towards the end of 1943 (December) a group of specialised servicemen arrived at the X-Craft Scottish base to check out if it was possible to use these craft to gain the information required for the upgrade of what would become the “invasion charts”.  The name of the group was Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP) their role was to gain all possible information on the shore line both above and below the expected tide levels.  The Normandy coast was their target shoreline.  COPP was a mixture of Naval and Army personnel, the latter being trained commando swimmers.  It was Navy’s job to take these commandos, land them unseen to reconnoitre ashore before returning to their X-Craft for passage home.

Two X-Craft (X20 and X23) were shipped by rail from Loch Striven (Scotland) to Portsmouth (south coast) for the operation.  The original crew from X10 that was scuttled on its return from the aborted SMS Scharnhorst raid (Sep 43) were reassigned to X20 where they practised passage in the shallow waters of the Solent.  Due to last minute “second thoughts” by senior officers, the first planned COPP mission was carried out by small surface craft.  The planners were concerned about the possible discovery by the enemy of an X-Craft operation close inshore.

LEUT Hudspeth was awarded a bar to his DSC on 4 April 1944 for his missions in landing COPP personnel on enemy held coasts, his citation reads; “For outstanding courage and devotion to duty whilst commanding HM Submarine X20 in hazardous operations.  He showed great coolness, grasp and ability in manoeuvring his X-Craft submerged in shallow water close under enemy defences during the first attempt at putting Combined Operations Pilotage Parties on beach reconnaissance on a heavily guarded position of an enemy coast, in unknown and unpleasant conditions during the period 17 to 21 January 1944”.

Operation “Gambit”:  2 to 6 June 1944 of the Normandy Coast

Following the successful charting of the Normandy coast X20 and X23 were retained for the subsequent operation, Operation Gambit.  LEUT Hudspeth continued in command of X20 whilst LEUT George Honour RNVR was CO of X23.  For this operation the the crew of each was to be five men.  Originally designed for a crew of three, each carried divers and one other.  Conditions were cramped!

This operation was part of the overall D-Day Naval Operation known as “Operation Neptune”.  Basically both craft had to approach the British / Canadian allocated sector beaches and position themselves at the outer markers of Sword (X23) and Juno (X20).  Their role was to sit it out until the allocated time and date of the invasion, then surface and act as navigation beacons for landing force craft heading to the two beaches.

Map showing Normandy beaches Sword (British) and Juno (Canadian) 6th June 1944

With D-Day set for Monday 5 June 1944, both X-Craft left their berths at Fort Blockhouse and set course to exit the east gate on the Portsmouth Boom Defence.  Operation “Gambit” had commenced.  It was Friday 2 June at 2130 hours.  The X-Craft were under tow by two trawlers the Darthem (X20) and the Sapper (X23), they broke their tow the next day and headed for what are now known as Sword and Juno invasion beaches.  They positioned themselves (submerged) on the 4 June to be the leads for the biggest invasion force the world had ever seen.

The X-Craft needed to ventilate every five hours to draw in fresh air.  They also had to confirm their allocated station by periscope sightings each evening.  At 2200 daily they tuned into the BBC news broadcast for any coded message that would confirm the landings would commence the following morning.  During one such broadcast, the code was transmitted that the invasion landings would be delayed due to weather (at the UK end) for a day.  As their supplies were limited, especially oxygen backup (in bottles) this message caused some concern onboard X20.  Their mission on D-Day was to illuminate mast head beacons (to sea) from the deck and periscope to give the landing armada a tested navigation course to their landing beaches of Sword and Juno.

The allocation of operation names is of interest.  In this case the Admiralty had chosen Gambit which, as in Chess, a piece is risked so as to gain advantage later!  No words were ever so true for X20 and X23.

For this mission not only did they carry extra crew but enough equipment to open a deep sea fishermen’s store!  Before departure Portsmouth they stowed onboard the following kit:

  • Two coastal quick release anchors,
  • Three flashing lamps with batteries,
  • Several taut-string measuring reels,
  • Two small portable radar beacons,
  • One 18 foot sounding pole with two telescopic masts of similar length and
  • Twelve extra bottles of oxygen in addition to the X-Crafts normal fixed supply.

