Scrap Iron Flotilla/Tobruk Ferry

Occasional Paper 81: Recognition for Scrap Iron Flotilla

June 24, 2020

The Society was recently gifted a package of assorted papers and photographs collected by the late Petty officer Arthur James Collins.

Collins was called up in January 1938 and served in the following HMA Ships; Australia, Albatross, Hobart and Voyager and various shore establishments.

He was discharged physically unfit for naval service in July 1944. Interestingly, whilst serving in Voyager he was one of the volunteers who participated in Operation Hush Hush, the aborted attempt to block German oil supplies through the Danube River and devised by LCDR Ian Fleming RNVR and subsequently the author of the James Bond books.

Voyager was one of the Scrap Iron Flotilla which, considering that it comprised destroyers of WWI vintage, had a very busy and productive time in the Mediterranean Sea in the early part of WW2.[1]

Amongst the papers of Petty Officer Collins’ collection was a set of three copied pages of signals which we presume were given to all crew members when the Flotilla left the Mediterranean to return to Sydney. They have been reproduced below and show the high regard in which the Flotilla was held.

22^nd August 1941

The Commander-in-Chief[2], having come alongside unexpectedly with the ‘Affirmative’ showing, came onboard and asked that lower deck be cleared. This was done and the Admiral said:-

“Well, you’re off home. And I didn’t think I could allow your ship to leave without coming onboard to say a few words of goodbye to you.

You have been here nearly two years. You came in the piping day of peace.

“STUART” and the 4 other Australian destroyers formed the most substantial part of the Mediterranean Fleet, and I kept you fairly busy.

I think I said to your Captain at the time “You needn’t worry, no great war every took place without spreading to the Mediterranean” and sure enough it did.

You have done splendidly. If I were to
enumerate all the operations you have taken part in and all you have done, you would never leave Alexandria, it would take so long. One or two, however, I would like to mention.

I seem to remember, that time off the coast of Italy, when I ordered the “STUART” and the remaining Australian destroyers to go and look after the “EAGLE”. The next thing I saw was “STUART” leading the van of the destroyers after the Italian Fleet. I said “that damn fellow[3] ought to be court martialed”. But you see, he wasn’t.

If ever there was a submarine reported, I always said “send out the “STUART”.

Later on, I remember, you had a wild night at Matapan, I always wondered, when the other destroyers were sent off and “STUART” was left behind to look after the battle wagon. – I always wondered what you were saying! However, you had a night to make up for it.

I am very grateful to you for what you have done and for the example you have undoubtedly set.

A special word for the Black Squad – the Engine Room Department. They have done magnificently to keep these ships going and I am grateful to them too. Every destroyer was most valuable and had to be keep running.

We shall miss you here. The whole Fleet will part with you with great regret. We are very proud to have had you with us, and I hope you are proud to have been in the Mediterranean Fleet.

I hope you will have a very happy home coming, and that the folk down under will give you the welcome you deserve. “Good bye to you all”

As the Barge passed the stern of STUART on its way back to Admiralty House, the Commander-in-Chief stood up in the boat and waved his cap to STUART and the assembled ship’s company.

Rear-Admiral (D) said;

“I know the Commander-in-Chief has been over and said a few words to you all, so there’s not much for me to say, but as Rear-Admiral (D) I cannot let you go without coming over to see you and say goodbye.

I am sincerely grateful for the splendid service you have all done. The particular service you have been employed on since I have been here has been no easy one, but it has been cheerfully tackled by your Flotilla. You can leave with the feeling that your duty has been well and truly done.

I wish you a pleasant voyage home and a happy leave when you get there. I would be glad to see every single one of you back with me again. I hear I may see your Captain here again very soon.

Give my love to Australia and I hope you have a good time when you get there.”

Copy of Message sent by Commander -in-Chief, Mediterranean to
The Australian Commonwealth Naval Board

“It is with great regret that we part with HMAS STUART form the Mediterranean Station. Under the distinguished command of Captain Waller she has an unsurpassed record of gallant achievement. She has taken a leading part in all the principal operations of the Mediterranean Fleet and has never been called up in vain for any difficult job. The work of her engine room department in keeping this old ship efficient and in good running order has been beyond all praise.

