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You are here: Home / Archives for Australian Navy / HMAS Nestor

HMAS Nestor

Occasional Paper 11: The Remarkable Short Life of HMAS Nestor, The Ship That Never Came Home

July 1, 2017

July 2017

The following address was delivered Commander Walter Burroughs RAN Rtd during the 75th anniversary ceremony conducted by the RAN on Garden Island, Sydney 16 June 2017.

I am honoured to give this address commemorating the loss of HMAS Nestor, together with four of her gallant crew, exactly 75 years ago on 16 June 1942.

The importance of the “N-class”

I first came into contact with the formidable “N Class Association” through a chance meeting with Mrs Jennifer Cook. Jenny was the wife of the late Captain Bill Cook. Bill, one of our youngest destroyer captains, earned his spurs, first as XO, and then CO, of HMAS Nizam.

At this social gathering, my lack of knowledge of the N-class brought howls of derision from the glamorous Jenny, who made it her mission to insure I knew the importance of these ships in the naval hierarchy.  Suitably admonished this encouraged me to further research, and to become wary of sweet older ladies, with excellent memories of ships past.

With war clouds looming in the late 1930s Great Britain went into a phase of rapid rearmament. With a shortage of destroyers there was a need to increase production using simpler designs.

This was the genesis for 24 ships built in three batches known as the “J, K & N’s”. They were fine fighting units but suffered from limited fuel supplies reducing their effective range, and the significant main armament of six 4.7-inch guns was flawed in the anti-aircraft role, being limited to 40 degrees elevation. Later improvements were made removing the after torpedo tubes and installing a high-angle 4-inch gun and, the half-inch Vickers machine guns were replaced by larger calibre, 20 mm Oerlikons.

HMAS Nestor

Nestor, the third of her class was built along with her destroyer leader Napier, at Fairfield’s Clydeside yard. HMAS Nestor was commissioned on 3 February 1941 by Commander George Stewart, RAN. This must have been an exciting if cold and miserable time for most of her inexperienced crew. Many of these young men were reservists and few had seen action.

After three weeks of trials Nestor sailed from Greenock for the Royal Navy’s northern base situated at Scapa Flow, one of the bleakest spots in the kingdom. It did not disappoint as they arrived to a reception of snow and ice. However, they were enthusiastically greeted by the Rear Admiral (Destroyers) Sir Louis Hamilton. The work-up was brief and they were soon escorting convoys to Iceland.

Nestor was one of four destroyers accompanying the 18th Cruiser Squadron far into the Arctic Circle, to 72 degrees north, to intercept the German weather ship Munchen. This small ship with her crew was captured intact, most importantly with her code books. With code books secured by a mystery man from Naval Intelligence, Nestor was despatched at full speed to Scapa, with the mystery man flown to London for Bletchley Park to help break the Enigma code.

A few days after this successful cloak and dagger episode, and only three months into the commission, “Big Bill” Stewart was relieved of his command. There were disciplinary concerns, brought about by heavy drinking. The ship’s Medical Officer, the remarkable 25 year old reservist Surgeon Lieutenant Shane Watson, was prevailed upon to go ashore and apprise the Flag Officer of the situation. Marines were sent to remove three senior officers for court martial.

As a temporary measure the Captain of the depot ship HMS Tyne took command with a new First Lieutenant, Lieutenant George Crowley, RN appointed. A week later Commander Alvord Rosenthal, RAN assumed command of Nestor. Rosenthal, an experienced destroyer captain, had been standing by to take command of HMAS Norman. There were no further incidents and the crew, who were not disciplined, displayed restraint and worked enthusiastically under the new command.

With troubles behind them, Nestor sailed with the Home Fleet to “Hunt the Bismark” which had just sunk HMS Hood with devastating loss of life. While the bigger ships, the battleship King George V, the carrier Victorious and four cruisers ploughed on and eventually cornered their quarry, Nestor and five other destroyers, were obliged to retire to Iceland to refuel.

In company with four destroyers Nestor next escorted the battleship Nelson to Gibraltar to join Admiral Somerville’s Force “H”.  Somerville had the finest ships the navy could provide. They were charged with convoying seven large and fast armed merchantmen taking essential supplies to the starving Maltese garrison.  The convoy sailed from Gibraltar, under cover of darkness and fog, in the early hours of 21 July. In reduced visibility the troopship Leinster ran aground and was left behind.

The following day, they were discovered by Italian submarines with two torpedos passing under Nestor and narrowly missing Renown. Off Sardinia, they were fiercely attacked by high level bombers and then torpedo bombers but with its immense firepower, only one destroyer was sunk and one cruiser and another destroyer retired damaged, but the merchantmen remained intact. With the worse onslaught thought to be over and coming within range of air coverage from Malta, after dark the heavy ships turned back for Gibraltar.

However, later that night they were again attacked, by Italian E-Boats, and one of the convoy, Sydney Star, with 500 troops aboard fell astern. Nestor was dispatched and found the ship had been hit by torpedo and gunfire and was in danger of sinking. In darkness a boat transfer would take forever, so at 3 am Nestor secured alongside Sydney Star and within one hour took off all non-essential personnel. Nestor, now with 774 souls on board, lead the stricken ship and, subject to more air attacks, eventually made Malta. In helping save Malta, Commander Rosenthal was awarded his first DSO.