The crew were given fake identification papers and told if the mission was aborted they were to swim ashore make contact with the local resistance who would help them return to England.  That is of course, if they weren’t drowned or shot by German sentries.  If they survived and escaped, they still had to find the local resistance which was easier said than done.  Essentially, they were on their own if the mission was aborted.

X20 positioned herself off Juno Beach less than a mile and a half from the coast on Sunday 4 June 1944.  When the coded message was received it simply read “trouble in Scarborough” so X20 manoeuvred into deeper water to wait until Tuesday 6 June, the new D-Day.  At 0502 the periscope was raised along with the telescopic mast, lights affixed (looking seaward) the radio beacons and echo sounders activated……the final phase of the invasion of Europe was about to commence!

X20 had completed her mission successfully so had X23, so the crew hunkered down had breakfast and waited until it was time to get themselves off the beach and rendezvous with their two craft for a well-deserved return to Portsmouth.

For this operation, LEUT Hudspeth was awarded a second bar to his DSC on 28 Nov 1944.  The citation read: “For gallantry, skill, determination and undaunted devotion to duty whilst commanding HM Submarine X20 during Operation Gambit, the Combined Operations Pilotage Parties beach reconnaissance of the French coast prior to Operation Neptune and the landing of Allied Forces on the coast of Normandy”.

After D-Day LEUT Hudspeth was posted back to HMS Varbel (12th Submarine Flotilla – Midget X-Craft) and was involved in training new crew, he also wrote a manual on X-Craft operations, something he was well suited for having been a teacher prior to his war service.

HMS Orwell (G98) in her war time camouflage paint

On the 23 September 1944 LEUT Hudspeth was posted to HMS Orwell (G98) an Oscar Class destroyer and back to his old trade as an Anti-Submarine Officer.  The Orwell had been launched on 2 April 1942, commissioned 17 October 1942 and assigned immediately to North Atlantic and Russian Convoy duties.  LEUT Hudspeth served under LCDR John Randall Gower, CO from 15 July 44 through to 16 October 1945.  During Hudspeth’s time onboard most sailings were on the Russian run north until returning to Scapa Flow at the end of April 1945 Orwell rejoined the Home Fleet and assumed duties as required.  During this period LEUT Hudspeth served as First Lieutenant until released from his RN service.

On 10 September 1945 LEUT Hudspeth was posted to HMS President pending return to Australia and demobilisation.  He embarked on the passenger liner “SS Aquitania” leaving Southampton on 28 October and arrived in Tasmania in early December 1946.  His service concluded at HMAS Huon on 5 February 1946

Post demobilisation, Hudspeth continued to serve in the Reserve, was promoted to LCDR on 31 December 1951 eventually resigning his commission on the 21 January 1965.  Thus ended, a distinguished career of 25 years in war and peace in the RN, RANVR and post war RANR.

Post war Hudspeth obtained his teaching diploma and returned to his pre-war occupation as a teacher with the Tasmanian Department of Education.  He became the warden of “Werndee”, a hostel in Hobart for junior and trainee teachers.  Then followed several appointments to several schools in northern Tasmania before becoming Principal, and Superintendent of Building for the Education Department throughout Tasmania.  Kenneth Hudspeth retired from education in 1979 aged 61.

Kenneth married an English woman, Audrey Nicholson in 1959.  They produced three sons:  Andrew, David and Donald.  None followed in their father into the services.  In retirement Kenneth followed his interests in music and literature, although his chief interest was anything maritime and his love and involvement in the Tasmanian Maritime Museum.

Kenneth & Audrey Hudspeth in retirement.
Image supplied by son, Andrew Hudspeth

Kenneth Robert Hudspeth passed away on the 3 December 2000 at the age of 82 years.  He was a war time hero, a volunteer, a Reservist and one of the most decorated Australian Naval Officers of WWII.