The Mediterranean Fleet is poorer by the departure of this fine little ship and her gallant ship’s company.”

Time of origin 1102/23 Aug.1941

Other Signals

From Vice-Admiral, 1^st Battle Squadron

“Goodbye, and good luck, I trust you will have the good time you deserve after all you have done here”.

From Read-Admiral (D)

“Wish you a good trip and a happy leave”.

From C.S.7

“Goodbye and I hope a good leave”.

From HMS Queen Elizabeth

“Au revoir. May you all have the good time you so richly deserve after your exceptionally good work with the Mediterranean Fleet. Everyone misses you and I doubt if Tobruk will be able to carry on without you”.

From HMS Valiant

“The best of luck to you all”.

From HMS Medway and 1^st Submarine Flotilla

“Good luck”.

From Captain (D) 7.

“Goodbye. I hope we meet again before many years”.

From HMS Neptune

“Good bye and good luck. You have a long way to hop”.

End Note

HMAS Stuart survived the war.

https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-stuart-i

HMAS Vampire was sunk in the Indian Ocean in 1942

https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-vampire-i

HMAS Vendetta survived the war.
https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-vendetta-i

HMAS Voyager was wrecked when she beached on Timor in 1942

https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-voyager-i

HMAS Waterhen was sunk in the Mediterranean in 1941

https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-waterhen-i

HMAS Stuart

Further Reading

SCRAP IRON DESTROYERS by L J Lind and A Payne, published by The Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. Garden Island, Sydney, NSW. ISBN 0 909153 04 3 1976[4]

[1] Between January 1940 and August 1941, the Australian Destroyer Flotilla served in the Mediterranean Sea as the 19th Destroyer Division with the Mediterranean Fleet. Ships of the Flotilla included Stuart (I) and the four aging V and W Class destroyers Vampire (I), Vendetta (I), Voyager (I) and Waterhen (I). The Flotilla was under the command of Commander HML Waller RAN (Commander (D)), in HMAS Stuart. Derisively nicknamed the ‘Scrap-Iron Flotilla’ by German propaganda, the Australian ships rapidly made their mark and gained the respect of both the Commander-In-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet and other Commanders.

[2] The Commander in Chief Mediterranean was Admiral Sir Andrew Browne (Viscount) Cunningham. His biography is available at https://www.britannica.com/biography/Andrew-Browne-Cunningham

[3] The biography of HMAS Stuart’s Commanding Officer, Captain Hector ‘Hec’ MacDonald Laws Waller is available at, https://www.navy.gov.au/biography/captain-hector-%E2%80%98hec%E2%80%99-macdonald-laws-waller

[4] This book will be republished by the Naval Historical Society of Australia in electronic format in late 2020/early 2021.

Book Review: Tobruk and Beyond: War Notes from the Mediterranean Station 1941–1943.

September 24, 2018

By Albert Lawrence Poland, Published by Halstead Press, Canberra, 2018. Hard cover, 176 pp with b&w illustrations, maps and portraits. Available from booksellers at about $33.00.

Peter Poland, the editor of this intriguing story, relies upon the notebooks and naval messages kept by his father, Albert Lawrence Poland, during his service in WWII between April 1941 and January 1943 when serving as the Senior Naval Officer Inshore Squadron (SNOIS) and subsequently as Captain (D) of the 14th Destroyer Flotilla. Given the war-torn nature of the operation to which this information refers, it is miraculous that it has survived.

Captain Albert Poland had travelled around the Cape to take command of the cruiser HMS Liverpool, but it was extensively damaged before he could join her and he had to be found another job. The C-in-C Mediterranean Fleet, the formidable Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, knew Poland from destroyer service in the 1930s, and found him a new appointment as SNOIS in charge of an assortment of ships and small craft keeping the Army supplied at its bases along the northeast African coast, most notably Tobruk. Somethingtokeep his hand inuntil a real job turned up.

Captain Poland had no staff, no office and very little in the way of instruction, just a title, and he was on his own. Poland demonstrated his ability to quickly get to know people, assess their needs, and where he could, provide invaluable assistance. He developed and maintained good contacts across the three branches of the armed services and was well respected. Starting with nothing he achieved much with the aid of such resources as the Aussie ‘Scrap Iron Flotilla’ that helped the ‘Rats of Tobruk’ in getting the job done.