Back to Gib, and then more convoy duty to West Africa. On departing Bathurst in Gambia, Nestor prosecuted a suspected submarine contact. However she suffered accidental damage when one of her depth charges detonated prematurely. This necessitated returning to Plymouth for repairs. It was then back up north to the Clyde where Nestor was joined by her recently commissioned sister Norman.

On 15 December when off Cape St Vincent a submarine was sighted on the surface. They closed and opened fire from A & B turrets before the target submerged. She then made asdic contact and attacked with depth charges, afterwards oil and debris was seen on the surface. Nestor is credited with sinking submarine U-127, earning “Rosie” a Bar to his DSO. And who could forget the “Schoolie” Richard (Dick) Fennessy the master of plotting tables who once he found a target could not be shaken off – for his efforts Dick received a DSC.

After her submarine adventure Nestor sailed for Malta arriving on Christmas Eve. It was onwards to Alexandria where she met her sisters Napier and Nizam. The three “N’s” transited the Canal then escorted the carrier Indomitable with 50 Hurricanes, reinforcements for the Malayan campaign.  The Fleet then assembled at Trincomalee expecting to meet a full-scale Japanese attack.  They were joined by Norman in February. Their numbers were severely depleted with the loss to Japanese air attacks of the carrier HMS Hermes and her escorting destroyer HMAS Vampire. In April all four “N’s” returned to the Med.

Another operation was undertaken aimed at escorting eleven merchant ships through to Malta from the east. This was a risky operation with heavy losses anticipated while transiting “Bomb Alley” between Egypt and Crete.

On 15 June 1942 there was no doubt about Nestor’s ability but her luck ran out when she was straddled and crippled by three 1000 pound bombs during a high level air attack. Two bombs exploded almost simultaneously falling within feet on either side of the ship and the third near her stern. The impact practically blew her out of the water and broke her back. She was holed amidships with water flooding into No 1 Boiler Room. The Boiler Room was in semi darkness and filling with oily water and dangerous super-heated steam cascading everywhere. This did not stop the ship’s Medical Officer, the indomitable Shane Watson, from entering the Boiler Room. He helped recover all four men but none could be revived. Nestor was taken under tow but the next day the decision was made to transfer her ship’s company to HMS Javelin and confine the sinking ship to the deep.  For his courageous efforts Surgeon Lieutenant Watson was awarded the DSC.

 

HMAS Nestor lived the life of the Greek hero whose name she proudly bore. She had a short life measured in months rather than years. During some of the darkest days of WWII she was always to be found near the centre of action. She fought gallantly alongside such famous ships as Ark Royal, Nelson and Renown and was never found wanting. Nestor was of course unique being the only Australian warship never to sail in Australian waters.

When HMS Javelin reached Alexandria the Nestor survivors were disembarked and most drafted to other destroyers. Lieutenant Crowley, was awarded the DSC and posted as First Lieutenant of HMAS Norman, he later rose to flag rank.

Today we remember and commemorate the loss of HMAS Nestor and pay tribute to those of her ship’s company who lost their lives. These brave young men endured the winter treachery of the North Atlantic, the fierce ordeals of incessant warfare in the Mediterranean and, the uncertainties of entering into the Indian Ocean where the enemy had swept all before them.  Let us remember:

Stoker Petty Officer Jack Brown Bulmer, of Penguin TAS – aged 28

Leading Stoker Campbell Hill, of Coolgarde WA – aged 24

Leading Stoker Mathew Burns, of the Royal Navy

And, Stoker Leslie Blight of Pingelly WA – aged just 19.

May they rest in peace.

THANK YOU

HMAS Nestor in North Atlantic 1941, NHSA Image
HMAS Nestor scuttling depth charges explode, AWM Image: 106670

Occasional Paper 5: Ken Brown: Service in HMAS Nestor

February 1, 2017

February 2017

By Warrant Officer Martin Grogan

SBLT Ken Brown, RAN

Mr Ken BROWN (aged 95) a retired RAN Lieutenant Commander and World War Two veteran was recently awarded the British Arctic Star.  This award recognized his service during World War II for operational service north of the Arctic Circle in HMAS Nestor.  The following notes are intended to provide insight into Ken’s remarkable career.

During Nestor’s period north of the Arctic Circle she was part of a six cruiser and destroyer escort for HMS Hood.  Hood and her escorts had been tasked to search for the German Battleship Bismark which was causing havoc in the North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea near Iceland.  The destroyer and cruisers being much smaller than Hood (one of the largest Battle Cruisers in the Royal Navy at the time) had to take rostered turns to leave the convoy to refuel.  It was during one of Nestor’s absences refueling that Hood was engaged by  Bismark and sunk with all but three lives lost.  Nestor was the only Australian manned ship in the hunt for Bismark.

The search continued by the rest of the fleet up into Icelandic waters pursuing Bismark which was eventually sunk south of Iceland on 27 May 1941 following notification of its position by the pursuing fleet.

All the time these two missions were taking place, there were numerous engagements by aircraft and enemy ships keeping Ken’s “Pom-Pom Guns” in action and constant maintenance.  He was still only 19 years of age but really doing his part for the war effort. 