 

Midget Submarines Specifications – X-Craft

Overall length: 52 feet

Displacement:              30 tons

Propulsion:                  Diesel engine and Electric motor

Range:                         Approximately 1,000 miles

Speed:                         6.5 Knots surfaced, 2 knots submerged economical speed

Armament:                  Two crescent sectioned charges 30 foot long each with two tons of explosives

Crew:                          Three to five subject to mission

Diving depth:              300 feet

 

References:

  • Royal Navy National Museum Portsmouth UK George Malcolmson Curator Archives and Images
  • X-Craft X20 In the English Channel LCDR K R Hudspeth RANR Rtd paper
  • “Above Us The Waves” C E T Warren & James Benson George G Harper UK 1953
  • “Midget Submarines of the Second World War” Chatham Publishing 1999 Paul Kemp
  • “Skill & Valour” James J Atkinson Spink & Son Australia 1986
  • “Bravo Zulu Honours & Awards” Vol 1 1900-1974 Ian Pfenningworth 2016
  • “Semaphore Operation Neptune D-Day 6 June 1944” John Perryman RAN Rtd paper
  • Naval Commander Force “J” HMS Vectis Report 179/323 25/09/43 Archives RN
  • Supplement to The London Gazette Rear Admiral C B Barry Tirpitz report 11/02/48
  • Defence Media Network “Operation Source X-Craft Raid on Tirpitz” Dwight Jon Zimmerman 19/09/2013 paper
  • Lost Heroes of the Tirpitz Dr Eric Grove 17/02/2011 paper
  • Major British Warship Losses WWII Submarines & Midget Submarines Gordon Smith
  • “Service Histories of RN Warships in WWII” LtCdr Geoffrey B Mason RN 2003
  • “Bute at War” www.buteatwar/gallery
  • Australians in Midget Submarines Ray Worledge 11/08/2013
  • U Boat Net – Allied war ships HMS Orwell G98 Oscar Class Destroyer
  • War Hero – Educationalist Ray Worledge paper
  • Operation Gambit “Fighting Spirit” Gavin Mortimer interview with S/Lt Jim Booth X23
  • Foxtrot Alpha Net “How the RN’s X Class Midget Submarines helped make D-Day Tyler Rogoway 2015 paper
  • Journal of the Australian Naval Institute. “The RANVR and the Normandy Landings” John Connor School of History ADFA paper
  • National Archives of Australia A3978 Barcode 30964422 & CA 38 / 587 – Canberra.
  • Dominion Yachtsmen Scheme DRA paper Ms Janet Roberts Billett paper
  • “Hudspeth Family 2018” via direct contact Mr Andrew Hudspeth eldest son of Kenneth and Audrey Hudspeth, family history – photographs.

 

Big wave of destruction

A voyage from Fremantle to Cocos Islands to farewell the Royal Yacht SS Gothic at the successful end of Queen Elizabeth II’s first visit to Australia ended badly when two of the escort ships collided during a RAS. On 5 April 1954 after HMA Ships Vengeance, Anzac I and Bataan, an Australian-built Tribal-class destroyer, handed over the escort duties to the cruisers HM Ships Colombo and Newfoundland, Bataan was low on fuel and needed to refuel. Consequently orders were received to take on fuel from Vengeance.

Former Chief Radio Electrician Bill Robertson, who was on board Bataan at the time, believes the collision was caused by a rogue wave which lifted Bataan’s bow and turned the ship towards Vengeance, when there was less than 10 tonnes of fuel left to transfer. “The change in heading couldn’t be controlled by the quartermaster in time to avoid a collision,” he said. “The Venturi effect, so dreaded when two moving vessels are so close together, held Bataan’s port side in contact with Vengeance’s starboard side. “There was an imminent danger Bataan would roll over and be sucked under Vengeance.” Mr Robertson said, as Bataan slowly slid aft, each time Vengeance rolled to starboard, her AA platforms came down on Bataan’s port superstructure. “Then the port side of the PO’s Mess, the ‘B’ gun deck and the Bofors platform on the port side of the bridge were all crushed,” he said. “I remember thinking the noise sounded like the damage was going to be expensive.” According to Mr Robertson, only the quick thinking of CO Bataan CMDR Glenn Fowle saved the ship. “He ordered, ‘hard a’ port, full ahead together’,” he said. “This forced our bow into Vengeance while kicking the stern out. “When Bataan had pushed itself out to about 45 degrees, the CO ordered full astern together, which separated the ships but didn’t do the bow
any favours. “At the time of the action I was on the starboard side of the bridge with a lifejacket in one hand and a roll of toilet paper in the other, somewhat unsure which had priority.”

There were no casualties during the collision, which left Bataan’s keel twisted. Bataan paid off at Sydney in October 1954, having steamed 279,395nm after commissioning in May 1945, and was sold for scrap in May 1958, to Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd of Tokyo, Japan

 

Originally published in the Australian Navy News on 14 July 2016

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