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| HMS Welshman |
| Contributed by Robert W Ferry, Telegraphist
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HMS. WELSHMAN was a fast minelayer of the ABDIEL class, four of which were laid down before the Second World War — ABDIEL, LATONA, MANXMAN and WELSHMAN - and the remaining two during the War — APOLLO and ARIADNE. Of the original four only MANXMAN survived and even she was torpedoed but managed to limp back to harbour by being tied to two destroyers.
The ships were specifically designed as minelayers, to lay mines close to enemy ports and then retire at high speed — when unladen WELSHMAN was capable of a speed in excess of *45 knots and even when fully laden, speeds of around 40 knots were obtainable: she was almost certainly the fastest warship in the world. She displaced 2650 tons and her Parsons steam turbine engines developed 72000 horsepower, equivalent to a class of cruiser which had about four times her displacement. WELSHMAN was built by Hawthorn Leslie at Hebburn-on-Tyne and was completed in August 1941.
Between September and December 1941 she was engaged in minelaying operations in home waters and off the French coast in the English Channel.
Between decks were the. mining tunnels which ran for about two— thirds of the length of the ship and which accommodated 160 mines each weighing 1.25 tons and when not engaged in minelaying this space could be used for carrying supplies and military personnel.
I joined her on January 1st 1942 when she was lying in the Kyle of Lochalsh and in that same month we were despatched to Takoradi on the Gold Coast carrying essential stores and depth charges and a number of dockyard workers. We also called at Freetown, West Africa, to take on cargo which we later discovered was gold bullion valued at about £20 million — a huge sum for those days This cargo was returned to the U.K.
Early in February 1942 the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the cruiser Prinz Eugen were in Brest and it was anticipated that they would attempt to break out into the Channel and return to Germany rather than face the attentions of the R.A.F.
WELSHMAN laid four minefields in the approaches to the Straits of Dover, one of them at St. Valerie-en-Caux, only a mile from the shore. The three German warships did break out when we were halfway across the Channel on a further minelaying trip and we were ordered to turn back — had we encountered them they would probably have blown us to pieces! Later reports stated that both battleships had struck mines but had managed to survive.
* These are unofficial figures known only to those who served aboard her and who actually witnessed them taking place.
WELSHMAN then had a short refit at Hawthorn Leslie and was then despatched to Milford Haven to take on board 100 R.A.F. personnel, ammunition and essential food supplies, which we later discovered were destined for Malta which had been under siege and continuous air attack for many months. In early May 1942 supplies had grown so short that surrender was imminent and the planned Axis invasion was due to take place within weeks but at the last moment Hitler decided to invade Crete instead. This was a great error of judgement as Malta was destined to play a major role in the defeat of the Africa Korps and the invasion of Sicily.
Whilst we were in Devonport the outline of the ship was camouflaged so that she resembled a French “Leopard” class light cruiser, some of which were still operational in Vichy North Africa.
We left Plymouth Sound on May 1st and arrived in Gibraltar on May 4th to refuel and replenish our stores.
We left Gibraltar in the early hours of May 8th and proceeded along the Algerian coast at about 25 knots. During this day we were investigated by German aircraft on a number of occasions but no doubt due to our camouflage and the fact that we were flying the French tricolour we were allowed to proceed on our way. (Flying a foreign flag was apparently acceptable as a stratagem of war provided that your own ensign was hoisted before you opened fire).
When darkness fell we increased speed to about 35 knots and kept this up until daylight, when we again reduced speed and crept along the Algerian coast. This ruse was designed so that any searching aircraft would be looking for us many miles to the rear. During the evening we passed a Vichy French convoy escorted by a French flying boat, which came to inspect us but flew off without taking any action. Late in the evening we were inspected by a German Dornier flying boat which again took no offensive action but no doubt reported our presence. During darkness we again increased speed and made our way through the Strait of Pantellaria which was a highly dangerous place to be in at that time mainly due to minefields — we did in fact cut one mine adrift with our paravanes but fortunately the floating mine drifted past our stern safely.
We arrived in Grand Harbour, Valletta, at 0530 on May 10th and after threading our way through many sunken ships we docked in French Creek, which was the only surviving dock in the Harbour which had unloading facilities in the shape of two cranes.
The R.A.F. personnel. were soon art their way and then task of unloading began. I was on watch in the radio room below decks and at about 1000 hours the air raid warnings began. At 1100 hours the ship was shaken by three explosions — two bombs had landed on the quay, demolishing one of the cranes, and the third had landed in the dock, all within about 20 feet of the ship. Part of one of the cranes landed on the multiple pom-pom deck, killing one of the crew and putting the gun out of action.
During this time the anti-aircraft batteries on shore were putting up a fearsome box-barrage over the Harbour and the heroic R.A.F. pilots in their Spitfires and Hurricanes were causing havoc among the enemy planes. About 60 Spitfires had been flown off the USS Wasp and HMS Eagle on May 9th and were immediately thrown into the battle. For the first time during the siege a smoke screen was laid over the Harbour and this may well have saved the WELSHMAN in the subsequent raids, denying the enemy pilots the opportunity of pin-point bombing. Many enemy aircraft were destroyed and May 10th is acknowledged as being the turning point in the Siege of Malta: however more was to come.