This is not a volume for the faint-hearted. Reading through notes with excessive amounts of abbreviations calls for a wide understanding of military and naval terminology, although the author provides an excellent glossary. The book is divided into two parts, with the second part being easier to digest. In reading through Poland’s notes they demonstrate a disciplined mind providing a well ordered supply of facts and figures. Here is someone who, perhaps sub-consciously, knows he was part of an history-making epic.

The continuation of Captain Poland’s important wartime service is recognised by awards and elevation which is worthy of another story. He retires as Vice Admiral Sir Albert Poland, KBE, CB, DSO, DSC. The editor and his brother Patrick both served in the Royal Navy from where they retired as Commanders.

Reviewed by Arcturus

Occasional Paper 3: Tobruk – The Lifting of the Seige

December 1, 2016

December 2016

December 9, 2016 is the 75th anniversary of the lifting of the siege of Tobruk, the port on the north coast of Libya, that proved such a thorn in Rommel’s side during the eight months that the siege lasted. The Australian War Memorial describes it as one of the longest sieges in British military history. Whenever the siege of Tobruk is remembered the Australian soldiers, who formed the greater part of the garrison for most of the time, are quite rightly afforded pride of place.

However, the maintenance of the siege would not have been possible if it had not been for the Inshore Squadron, that curious fleet of ships and craft that kept the besieged garrison supplied with everything they needed to hold out for all that time. A fleet of ships ranging from former British India small liners, ex China Station gunboats, South African Navy armed whalers, Canadian minesweepers, tank landing craft, water and petrol carriers, bulk traders and even some sailing vessels like the ketch Zingarella and the captured schooner Maria Giovanni, supplemented quite often with fast minelayers, destroyers and frigates when these could be spared from other operations.

Supplies were usually loaded in the Egyptian ports of Alexandria and Mersah Matruh and, because of lack of air cover, many passages in and out of Tobruk had to be done at night which meant that unloading and back- loading had to be done very quickly and this in a port which daily became more cluttered with vessels that had been sunk by enemy air attacks.

Prominent among the warships supplementing the Inshore Squadron was the ‘Scrap Iron Flotilla’, the Royal Australian Navy’s World War 1 destroyers commanded by Captain H. Waller in HMAS Stuart, with HMAS Vampire (Lieutenant Commander J. Walsh) HMAS Vendetta (Lieutenant Commander R. Rhoades) HMAS Voyager (Lieutenant Commander J. Morrow) and HMAS Waterhen (Lieutenant Commander J. Swain). They were also joined by the N Class Destroyers HMAS Napier (Captain S. Arliss, RN) and HMAS Nizam (Lieutenant Commander M. Clark) and the Grimsby Class sloops HMAS Parramatta (Lieutenant Commander J. Walker) and HMAS Yarra (Lieutenant Commander W. Harrington – a future Chief of Naval Staff). The name “Scrap Iron Flotilla” was given to them by the Nazi Propaganda Minister Goebbels because they were so old. The Nazis also described the troops as being “caught like rats in a trap” hence they proudly became The Rats of Tobruk.

Of these ships HMAS Waterhen was sunk on 30 June following being hit by dive bombers and HMAS Parramatta was torpedoed by a U-boat off Tobruk on 27 November. The Australian ships were credited with doing 139 runs into Tobruk. HMAS Vendetta was the last of the Scrap Iron Flotilla to leave in October having done 39 trips, more than any other ship.

The ships usually worked in pairs and a typical run would be as follows:

Day 1 Berth at night alongside at Alexandria, load 40 tons of 3.7 inch ammunition, land mines, 25 pounder ammunition, sacks of potatoes and onions, cases of dry provisions, mail etc all stowed on deck.

