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HMS
Diadem Contents:
Transferred to HMS Royal Arthur Skegness on June (?). Did not like it at first but soon made friends and settled down to hard study. Passed my exam and was sent to HMS Mercury Petersfield on Nov 22nd 1943. What a place to live in, one big rush all day and night, food very good but had to fight for it. My mates left me one by one, Swifty to Bermuda, Sharman to HMS Emporer. I left Errington on December 15th and went to Portsmouth barracks, what a grim place, glad to get away from it. Travelled all night of the 16th to join HMS Diadem at Hebburn near Newcastle. What a change it was to live on a ship, took me a long time to settle down. Left for Rosyth where we did a few speed trials, visited Edinburgh. Left there for Scapa Flow. This place was worse than anywhere, so dreary and cold. Felt quite fed up with naval life. Treated like a dog. Came down to Greenock where we stayed a few days doing trials. Visited Glasgow. Returned to Scapa, more trials. down to Loch Ewe for conference with Convoy Commodore. Return to Scapa. First
trip escorting the Russian Convoys in the Arctic Ocean We left a nice summery day and met convoy at 12.00 the following day. Surprised at the number of destroyers and corvettes escorting us and Milwaukee and 50 merchant ships. The first upset happened on March 29th. A rating fell overboard Tracker TAC (RAC?) and drowned, rather upset me. March
30 1944: Starling TDR (?) sank U-boat and one FW200 shot down Activity’s
TAC fighters. April 1 1944: U-boats all around us, one sunk by Keppel TDR (?). U-boats attacked us at night but failed to sink any merchantmen. Depth charges dropped all night but I was too tired to hear them. Action stations at 2.30 in the morning, nearly asleep on my feet.
April 3 1944: One U-boat sunk, one damaged. Destroyer fired on one small Russian fishing boat and sunk her after 4 hits. All crew comprising of 6 men, 1 woman, 1 small girl and 3 boys were saved. The boat had drifted for 27 days. 2 snoopers shot down. One of our aircraft crashed as taking off, another crashed into sea. Both pilots saved. April 4 1944: Met by Russian destroyers who took half the convoy to Murmansk. At 1.15 we left convoy and steamed into Vaenga Bay in company with US cruiser Milwaukee, which was to be handed over to Russians. What a trip it was. I was on the flag deck most of the time, all day and half the night, could hardly keep my eyes open. Did not wash or take my clothes off for a week. Actions station at 2.30 every morning. Snowing and freezing all the way but I did not feel too cold. The score is Jerry lost 6 aircraft and 3 submarines. We lost 2 men and 3 planes through accidents. April 5 1944: At Vaenga Bay, tried to get ashore but too many going. April 6 1944: Still here, rather busy. April 7 1944: Good Friday. Service on Quarter Deck in the morning. Left on return journey at 4 o’clock. Wonder what it’ll be like. April 8 1944: Joined convoy and jogged along at 9 knots. Nothing to report. April 9 1944: Nothing doing. April 10 1944: Still quiet. April 11 1944: U-boats about. Destroyer reports torpedo approaching port side but misses. April 12 1944: Left convoy and raced full speed into Scapa where we arrived on April 13th. Second
trip escorting the Russian Convoys in the Arctic Ocean April 20 1944: Nothing to report. April 21 1944: A few alarm signals but nothing happens although one or two destroyers carried out depth charge attacks. April 22 1944: German aircraft detected by radar and then sighted, fighters take off but do not make contact. April 23 1944: Still steaming quietly along. Arrived Vaenga Bay at 21.30. April 24 1944: Met M. Jones. Enjoyed a talk in Welsh.