On 15 June 1942 in the Mediterranean, HMAS Nestor, under heavy and sustained aerial attacks, received serious damage from 3 x 1000lb bombs which were not direct hits but the near misses broke the back of the ship.  The boiler rooms were flooded which completely disabled the ship.  The four members of the boiler room were drowned and about ten other personnel received injuries.  Ken’s Oerlikon gun was firing nonstop at dive bombers firing their machine guns at the ships gun positions.

When the bombs exploded Ken was blown from his gun platform sustaining injuries to his back on hitting the bulkhead, then falling heavily on his left knee.  First aid arrived as soon as the bombing eased off and the bandages stopped the bleeding.  Further air raids continued and Ken was back on the Oerlikon gun, although still in considerable pain.

As dusk fell and attacks eased, HMS Javelin came to assist HMAS Nestor.  Three attempts to tow her during the night failed.  The ship was taking water fast.  Dawn was near and as both ships would be sitting ducks for air attacks, Nestor’s Captain gave the order to abandon ship.  Ken was asked if he could dismantle as many of the Oerlikons as possible.  He had completed two and passed them over to Petty Officer Paddy Collins of  Javelin together with all ammunition.  He had no time to get the other two at the other end of the ship.

When all the crew were safely on board Javelin shallow depth charges were set to hasten the sinking of Nestor in the early hours of 16th June, to ensure it did not fall into enemy hands.  Most of Nestor’s crew had lost all of their possessions so extra clothing was provided from Javelin’s store.  Javelin was then ordered to go post haste to Alexandria with heavy air attacks encountered on the way.  During a lull in the attacks Javelin’s commanding officer gave an order to issue a tot of rum for each for the crew of Nestor only.

On arrival at Alexandria, Ken and the other injured were taken by truck and admitted to the 64th Army General Hospital.  Field Marshall Rommel and his troops were closing in on Alexandria so after two days, before a doctor was available, the hospital was evacuated.  Another truck took them to Royal Naval Depot HMS Phoenix, on the outskirts of Alexandria where tents were put up in the desert.

Ken, to my knowledge, is the last surviving member of the Ships Company of HMAS Nestor and one of only four HMAS Sydney (II) sailors still alive in Australia.

My recent research with Honours and Awards in Canberra indicate that only 50 Arctic Stars have been awarded to Australians.  Of these only five of these were actually presented to the recipient.  The others were sent to family Members as the person had already passed away.

The 25 November presentation was a unique opportunity to honour a local boy from Frankston who joined the Navy at 16 and a half years and left 36 years later as a highly decorated Lieutenant Commander.  Ken also qualified for all other World War Two stars:

  • 39/43 Star later changed to the 39/45 Star
  • Atlantic Star
  • Africa Star
  • Burma Star (with Clasp Pacific Star)

Notes:

  1. The Ships Bell from HMAS Nestor was removed and placed in HMS Javelin prior to the sinking and later presented to the Captain of HMAS Nestor, Captain A.S. ROSENTHAL. He then kept it at the front door of his home on Olivers Hill in Frankston until the late 1990s when it was donated to the Museum of HMAS Cerberus on the passing of Captain ROSENTHAL, DSO and Bars, RAN Rtd.
  2. When Ken and Mavis’ first Son Rodney was born, Ken asked (as a newly promoted Sub Lieutenant) his ex Captain if he could borrow the bell for the christening in the Wardroom of HMAS Lonsdale. This was approved and Ken returned the bell the next day.  The bell was recently inscribed with his sons name and date of christening unbeknown to Ken.
  3. The Ships cat ‘Pusser’ was also rescued by LS Clarrie Atwell but it did not survive tent city. Clarrie had left the safety of Javelin to go back onboard Nestor to locate the cat that was hiding under the chart table in shock.  Clarrie secured the cat inside his overalls before re-joining Javelin and received a fair scratching for his troubles.  Allegedly, according to Clarrie in later life, he did not even like cats!
  4. Ken Brown is a Life Member of the Victorian HMAS Sydney Association.
HMAS Nestor in North Atlantic 1941
SBLT Ken Brown and HMAS Nestor Survivors

Instructor Captain Richard Gerard Fennessy DSC RAN

September 24, 2014

By Noel Burgess

This extraordinary story concerns a country schoolmaster who mainly served through WW II in one ship in which he won the DSC and afterwards rose to become the first RAN Instructor Captain and Director of Naval Education.

Richard Gerard Fennessy was born in Warrnambool, Victoria on 25 June 1910. He was the youngest son of Pierce Phillip Fennessy, a Superintendent in the Victoria Police Force and his wife Mary (nee Kenafick). In 1931 he qualified as a school teacher and began teaching in Horsham, Victoria.

On 18 July 1938 Richard Fennessy joined the RAN as a Schoolmaster (on probation) which was a warrant rank shared by the likes of Boatswains and others selected for promotion from the ranks. From such a tenuous commencement it is doubtful many of his contemporaries would have predicted that he would have such an illustrious career.

A ‘Bootlace’ Schoolie

His appointment was made permanent on 21 November 1938 when he was confirmed in the rank of Schoolmaster. Schoolmasters had wardroom status as had all Warrant Officers at the time. On his cuffs he wore single gold lace stripes complete with executive curl, but the lace was only a quarter of an inch wide (6.5 mm). This was derogatively called a ‘bootlace’ by some. To denote his academic calling, immediately below the gold stripe was a light blue stripe one eighth of an inch wide (3 mm). His warrant was formally issued on 6 March 1940.