Day 1 0700 Embark 100 personnel
0800 Sail for Tobruk Moderate speed until
1500 Increase to 25 knots
2000 (dusk) Increase to 28 knots
2300 Arrive Tobruk, slow in through channel and boom
Anchor or berth on wreck or oiling jetty + Discharge stores and men into lighters, tugs etc Embark wounded and men relieved (if any)

Day 2 0100 Sail – slow out then as fast as slowest ship allowed
0500 Daylight – rendezvous with fighters
0900 Arrive Mersah Matruh – disembark wounded etc p.m. Embark stores

Day 3 1330 Sail for Tobruk – as for Day 1

Day 4 Return to Alexandria arriving about 1400
+ Oil fuel could be supplied from ex-Italian shore tanks, gravity fed at 30-50 tons per hour

On Days 2 and 4 other pairs of destroyers would make the trip and so rotation would go on.
The slower tank landing craft and other small ships were usually sailed to arrive just after dawn. During the day it was tried to hide them using camouflage nets berthed alongside rocks or wrecks in the harbour. They usually remained two nights and, if possible, were back-loaded with damaged tanks or other valuable vehicles for repair. A difficulty with night off-loading was ensuring the right stores got to the right destination. When, after a request from Lieutenant General Morshead, the Tobruk Fortress Commander, some luxuries began to arrive a careful watch was essential. A bottle of whisky or a case of beer could disappear very quickly!

In early August it was decided to pull the Australian troops out of Tobruk and replace them with Polish and British elements. Again most of this was done by warships and at night. All went well until 25 October when the fast minelayer HMS Latona was bombed and sunk on passage to Tobruk. This meant that the evacuation had to be abandoned and the 2/13th Battalion and some other Australian troops had to remain in Tobruk until the siege was lifted.

The movements in and out of Tobruk during the siege were as follows:
The ships delivered 72 tanks, 92 guns, 33,946 tons of stores, ammunition, food and fresh water and 108 live sheep (food for the Indian troops). 32,667 troops were evacuated and were replaced by 34,113 fresh troops. 7,516 wounded men were transported to base hospitals and 7,097 captured prisoners were taken to the rear. 27 Naval ships were sunk and 27 damaged. 7 Merchant ships were sunk and 6 damaged. The casualties were Naval personnel killed or missing 469, wounded 186 and Merchant Service killed or missing 70, wounded 55.
(Source: C-in-C Med’s signal to Admiralty 760 dated 12/12/41)

A few days after the siege was lifted Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean issued this Special Message.

“Eight months ago the enemy isolated the fortress of Tobruk and laid siege to it. Today Tobruk is no longer besieged and her garrison is pursuing the retreating enemy to the westward. During those fateful eight months the task of maintaining the garrison with all its bodily needs and war supplies has fallen on the Navy and units of the Merchant Navy. Most of the work devolved on destroyers and small ships.Units from the Royal Navy, the Royal Australian Navy, and Indian Navies and the naval forces of the Union of South Africa all took their part whilst amongst the crews of the merchant ships were officers and men of the Allied Nations. When the tale of the siege of Tobruk comes to be written, the part played by these craft will provide a story worthy of the highest traditions of our naval history. I have watched with admiration the work of the “little ships”. They have borne the burden of the day but neither fatigue nor the assaults of the enemy have deterred them. Their achievement is one of which they may all be proud.”

Alexandria (sgd) A.B. CUNNINGHAM

19 December Admiral

During siege of TOBRUK between 12^th April and 10^th December, 1941:

(1) Following were moved by sea:

Personnel in 32667

Personnel out 34113

Wounded out 7516

Prisoners-of-war out 7097

Stores in 33,946 tons.

Tanks in 72

Guns in 92

Sheep in 108

(2) The following casualties were sustained:

(a) M. ships sunk:

Destroyers                          2
Sloops                                  3
A/S and M/S vessels         7
“A” lighters                         6
H.M. store-carriers
and schooners                    7
Gunboats                             1
Fast Minelayers              __1__

Total: __27__

(b) H.M. Ships damaged:

Destroyers                          7
Sloops                                  1
A/S & M/S ships                11
“A” lighters                          3
Gunboats                             3
Schooner                              1
and H.M.S. “GLENROY”        ____
Total:        _27_

(d) Merchant-ships damaged 6
(e) Naval casualties

killed or missing 459
wounded 186

(f) Merchant Service

killed or missing 70
wounded 55

=1829B/11

THIS DOCUMENT WAS FOUND IN LIEUTENANT GENERAL LESLIE MORSHEAD’S ARCHIVE IN THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL, CANBERRA