April 28 1944: Left Vaenga Bay at 3.00 in the afternoon. Hope it will be a quiet trip. April 29 1944: Steaming steadily along. Have been spotted by a German aircraft. April 30 1944: Heavy snowstorms last night. No Jerry yet. Had my exam today, passed in oral. At about 8 o’clock at night, I witnessed my first torpedo attack. One merchant ship, two columns away from us was torpedoed. Hit by 3 torpedoes and broke in 3 pieces. Both end pieces sank at once, the centre kept afloat long enough for other ships to save 104 men. What an exciting time we had, the merchant ships were firing tracers all around to point out subs but it transpired that they were firing at porpoises. One fellow saw a periscope on starboard which turned out to be a fog buoy. Destroyers were dropping charges all around us but with no results. I shall never forget that ship go up, it happened so suddenly without warning. May 1 1944: Instead of mayflowers we got May snow and lots of it, very cold today. Shot a Blom Voss plane down, Activity’s fighters did it. One Swordfish and 2 fighters fought it out with sub ahead with no result, sub submerged. Sub marines following us and also ahead waiting to attack tonight. Too tired to worry.
May 3 1944: Subs still following us but nothing happens. Left convoy at 2200 and steamed with 3 destroyers at 26 knots. May 4 1944: Still steaming at 26 knots. ATLZ hoisted this morning but all clear shortly after. Arrived at Scapa at 4.30. Left again for Newcastle at 10.30. Result of this trip. Jerry lost 1 plane and one sub. We lost 1 merchant ship, over 120 saved out of 140 odd. We brought the Milwaukee crew down with us and also a few hundred Russians who were coming to fetch a few destroyers. May 5 1944: Arrived in Newcastle at 4.30. Half ships company left on leave at 20.00. May 10 1944: Went home to my little family for 6 days leave, oh, how I enjoyed it, so nice to be back in Llan once more. May 16 1944: I left on 09.30 mail. How I hated leaving my family. May 17 1944: Arrived Newcastle. May 18 1944: Left for Scapa for more exercises. Stayed there till May 30th then left for Greenock where we arrived on May 31st. June 1 1944: At Greenock. June 2 1944: Still here. Normandy
Landing June 4 1944: In the Bristol Channel all day long, waiting to be called. Weather very rough, felt rather seasick. Returned as far as Bardsey Island - could see it quite plainly. June 5 1944: The call has come at last. We are on our way to the greatest invasion ever, feeling very cool and collected. I pray to be given the strength to go through this like a man and not to loose my nerve, and hope that I may return to my family. Tomorrow morning at 3 o’clock we fire the first shot. There are hundreds of invasion barges with us. How hard it is to be away from my family in such a place as this. I went on duty at midnight till 4 o’clock.
June 7 1944: 3 of our Spitfires shot down by our own ships, they don’t wait to find out whose planes they are. Rather quiet all day except for occasional bombardments. Shifted berth at night but had to return to bombard Jerry who was pushing our troops back in one section. I slept in the CCO through it all. June
8 1944: On watch at 4 this morning, rather quiet night. A shell
whizzed passed us. Scrubbed deck in my bare feet. Our ships shot
one Spitfire down again this morning. Made me feel mad. June 11 1944: Sunday. Nothing to report today, very quiet, except for a bombardment during afternoon. It mentioned us on the wireless bombarding an airfield but did not give our name. A nice clear day today, got a view of the seaside resort. A lovely little place with a fine stretch of sandy beach, 4 or 5 beautiful church spires and red roofed houses, what a shame that it was all bombed and burnt out. June
12 1944: Went to Portsmouth for ammo, stayed there until 4 o’clock
on the morning of June 14th then returned here to carry on with
the firing. June 16 1944: The King visited beach. Still nothing out of the ordinary to report. June 17 1944: Still quiet. June 18 1944: Still bombarding. June
19 1944: Quite an exciting day with a few shocks. It blew up a gale,
ships in distress all over the place. Unable to unload any material,
too rough. A Rhino loaded with lorries and guns collided with us
and made 5 holes in port side. I was at dinner when it happened
and had a shock to see 3 holes in our mess deck. Water rushed in
and flooded the place. They soon blocked the holes with Duffle and
overcoats. During the afternoon I was on deck when a Jerry radio
controlled glider bomb passed over us at over 300 miles an hour,
we fired at it but missed. I rushed for my steel helmet and by the
time I had put it on the thing had vanished. During the night another
one circled us for a long time then went off again. June 21 1944: Still stormy. Nothing to report during day but during night things get lively and Jerry does his dirty work, sowing mines amongst the ships etc.