An initial sea posting was to HMAS Adelaide on 17 January 1940, but it was for only six months spent patrolling Australian and South Pacific waters. Afterwards he returned to HMAS Cerberus where he awaited passage to the United Kingdom to join HMAS Nestor on commissioning. He sailed in the Aberdeen Line passenger ship Themistocles with a large number of Australian naval personnel bound for the UK, many of who would join the ‘N’ class destroyers or other British warships. The officer-in-charge during the transit was LCDR Arthur Callaway, RANVR who was to become the first RAN officer credited with sinking an enemy submarine in World War II.

HMAS Nestor

On arrival at Liverpool most of the naval personnel were sent to establishments in southern England for further training prior to joining their ships. Schoolmaster Fennessy found he was the sole RAN passenger going north on a train bound for Glasgow. On joining Nestor he was introduced to the Captain, CMDR G.S. Stewart RAN, who was a huge man. ‘Big Bill’ immediately chided him for being improperly dressed as he did not have a black cap which was worn by all personnel when in the UK at that time.

Although he was appointed as the Flotilla Education Officer he was soon informed that his duties included Confidential Books Officer, Cypher Officer and Wardroom Minerals Catering Officer as well as the Plotting Officer. The latter position would have been a surprise as a Plotting Officer is responsible for maintaining an accurate picture of all vessels, submarines and aircraft to enable the command to have an appreciation of the tactical situation. The plotting table was developed by the Admiralty Research Laboratories which utilised direct inputs from the log and the gyrocompass to enable the ship’s movement to be projected onto a horizontal surface, thus providing a track of the vessel. A tracing paper overlay allowed such movements to be recorded in pencil. Positions and movements of nearby vessels would have to be then determined to complete a meaningful picture. While a relatively simple task, keeping an up to date and accurate plot was one that required good organizational skills and a level head.

Nestor was commissioned on 3 February 1941 and joined the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow from where she spent the first months either patrolling the North Atlantic, or screening major warships. Her first true operation was with other ships of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla they were ordered to the Lofoten Islands. Here they were to seek out and destroy three German trawlers which were known to be operating in that area and transmitting weather information to the German command which was of considerable value to the Luftwaffe. His journal records ‘Then as we approached 70 degrees North latitude the six destroyers (five ‘Tribal’ Class and Nestor) carried out a line abreast five miles apart search of the area. Within 24 hours one trawler had been boarded and captured; two scuttled themselves on sighting us. An RN Captain from Whitehall went aboard the captured trawler and took possession of all codebooks and other intelligence papers that were of value’.

On one occasion when Nestor was scheduled to sail on trials, the ship’s company refused to put to sea under drunken officers. The Admiral (Destroyers) had the officers concerned arrested and another officer appointed in command. This culminated with the Captain, CMDR George Stewart, RAN and his Executive Officer LCDR Henry Cooper, RAN being tried by courts martial in HMS Tyne resulting in both of them being dismissed their ship.

The Executive Officer of Tyne (Commander C.B. Allers-Hankey, RN) was appointed to Nestor in temporary command by Rear Admiral Destroyers until relieved by Commander A.S Rosenthal, RAN who was standing by HMAS Norman in Plymouth. Fennessy remembered ‘Rosie’ as he was then known as ‘…a more dedicated Naval Officer I have yet to meet. The son of a Major-General, a tall good-looking man, of excellent bearing, studiously correct in all his actions whether talking to senior officers, junior officers, and all ratings he came to be respected by the whole crew’.

HMAS Nestor – RN

Nestor was involved in the hunt for the Bismarck, but was diverted to Iceland to refuel thus ensuring she was only a distant witness to the loss of HMS Hood when Bismarck’s superior gunnery straddled the British battle cruiser leaving only three survivors in the frigid ocean. Fennessy in his log reflects the stunning effect on Nestor’s complement: ‘We all had a great admiration for the Hood – what a beautiful ship she was? We could hardly believe it when a few minutes later came a signal that the Hood had been sunk’.

Unfortunately the problems of alcohol in the wardroom were not yet over with the Engineering Officer LCDR F. Hodson, RAN also tried by court martial and dismissed his ship. He was replaced by LCDR R. Parker, RAN who was reportedly a welcome addition to the ship.

While Admiral Tovey reorganized his forces to intercept the two German capital ships it became apparent that the escorts would have to detach to refuel. The weather was appalling and the German ships were nowhere to be seen. On 27 May 1941 the crew of Nestor thrilled to receive a signal that Bismarck had been sunk by torpedoes fired by HMS Dorsetshire and British pride was at least partially restored. ‘We were on our way around the west coast of Scotland when we received orders to escort HMS Prince of Wales back to Scotland’ wrote Mr Fennessy. ‘The damage we could see in her was grim evidence that Bismarck had put up a great fight’.

Malta Convoys and Award of DSC

Nestor next entered the Mediterranean as a part of the escort group for a Malta convoy known as ‘Operation Substance’ in July and August 1941. It was then that Nestor had a new command team, purged from the alcoholic excesses of the previous regime, with not only a new captain and engineer but with Lieutenant George Crowley, RN as the First Lieutenant. Fennessy’s journal states ‘These three senior officers soon made their presence felt – Rosie exuded confidence on the bridge, as the Chief did in the engine room, and George was everywhere and it soon became apparent he was a real destroyer officer and knew everything and everyone from stem to stern…the whole crew became confident in the knowledge that we were the best destroyer in the fleet!’