We left Grand Harbour at about 2200 hours and travelled at high speed during the night so that when daylight came we were reasonably out of range of enemy bombers. The rest of the journey to Gibraltar and back to the U.K. were relatively uneventful.
The next few weeks in the U.K. were spent in making good the bomb damage and generally tidying up the ship and in early June we loaded up with 20 cases containing Spitf ire engines, the cases then being mounted on modified minesinkers which allowed them to be moved about on the mining rails inside the ship. In addition we took on 5 million rounds of .303 ammunition, smoke canisters, Spitfire coolant, fuel and ammunition, powdered milk, corned beef and another 100 R.A.F. personnel.
On this occasion the Commanding Officer, Captain W. H. P. Friedberger had been instructed to arrive in Gibraltar, refuel and leave all under the cover of darkness but unfortunately WELSHMAN collided with a tug when entering the Harbour and we were forced to stay in Gibraltar for another week whilst repairs were carried out to her bows which had been severely damaged (this type of ship had no armour plating).
By the time we had been repaired a convoy was on its way through the Straits of Gibraltar, bound for Malta, and we were instructed to join this as part of the escort. The convoy consisted of five merchant ships and on the third day we were subjected to continuous attacks by large numbers of bombers and torpedo bombers and two of the merchant ships were sunk during the day. At 1930 hours, WELSHMAN was instructed to proceed to Malta alone and discharge her vital cargo - the larger naval ships had already turned back to Gibraltar to avoid the extremely dangerous waters of the Sicilian Narrows.
When we had safely discharged our cargo, the naval C-in-C, Admiral Leatham, advised our Captain that a convoy coming from Alexandria had been forced to turn back and that the two surviving merchant ships of our own convoy, together with their greatly reduced escort, were being attacked by two Italian cruisers and four destroyers and would he like to go back in support. Having replied that he did not fancy taking on two cruisers with our light armaments he was told to refuel and proceed anyway (knowing what an extremely fearless man he was, our captain’s reply to the Admiral was probably made in a jocular manner). We left Grand Harbour at high speed and returned to the convoy, to find that the Italian warships had disappeared. After two more attacks by JU8B’s the remaining ships entered Grand Harbour at midnight. One of the merchant ships which had reached Malta from a previous convoy had been sunk in Grand Harbour before she could be unloaded and much of her cargo had been lost. As a result of this, new rapid unloading procedures had been adopted which resulted in the two ships TROILUS and CAIRO being safely unloaded before the ensuing air attacks had begun.
WELSHMAN left Harbour at first light the next morning, accompanied by the anti-aircraft cruiser CAIRO which had been part of the convoy escort and after an uneventful journey we eventually arrived back in the U.K.
After dry-docking to carry out essential repairs to damage caused by near-misses and the removal of our French camouflage, we prepared ourselves for the next mission to Malta. In early July 1942 we loaded with powdered milk, corned beef, cooking oil and minesweeping gear for the Malta defence ships. We entered Gibraltar Bay, refuelled and left, all under cover of darkness and proceeded along the Algerian coast as usual. Soon after passing Algiers we were spotted by two Junkers 88 aircraft and then received a signal from Admiral Leatham in Malta that a large number of enemy aircraft had left Sicily and were no doubt on their way to attack us. We were then set upon by a succession of Savoia Marchetti torpedo bombers and JU88 and JU87 dive bombers: many of the bombs were near misses but we remained virtually undamaged. (From a distance WELSHMAN resembled the much larger and heavily armoured County Class cruisers and our Captain’s theory was that they had set their bombs to explode at a depth which was way below our keel. Had they burst on impact we would most likely have had our light plating damaged by splinters which would eventually have caused us to become waterlogged and to sink).
By sunset, after a number of further attacks, the enemy aircraft had cleared off and we were able to complete our journey unmolested. We entered Grand Harbour early the next morning and after unloading the Captain sent a signal to Admiral Leatham saying “we have delivered the, milk — what can we take back?”. His reply was “forty Luftwaffe prisoners”. Once again the homeward journey was uneventful. WELSHMAN spent the next few months having a major refit at Hawthorn Leslie during which time the crew were delighted to get long periods of home leave.
In early November WELSHMAN was again loaded with supplies for Malta, this time consisting of 3455 cases of milk powder, 560 sacks of beans, 360 sacks of split peas, 4693 cases of preserved meat and fifteen 18” torpedoes. We also took on board fifty R.E.M.E. and fifty R.A.F. personnel. On arrival at Gibraltar we discovered that the invasion of French North Africa was about to take place and this enabled us to make the journey to Malta unmolested.
In was then decided that WELSHMAN should remain in the Mediterranean and we were detailed to proceed to Haifa to pick up a cargo of torpedoes for the submarines now once again based in Malta, together with shoe leather and sandals and 7 cwts. of reels of cotton for the civilian population.