June 23 1944: Early this morning a tanker struck by a bomb went up in flames. One poor fellow brought to our ship for medical attention. Very serious. One leg amputated above knee. Hope he recovers. Jerry sent a big plane over last night, passed right over us sowing mines, we failed to shoot it down. Bombs dropped near us but I did not hear, too tired to worry. Am working in CCO now, better than bridge. June 24 1944: Last night Scylla struck a mine and had to be towed to Portsmouth. During the morning a mine sweeper blew up in little pieces, struck a mine. Jerry sows mines all over the place during the night and does a lot of damage with bombs. Very quiet day, no shot fired. No mail again today, fed up to the eyes . Commandos came on board and told us some of their experiences on the loudspeakers. Ammunition dump on the beach blew up today, big fire. The fellow who had his leg amputated is getting along nicely, has to have another operation to get shrapnel out of his back. By the way, the commandos said that they landed at 1.30 on the first morning but their landing was not a success, as they did not come land together as planned, they were 10 miles apart in different districts so they were not as strong as they would have been if they had been together. June 25 1944: Nothing to report during the day but rather lively during darkness. A lot happens then but I am too sleepy to go up on deck to see for myself. Quite a number of ships got bombed or mined and I often wonder who will be next but I don’t let it worry me. Received my first post for 3 weeks but only a fraction of what was due. June
26 1944: Saw some bombs explode in the water but saw no plane. Listening
to the news and reading the papers makes me sick. They tell us how
Warspite is blasting Jerry, the Warspite struck a mine over a week
ago and is in dock in Britain, she must have a tremendous range
if she can fire from Scotland to here. They also mention the good
firing done here by Black Prince and Hawkings, Black Prince has
been in the Med. since our first Russian trip and is still there.
Hawkings has not fired a shot, she has no guns, is a depot ship.
I do wish they would give us our full share of praise. We deserve
it for the work we have done. Re-stocking
June 28 and 29 1944: Rather quiet. June 30 1944: Returned to Portsmouth to re-store ammunition and repair guns etc. July 1 1944: Very quiet. July 2 1944: Went on leave, how happy I felt, couldn’t get home quickly enough. July 3 1944: Arrived home 5.30 in morning, so nice to be with my wife and family and to see my Dad, Mam and family. July 4 and 5 1944: Did all the usual rounds and tried to see everybody at once. Left on the night of the 5th feeling very downy. July 6 1944: Arrived back at 12.00. Spent a few exciting hours at London, doodlebugs came over at regular intervals. July 7, 8, 9, 10,11 1944: Still at Portsmouth, rather quiet. July 12 1944: Went ashore, saw a show, had supper and then walked about for a few hours looking for a billet without any luck. Spent the night in an air-raid shelter, sirens went at 12.30 and the doodlebugs came low over our shelter all night long. Never spent such a rotten night in my life. July 13 1944: Felt rotten after a nightmarish night, returned to ship. Quiet. July 14 1944: Left Portsmouth for Scapa. July 15 1944: Arrived at Scapa. Back to old routine. July 16 - 25 1944: Very quiet. Went ashore one day. July 26 1944: CSIO (?) came aboard today, he has joined us for a few months and is 2nd in command of HF. We are in for a hard time of it. Left Scapa at 18.30 and are now on the way to Plymouth. What of the future? July 27 1944: Passed Wales. July 28 1944: Arrived Plymouth. July 29 1944: Still at Plymouth. Nice weather, very hot. No shore leave. July 30 - August 4 1944: Patrolling Bay of Biscay for Jerry convoys, an eerie job, rushing up and down within sight of French coast. Met no convoy (thank goodness). August 5 1944: At Plymouth, still no shore leave. August 6 1944: Left for Scapa to get rid of CSIO. Passed Wales but did not see much of it. August 7 1944: Arrived Scapa in the morning and left again at night. Passed Wales and had a fine view of home district. ‘Hiraeth mawr’. August 8 1944: Arrived at Plymouth once more. August 9 and 10 1944: Still at Plymouth. The