Thereafter she moved to the South Atlantic on further escort duties before returning to England for repairs and refit in October 1941. This involved removing the after torpedo tubes and replacing them with a high angle 4-inch gun, augmented with Oerlikons. It was then that Nestor had radars fitted, a Bedstead Type 286 on the foremast and a Type 285 fire control system on the director.

It has been customary in the Royal Navy for small ships of one class to be allocated to one flotilla; however the shortage of escorts was so acute in 1940/41 ships were allocated on the most pressing need. Whereas HMA Ships Napier and Nizam were allocated to the Mediterranean Fleet based in Alexandria, Nestor was allocated to Force H under the command of Vice Admiral Sir James Somerville based at Gibraltar.

Nestor was returning to the Mediterranean on 5 December 1941, sailing from Devonport with a Gibraltar bound convoy. Lookouts sighted a surfaced U-boat off Cape Saint Vincent on 15 December and Nestor opened fire with her major armament. Commander Rosenthal ordered the other escorts to close in and Nestor obtained an asdic contact. Launching two depth charge attacks she was rewarded a marked explosion and debris which came to the surface suggesting a kill. Schoolmaster Fennessy later recorded, ‘Our Medical Officer was given some pieces of flesh which he placed in formalin – and this was later submitted as evidence. I remember one AB who picked up a glove and was taking it up to the bridge, when one interested bystander asked ‘Any fingers in it?’ – apparently our depth charges caused some electrical spark which caused the battery fumes to explode, so in effect the submarine blew itself up’.

Mr Fennessy was commended in the Captain’s report for his skill and enterprise against enemy submarines, efficiency in operating the plot during the engagement, earning him the award of the Distinguished Service Cross. Admiral Somerville’s report left little doubt that Nestor was responsible for the destruction of U-127; this is confirmed when he wrote: ‘The safe arrival of Sydney Star reflects great credit on the commanding officer of Nestor, Commander A.S. Rosenthal, RAN who showed judge-ment, initiative, and good seamanship in handling a delicate situation so close to the enemy’s coast and in the presence of enemy E-boats. It was appropriate that the C.O. and most of his crew should be Australians’.

Sydney Star arrives in Malta

On Christmas Eve Nestor returned to Malta. Two days later she proceeded as one of the escorts bound for Alexandria and on 30 December sailed from that port on the screen of the heavy ships for the bombardment of Bardia prior to its capture by the British 8th Army. She was also part of the escort for ‘Operation Substance’ a convoy of six ships to relieve Malta in July with HM Ships Ark Royal, Nelson and Renown among the escorting ships. At the convoy briefing Admiral Somerville warned that he expected very strong opposition with attacks by aircraft, submarines and possibly the Italian fleet. His final signal read ‘This convoy must get through’.

It was almost midnight on 23 January 1942 that the first attack occurred when a submarine launched her torpedoes which was detected by Nestor’s flashing to Renown ‘TS’ – torpedoes starboard and the fleet took avoiding action. In his journal, Fennessy mentions that as he was rushing to his action station he could see one track ‘bubbly luminescent in the calm sea, passing right under the ship about amidships, and I instinctively jumped in the air as I was hanging onto the lifeline with one hand as though jumping over a possible splitting deck. If I had been quick enough to realize the torpedo’s wake takes some seconds to reach the surface, and that torpedo had passed well ahead of the ship’. Nestor quickly gained an asdic contact and launched three attacks in quick succession, but without success.

The first air attack came in the early in the forenoon by torpedo bombers coming in very low in groups of three, followed by high level attacks and then the aircraft came in coordinated attacks launching their weapons simultaneously. Meanwhile all vessels were independently taking avoiding action from the torpedoes and bombs and responding with all guns blazing. Ark Royal’s Fulmar fighter claimed six enemy aircraft shot down and the ship’s guns accounted for a similar number of enemy aircraft. While most ships skilfully avoided the bombs and successfully combed the torpedo tracks, the destroyer HMS Fearless on the starboard wing was not as fortunate as she was so badly damaged by a torpedo that she had to be abandoned. Similarly the cruiser HMS Manchester could not avoid one of three torpedoes launched against her; although damaged she could make way with difficulty, and was ordered to return to Gibraltar.

Survivors from HMAS Nestor onboard HMS Javelin 1942 – Mr Fennessy immediately behind the captain. Author’s archive

That afternoon the capital ships turned to the west to return to Gibraltar whilst the convoy and escorts made for Malta, .However the enemy torpedo bombers made another strike badly, damaging the destroyer HMS Firedrake. During that last night Italian E-boats made as mass strike with numerous small craft darting around the convoy with little apparent effect. It was only then that Nestor’s lookouts reported one ship in the convoy was losing way. As Nestor was the last ship in the screen to starboard she closed and learnt the vessel was the refrigerated cargo ship Sydney Star which had been torpedoed and appeared to be sinking; it was also known that this ship was carrying 600 British troops.