We then returned to Alexandria for boiler cleaning and thence to Haifa to pick up half a load of mines and all the equipment necessary to set up a Motor Torpedo Boat Base in Bone, an Algerian port on the border with Tunisia which was still in the hands of the retreating Africa Korps. After a hazardous journey which took us within six miles of the heavily fortified Island of Pantellaria we arrived in Bone and discharged our cargo.
Whilst we were in the harbour a force of FW 190’s and ME109’s attacked the shipping and damaged four merchantmen and also dropped a bomb down the funnel of the cruiser AJAX which was out of commission for a long time thereafter. We left for Algiers at 1600 on the same day and loaded 250 tons of seed potatoes which we then delivered to Malta where we loaded with mines and laid them on the Italian convoy route between Sicily and Tunisia.
On our return to Egypt, we were instructed by Admiral Harwood to transport 4000 troops to Cyprus and bring back a similar number who had been training. This operation was carried out on six successive nights, carrying approximately 700 troops on each journey, the trip from Beirut to Famagusta and back being completed in darkness. The sea was quite rough on occasions, causing considerable sea—sickness among the troops and leaving us with all the mess to clear up. Altogether we moved two Royal Artillery Field Regiments, the Yorkshire and 4th Hussars and several Indian infantry battalions. Suffice to say that due to their religion the Indian troops would not sit on the toilet seats!
We then again loaded mines at Haifa and carried out another lay of f Tunisia. On our return to Malta we met up with our sister ship ABDIEL which had been laying another minefield close to ours. (History records that many enemy supply ships were sunk in these minefields).
WELSMAN left Malta at 1300 hours on February 1st 1943 on the way to reload from the mine-issuing ship GUNNA in Alexandria but at about 1900 hours in full darkness and zigzagging 50 degrees each way at 25 knots off Tobruk, we were shaken by two explosions and then a third and the ship came to a halt. After a short period the Captain sent a brief distress signal giving our position which I transmitted on a local frequency which could be read by any British warships in the area. We had been struck by two torpedoes fired from a German U-Boat U617: these had hit us on the stern putting our propellers and steering out of action and killing about twenty of the crew. The third explosion was possibly due to some of our own ammunition blowing up. The ship remained in an upright position and the repair parties set to work shoring up the internal bulkheads in an attempt to prevent the sea entering the mining deck and this seemed to be working as there was no sign of the ship settling down further in the water. In the meantime, a lengthy signal had been sent off to the Naval Base at Alexandria detailing our situation.
I came off watch at 2000 hours and after getting something to eat I decided that the best place to be was on the upper deck. Many of the ship’s company had returned to the mess decks to eat when it appeared that the ship was going to remain afloat, when suddenly the damaged bulkheads gave way at about 2100 hours and within a few minutes she had rolled on to her starboard side. I made my way down the side of the ship and jumped about fifteen feet into the water and swam away, then when I was about fifty yards away I turned to see our beautiful ship disappearing stern first. No-one had time to lower the boats and those people who had managed to get over the side were swimming about trying to locate the Carley floats or- any other floating object to hang on to. I swam close to Captain Friedberger who was calling out for everybody to keep together, knowing that help was on the way.
He exhorted everyone to sing and this we did, mainly “Roll out the Barrel”. I had lost my lifebelt when I jumped over the side but eventually managed to find a small raft to cling on to: this raft was very unstable and turned turtle a number of times, depositing the occupants into the water. After about four hours of this I was beginning to lose consciousness and the next thing I remember was being assisted up the netting on the side of a ship and a voice saying “O.K. Sparks, you’re alright now”. I passed out and woke up some hours later to find that I was aboard the destroyer BELVOIR which together- with the destroyer TETCOTT had responded to our distress signals. During the forenoon I took part in the burial of four people, including an American war correspondent who had been picked up but had not survived.
Of some 300 people on board, over 150 lost their lives, some due to the explosion of one of our own depth charges as the ship went down. There are probably only about twenty survivors now left (February 1995).
We arrived in Alexandria later that day and after being “kitted out” in army uniform were sent on our various ways — but that is another story.
Engine Room Artificer John (known as Norman) Evennett was lost on the WELSHMAN and as a result of sterling work by his brother George and George’s wife Angela a number of survivors and relatives have been traced and a WELSHMAN Society had been formed getting together from time to time in Chatham. A bronze plaque has been erected in the former church of Chatham Naval Barracks (now St. George’s Centre) by survivors and relatives in memory of those who were lost.
This is a compilation of personal diaries, official records, Captain Friedberger’s summary of events and the recollections of some of the survivors.
Robert W Ferry. (Telegraphist), February 1995.
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| | | | | |  | | The fast minelayer HMS Welshman as she leaves the devastation of Valetta in Malta after a successful supply run in December 1942 |
| | | | | |  | | HMS Welshman naval message |
| | | | | |  | | HMS Welshman signal |
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