FOR INFORMATION

The following ships will sail as indicated:-

FOR MATRUH : SATURDAY 21 JUNE 41 (about 0100/22)

H.M.A.S. ‘STUART’ from Harbour anchorage

H.M.A.S. ‘VOYAGER’ from Oiling Jetty
Intending passengers by above vessels should assemble at ‘TOBRUCH Steamship Company’ offices (ADMIRALTY HOUSE), NOT later than 2300/21 for final instructions and internal inoculation ‘Mae Westers’ will be supplied on board. All precautions taken but personal safety not guaranteed.
In the event of the shipmaster hazarding, stranding or inadvertently losing his vessel, well, IT’S JUST TOO BAD!!

SAILINGS FROM MATRUH FOR TOBRUCH

These are dependent entirely upon the whims of C-in-C and/or R.A.L.

1400 hrs MONDAY 23 JUNE

HMAS STUART (b) e). HMAS VOYAGER (a)(f)

1400 hrs TUESDAY 24 JUNE

HMAS WATERHEN (a) (x) HMAS VENDETTA (b) (y)

(a) will berth at Oiling Jetty, TOBRUCH

(b) will anchor off No. 5 Jetty, TOBRUCH

(x) Senior ship – plenty of booze
(y) Charming Captain, but a “long ship”
(e) Good “eats”, private bathroom, best cabin, ample booze
(f) “lashings” of booze.

MASTERS :

STUART Captain H.M.L. Waller, D.S .O., RA N

VOYAGER Commander J.C. Morrow, D.S.O., RAN

WATERHEN Lt Commander J. Swain

VENDATTA Lt Commander R. Rhoades, R.A.N.

Book Review: Flip Side War

September 27, 2005

Title: Flip Side War: Recollections of the author’s experiences in the RAN, World War II Author: Ean McDonald Publisher: Hesperian Press – Carlisle WA 6101 ISBN 0 85905 353 9

“Flip Side War” is an easily read series of anecdotes covering much of WW2 in the RAN, being the experiences of a young man, cum sailor, cum officer caught up in that part holocaust, part puzzle and part circus. It does not set out to be strictly historical, or zealously serious, but rather records an intermixing of some of the lighter moments whilst roving many seas among some of the famous battles and campaigns.

It begins with the author’s call to arms as a junior Reserve Signalman on Day One of his war, swiftly taking the reader to sea to adventure aboard the famous (cruiser) HMAS Sydney, thence to rare service aboard every one of the Scrap Iron Flotilla destroyers, to Tobruk, Greece and Crete, and moving through his dive-bombed sinking in Waterhen, and on through the great Fleet battles of Calabria and Matapan.

His tales embrace many facets of a rare six years of full seatime service, including four years with a little known cloak-and-dagger group working beyond Pacific Island front lines, pathfinding the reef-strewn waters leading our armies back towards Japan.

“Ean McDonald has written his vivid account of those days of devil-may-care and daring. An eye witness account which speaks across the years with the tongue of youth. Fresh with the breath of the sea. May it inspire the young as it has inspired me, this young-at-heart.” writes retired Commodore David Orr, RAN.

“A war book with a difference, with a rich sense of humour that persists throughout, skilful continuity given to an essential anecdotal collection of remarkable events”. (David Webb, ex-Editor The Sunday Times.)

“A very readable book that makes the reader read on. Great sense of humour. Being young readers we are able to compare lifestyles past and present and become enthralled with the differences between them.”

[Reviewed by Students of Kalamunda Senior High School, WA]

Wounded by a Tin of Peaches

June 30, 2005

The Tobruk Spud Run 1941

The three Services, Navy, Army and Air Force were as dissimilar as chalk and cheese, yet we were all bent on one purpose, to beat the enemy. Without the Navy and its physical communications Tobruk would have had a torrid time. The Air Force ran out of planes. Without the Army there would not have been a Tobruk Siege, and who could have forecast where Rommel would have finished up, but in all seriousness, there were funny sides.