Nestor manoeuvred alongside the stricken ship and ascertained that her number three hold was rapidly filling with water. The troops were transferred to Nestor. However, Sydney Star’s master, Captain Horn, assured CMDR Rosenthal that he had the situation under control and would continue to take his vessel on to Malta. Nestor, the cruiser HMS Hermione and Sydney Star proceeded in convoy to Valletta. The reception on our arrival was amazing, no bands playing, no cheering, just a large crowd of Maltese civilians politely clapping. Sydney Star had delivered an invaluable cargo of food for the near starving islanders.

Far Eastern assignment

Nestor was next reassigned to the Far East, supporting operations to reinforce Malaya. On reaching Aden she was ordered to join the escort of the carrier HMS Indomitable, engaged in ferrying aircraft to the Malaya/Java theatre. That operation completed, the group proceeded to Port Sudan to embark a second load of aircraft. They were too late to take them to Malaya as Singapore had fallen. The aircraft were launched about 100 miles off Colombo just in time to assist in the defence of the city/port against Japanese air attacks. Nestor proceeded to Trincomalee and joined the Eastern Fleet then being formed by Admiral Somerville.

Return to the Med and the loss of Nestor

With the War in Japan escalating the N Class destroyers were intended to return to Australia, but being very short of escorts Admiral Somerville requested Nestor’s transfer to RAN control be deferred until a British destroyer could relieve her. In late March and early April Nestor was engaged on patrol and escort duties in the Indian Ocean and on the screen of the Eastern Fleet. She then returned to the Mediterranean via East Africa. Arriving at Haifa in June 1942 she was joined by her sisters Napier, Norman, and Nizam forming the 7th Destroyer Flotilla for ‘Operation Vigorous’, creating a convoy passage to the east and west of Malta. The total covering force comprised eight cruisers and 26 destroyers, supported by corvettes and nine submarines.

Enemy air attacks carried out almost exclusively by land based aircraft began almost as soon as the ships left Alexandria. Early attacks were focussed on the cruisers and the eleven transport ships of the convoy, but later the destroyers were targeted. On 15 June a signal was received informing a second convoy had succeeded in reaching Malta from the west (Operation Harpoon) but in view of the strength of the enemy air attacks and the presence of the Italian fleet, it was finally decided to abandon the westward passage and return to Alexandria.

At about 1800 on 15 June 1942 when the convoy was off south-west Crete Nestor was straddled by a stick of heavy bombs which caused serious damage to her boiler rooms. She was taken in tow by HMS Javelin, but at about 0530 the next morning she was going down by the bows and permission was requested to scuttle. After her crew had been transferred to Javelin she was sunk by depth charges. The loss of this fine ship is unique in the history of the RAN as she was the only commissioned Australian warship never to have sailed into Australian waters.

Homeward bound and promotion

Now without a ship, in October 1942, Mr Fennessy took a return passage home joining Cerberus 11 February 1943. He was soon to marry, with the Argus newspaper reporting: Mary Elizabeth Rice, second daughter of Mr J. F. and the late Mrs Rice of Ballarat is to marry Mr Richard Gerard Fennessy DSC, RAN the youngest son of Mr and Mrs P.P. Fennessy, of East Brighton. The marriage has been arranged to take place at St. Thomas’s South Yarra on June 5.

While still serving in the RAN, towards the end of the war Mr Fennessy was appointed to teaching positions in two towns in Papua/New Guinea. Firstly to Ladava from 26 April 1944 to 19 January 1945 then to Madang from 20 January 1945 to 11 June 1945.

With changes to teaching positions in the services, on 13 January 1945 Fennessy became a Commissioned Officer as a Schoolmaster (equivalent to a SBLT). On 28 September 1945 he was promoted Temporary Acting Senior Master Officer (equivalent to LEUT), now resplendent wearing two gold stripes, separated by a sky blue stripe designating the Instructor Branch. He became an Instructor Lieutenant on 17 January 1946. To many servicemen in the teaching profession this change was considered beneficial as Schoolmasters had been seen of inferior status.

On his return to Australia he was appointed to HMAS Rushcutter (for Watson) on 12 June 1945. In 1949 his meteorological training began when he was appointed to HMAS Albatross and later that year he took passage in Orcades to undertake meteorological training courses in England. First in the indoctrination of the meteor-ological codes at HMS Fulmar, RNAS Lossiemouth and HMS Harrier, the RN Meteorology at School at Saint Anne’s Head in Pembrokeshire. Early in 1950 he completed his meteorological training and returned to Australia in the Stratheden.

He was then appointed to the flagship HMAS Sydney on 17April 1951 for meteorological duties and as Fleet Instructional Officer. He was promoted Instructor Lieutenant Commander on 15 June 1951. During 1951 and 1952 Sydney was involved in operations in the Korean War where she earned accolades from both the USN and RN for the high number (over 2,400) of sorties flown from the carrier. These were achieved often in appalling conditions with the ship operating in snow and ice in the freezing conditions of a severe northern winter and having to contend with a typhoon when one aircraft was lost overboard. During these periods the services of the meteorological group were in high demand.

Lieutenant Commander Fennessy was lent to HMAS Australia from 23 October 1952 until 5 March 1954, and joined HMAS Melbourne for meteorological duties and as Fleet Instructor Officer on 14 May 1956. During this period he had been promoted to Instructor Commander. On 28 January 1957 he was appointed to Albatross as SIO, Senior Met Officer, and OIC Meteorological School.

It was at this time that I had my first contact with Commander Fennessy as a student in a class of three other would-be teenage Meteorological Observers at NAS Nowra where he was endeavouring to teach us the basics of the science of the earth’s atmosphere. I can well remember him introducing us to the movement of air masses initiated by the Coriolis Effect which he likened to alighting from a moving tram; if one alighted from the right side one would tend to move in a clockwise direction, but if one alighted from the left side one would tend to move in a counter clockwise direction. He then went on to demonstrate this by stepping off the dais in the classroom with a dramatic stumbling effect. At the time of our course, we mere Metrological Observers and our instructor Metrological Officers, were all in tropical dress (without ribbons) and were totally unaware of the distinguished record of our commander in WW II and the Korean War, which he never once mentioned.

In January 1962 Commander Fennessy was appointed as Deputy Director of Naval Education and Naval Weather Service and in March 1963 he was promoted to Instructor Captain. The same year he reached the pinnacle of his career becoming Director of Naval Education and Director of Naval Weather Service. He was the first RAN officer to be so appointed, as the position had previously been held by Royal Naval officers on loan. After a career spanning nearly twenty-eight years of exemplary service, progressing from Warrant Officer to Captain, ‘Dick’ Fennessy retired on 16 February 1966. In December 1978 Dick’s wife Mary died aged 72, and seven years later, on 16 December 1985, aged 75, Captain Richard Gerard Fennessy DSC, RAN, Rtd died in Canberra.

Insert Photo: HMAS Nestor   – Royal Navy

Insert Photo: Sydney Star arrives in Malta       –  Google

Insert Photo: Survivors from HMAS Nestor onboard HMS Javelin – Schoolmaster Fennessy is immediately behind CMDR Rosenthal   – Author’s archive

 

Book Review: The Kellys

March 18, 2004

The Kellys – British J, K & N Class Destroyers of World War II
By Christopher Langtree
Published by Chatham Publishing, Kent, England
Distributed in Australia by Peribo
58 Beaumont Street, Mount Ku-Ring-Gai NSW 2080.
Hardcover 224 pages, RRP $110.00.

Reviewed by Vic Jeffery


One could be forgiven for thinking a book with the title, The Kelly’s, relates to the 19th Century Australian bushranger Ned Kelly and the infamous Kelly gang.

Not so; author and historian Christopher Langtree uses the name ‘Kelly’ as shorthand for all 24 members of the group which comprises three flotillas of eight each, of those magnificent British J, K and N class destroyers of World War Two.

The flotilla leader, HMS Kelly of course, was Lord Louis Mountbatten’s flagship and the most famous of the group. Of the three flotillas, the N-class flotilla was the only one to be entirely non-Royal Navy manned with five being Australian, two Dutch and one Polish-manned.

I believe they were perhaps the most handsome destroyers ever constructed. With their sleek low silhouettes, single raked funnel and a certain jauntiness about them, fast, heavily armed, innovative, and highly manoeuverable, they were a considerable advance in British destroyer design.

The five that served in the Royal Australian Navy during the War, Napier, Nizam, Nepal, Nestor and Norman were awarded 24 battle honours between them including Malta convoys, Atlantic, Bismarck 1941, Crete, Libya, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Pacific, Burma and Okinawa.

Amazingly, although the RAN’s N-class destroyers had a very busy war, only four men were lost to enemy action, in the Mediterranean when four stokers were killed when Nestor was near-missed by two heavy bombs which flooded the boiler rooms and caused the ship to lose power. A sister ship HMS Javelin took the stricken Nestor under tow, but as the tow parted twice and with more air attacks imminent at dawn, the daunting task of getting the crippled destroyer back to Alexandria 250 miles away became impossible. The decision was made to scuttle Nestor; her crew was taken off and she was sunk with a series of shallow set depth charges dropped nearby on 16 June 1941.

The second part of this book covers the entire service careers of the ships in detail, including the 12 lost on wartime service. It is indeed interesting to read the postwar careers of the four surviving RAN N-class ships after they reverted to Royal Navy control in 1945.

The five N-class in reserve, four former Australian and the former Polish Piorun (ex-Nerissa), came under close scrutiny for conversion to Type 16 frigates as part of the program to combat the new Soviet high-speed submarines that were entering service, which were faster than the wartime constructed anti-submarine frigates and sloops.

It was decided to produce a different type of conversion, the Type 18. These ships would have two primary purposes, firstly to protect convoys against submarine attack and secondly a seek-anddestroy role, in cooperation with aircraft if necessary.

History reveals that as the N-class destroyers were halfway through their hull lives, the project was not proceeded with. They remained in reserve until 1955 when the decision was made to dispose of them.

The 113 photos selected for this book are first class, with many never published previously.

The book fittingly opens with a doublepage spread of one of the finest destroyer shots of World War Two, a magnificent photo of HMS Kimberley at a vital moment of the Second Battle of Sirte on March 22, 1942. Kimberley is seen pounding through rough seas at 30 knots with guns elevated as the 14th Destroyer Flotilla turn to make a torpedo attack.

As well as the photographs, 24 technical and line drawings by John Lambert, 12 tables and eight appendices support this commendable book. John Roberts provides the known 17 colour camouflage schemes used by these ships.