HMAS VOYAGER WAS ALONGSIDE the wharf for supplies in Alexandria Harbour. On board poured in all sorts of cargo. A destroyer is a warship and the only stowage area is around the upper deck. So came crates of landmines, gun barrels, ammunition in boxes, medical supplies, crates of spuds, cases of tinned food etc. etc., and last of all, troops with all their equipment. The weather was fine as we sailed in early afternoon, a gentle swell gave us slight movement. We cleared our own defensive minefields as we left Alex and headed in a westerly direction. The troops made themselves at home as well as circumstances allowed, cups of tea were very welcome to those who were not seasick.

I went for a stroll up to the ship’s bridge when we got settled down, to listen in to any new news. The Captain was on the bridge and a fellow in Army officer’s uniform gave a polite nod. The Captain asked me: ‘Do you know who this is, Chief?’

I said, ‘No, Sir’. So he told me, ‘This is Major-General Morshead’ ((Maj. Gen. Sir Leslie Morshead (1899 – 1959) DSO, Legion d’Honneur, Polish Order of Virtuti, Hero of the Siege of Tobruk 1941)).

We increased speed as the light faded. By dark we had the old girl’s side pulsing, and the turbines screaming. We were now in enemy territory and hoped that we had not been spotted. We sped on, passing Bardia and on to Tobruk, expecting to arrive about midnight.

We were off the approaches to Tobruk safely and proceeding slowly along the mineswept narrow entrance, towards the harbour, when a voice came out of the sea very close by – ‘Help!!’

The ship was stopped and a quick torch flash showed a man swimming quickly from a piece of flotsam debris to our ship. He was picked up smartly by a rope over the side and we proceeded on our cautious way. The man was the only survivor of a South African Navy minesweeper, which had struck a mine earlier in the day.

We entered harbour safely after gliding sideways about six inches off a sunken ship, halfway to the jetty. Once alongside a team of workers soon had all the stores cleared off the upper deck. We also opened our very small canteen and it was quickly denuded of all stock. In the faint light permissible we could see khaki-clad and bandaged figures making their way onboard, then came the stretchers. The mess tables were lowered and all possible space made available. The upper deck was also filled with figures in khaki.

We slipped berthing lines quickly and felt our way out of harbour in the welcome darkness. Once in the open sea we proceeded east at speed to clear enemy territory before daylight. On the return journey our hospitality did not consist of much – we had very little – but the good old Navy stopgap in a cup of ‘Kye’ (or drinking chocolate) warmed the cockles of many a thankful heart.

Back alongside the wharf in the safety of Alex Harbour we discharged our wounded and war-weary guests, then alongside the tanker to fill up with fuel and a few provisions, then out to a buoy, alongside one of our sister ships, HMAS Vampire.

News spread fast – even as we were securing alongside.

‘Heard about the Waterhen?’

‘No, what happened?’

‘She got sunk this morning going up to Tobruk’. (30 June 1941)

‘What!? Anybody hurt?’

‘They all got rescued, but the Gunner’s Mate, Sid Prowd, is in hospital – the old ‘Hen’ copped a near miss by the engine room and it blew a hole in her.’

Well, Waterhen was one of our five Australian destroyers – the Scrap Iron Flotilla, as Lord Haw Haw called us, and Sid Prowd was my cobber and opposite number.

As soon as leave was granted I shot off ashore, found which hospital he was in and paid him a visit. There he was, nice white sheets in a hospital bed, lying back like Lord Muck, with one side of his face all swollen up and bandaged, and looking very sheepish.

After confirming that the face was the only damage, I said, ‘ Well, what happened to the face, Sid?’

He said, ’I’ll go down on record for this, but when the bomb went off close by to me on the upper deck, it nearly lifted the ship out of the water, the deck cargo for Tobruk went up in the air, and I got hit in the face by a tin of canned fruit!’

‘Wounded by a tin of peaches!!’ (The only casualty. Ed)
(Previously published in the Rats of Tobruk Association magazine – contributed by John Hordern from NHS archives).

Bibliography:

Scrap Iron Destroyers by L. A. Lind and A. Payne – NHSA 1976
The Destroyers – Their Battles and their Badges by Vic Cassells – Kangaroo Press 2000