These destroyers were certainly among the best destroyers of the Second World War. Ships based on the original design were still in service in the 1970s, long after these greyhounds of the sea had been scrapped.

Author Christopher Langtree is to be commended on his first effort in producing such an excellent reference book in an easy-to-read format, and also producing a work which fills a void in naval history.

 

The RAN’s Destroyers

March 11, 1991

Surely destroyers are the backbone of our Royal Australian Navy. Thirty-nine destroyers have served in the RAN since Foundation in 1911, from our first destroyers – HMA Ships PARRAMATTA (1), and YARRA (1), of only 700 tons, to our latest DDGs PERTH, HOBART and BRISBANE displacing over 4,500 tons.

River Class

HMAS Parramatta
HMAS Parramatta

Australia’s first destroyers were known as the River Class (I Class in the Royal Navy). The first two, PARRAMATTA and YARRA, were completely built in the UK during 1910/11, with WARREGO 1910/12, built in England, then disassembled and shipped to Australia to be rebuilt in Cockatoo Island Dockyard in NSW (for the ship building experience). The remaining four were completely built in Cockatoo Island Dockyard – WARREGO 1910/11/12, HUON (laid as DERWENT, but renamed HUON so as not to be confused with HMS DERWENT) 1913/15, TORRENS 1913/15 and SWAN 1915/16. They had a displacement of 700 tons, length 250ft, beam 24½ft and a 9ft draught. They carried one 4″ gun forward, 3x 12pdrs, 3×18″ torpedoes in tubes. Speed of 26/27 knots, with a complement of 66 officers and men. The cost of the UK built ships was £81,500, and the Australian built ships £160,000. (How times have changed.)

These ships served in the Mediterranean and the Pacific areas during World War I, and after the War, from 1919 in various duties, and for Naval Reserve training.

Gift Destroyers

In 1919 the RAN received six gift destroyers from the Royal Navy, the first was HMAS ANZAC (1), 1917 to 1933, a Marksman (Destroyer leader) Class destroyer of 1,660 tons, length 325ft, beam 31½ft, draught 12½ft, with three funnels. Her armament was 4×4″ guns, 2x12pdrs, 4×21″ torpedoes. She had a speed of 34 knots from her triple screws, with a complement of 122 officers and ratings. ANZAC transferred to the RAN, leaving Plymouth (England) in February 1920 and sailed to Sydney, arriving there on 29 April. There was little to do after the War (Great War), and she spent her time on the Australian east coast, though she visited New Guinea and New Britain in 1924, 1926 and 1930. But she remained the only destroyer kept through the depression years, till she was paid off in 1933, and scrapped in 1935. Sold for £1,800, ANZAC was sunk off Sydney on 7 May 1936 as target practice for RAN ships.

S Class

The other five S Class Destroyers – HMA Ships STALWART (1), SUCCESS, SWORDSMAN, TASMANIA and TATTOO were of 1,070 tons, 276ft in length, beam 26¾ft, draught 10½ft, with 3×4″ guns, 1x2pdr, pompoms and machine guns, 4×21″ torpedoes, speed 34 knots and complement of 90 officers and ratings.

For these ships, the majority of their service life was spent in port, and on the east coast, the only exception being TASMANIA, which visited New Guinea in 1924.

These S Class were famous ships, and over sixty more were built for the Royal Navy to replace WW I ships, and though many were scrapped between the wars, eleven still served in the Royal Navy during WW II.

The RAN’s five were built in the UK 1917/18, and commissioned into the RAN 1920. They paid off and went to Reserve in the late 1920s to 1930, and were all sold by 1937.

TATTOO was the last to pay off in 1933. On one of its last trips outside Sydney’s Heads, when passing the Matson Liner MARIPOSA, it signalled ‘Are you catching any fish’. Poor TATTOO! At least – they claimed – TATTOO never broke down.

V&W Class

Next, after service with the Royal Navy from 1918 to 1932, STUART transferred to the Royal Australian Navy in October 1933, along with four V & W Class destroyers (to replace the old S Class destroyers).

HMAS STUART (1) was a Scott Class Destroyer Leader, with displacement of 2,000 tons, length 332ft, beam 31¾ft, draught 12¼ft. Her armament (original) was 5×4.7″ guns, 1×3″ AA and small arms, and 6×21″ torpedoes. Speed 36½ knots and ship’s complement of 185. In her RAN commission, she was the Flotilla Leader, and up to 1939 served mainly in Australian waters, though being decommissioned for two short periods in that time.

With the declaration of war in 1939, STUART (Cmdr H.M.L. Waller, RAN), with the V & Ws HMA Ships VAMPIRE (1), VENDETTA (1), VOYAGER (1), and WATERHEN (1), sailed for the Mediterranean, where the Flotilla saw much action along the North African coast, with the British Fleet all over the Eastern Mediterranean, and with HMAS SYDNEY in action against the Italian Fleet at Calabria, through to the Battle of Matapan, then landings of troops on Greece and Crete, and later evacuating those troops after German occupation. STUART departed the Mediterranean August 22nd 1941, to return to Australia to commence a long and overdue refit, till April 1942. She then served in north eastern Australian waters till 1946, paying off 27th April 1946 and was scrapped in 1947.

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