Bay of Biscay August 11 1944: Patrolling French coast, lovely weather, very quiet all day. August 12 1944: Quiet during morning but in the afternoon we sighted some French fishing smacks. Sent Onslow to investigate them, she caught up with 2 of them close inshore and got a lot of useful information from them. We cruised about for approx. 2 hours waiting for Onslow's return. As she was about to return a signal station ashore started flashing at us. I was told to answer with 20 inch but could not make head nor tail of her, I was told to ask her if she had anything for us which I tried to do but could not get her to understand. At last we realised that she was manned by Jerries so we got ready to leave. Suddenly we heard shore batteries open up and shells began to drop all around us. Onslow had a very narrow squeak. Away we steamed under a smoke screen out to sea. We were back again at night and were met by Jerry plane which flew high overhead and guided a radio controlled glider bomb straight at us, we all thought it was the end when suddenly when she was about 50 feet away from us she swerved and hit the water about 50 yards on our starboard beam, thanks to type 68 (b8?). The ship rattled from stern to stern and gave us a shaking. August
13 1944: During dark hours of morning a Liberia (?) flew over us
and was shot down by Onslow and burst into flames. What a sight,
poor fellows, they never had a chance. During the afternoon we received
a report of convoy comprising 1 large merchant cruiser and 6 small
craft. We steamed at full speed towards it and found that the 6
small craft had disappeared. Although the merchantman had 6 inch
guns she never had a chance, our first salvo hit her fair and square
on the bridge and dozens of rounds were pumped into her. We left
her aground a blazing inferno with about 100 men in the water around
her. Later on we were shelled again by shore batteries. August 15, 16, 17 and 18 1944: At Plymouth where I spent 2 nice days ashore. August 19 1944: Left Plymouth at 12 last night for Bay of Biscay. Very quiet today. August 20 1944: Still steaming up and down. Terrible thunderstorms last night. That’s the last entry we’ve got from this diary. Postscript The first Arctic convoy mentioned is JW58. From research at u-boat.net, we believe the U-boats sunk were U961 (east of Iceland; all 51 crew died), U360 (SW of Bear Island; all 51 dead) and U288 (SW of Bear Island; all 49 dead) The
second Arctic convoy mentioned is RA59. From research at www.usmm.org
we believe the merchant ship seen sunk by torpedo was the SS William
S. Thayer. Later, U277 was sunk SW of Bear Island with the loss
of 50 lives. The
images on this site have been copied from other websites. It's sometimes
difficult to ascertain copyright of WWII images. If you're the copyright
holder of any image on this site, please let us know and we'll either
credit you or remove the image. We believe the Diadem went to the Indian subcontinent ater the war. One account says she went "to Far East 1945 paid off 1950 sold to Pakistan 29 Feb. 1956 and renamed Babur later renamed Jahangir". Eight
links added Feb 2007:
Some
of these puzzles have now been solved... John Emrys Williams received the Russian Convoys medal from the Russian Embassy on August 14 1992. He passed away April 7 1994. He was 86 years old.
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NEW:
added June 2010: Added
May 2010:
Added January 2009: Added
December 2009: A gallery of 13 images
of Diadem's end-of-War visit to Copenhagen from Danish magazine
Billed-Bladet Nr 24, 1945 from Mary Lane, daughter of Clarence
Edward Brenchley who served on HMS Diadem. Added
June 2001: |
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Preparations
April
2 1944: Two snoopers shot down. U-boats still all around us. Still
working hard.
April
25, 26 and 27 1944: Quiet except for 2 air raid warnings. Went to
pictures to see Stage Door Canteen.
May
2 1944: Altered course during night to avoid subs. Nothing happened.
More snow. Swordfish dropped charges on sub and damaged it. Later
photographs show that it was sunk.
Then the landing craft went in but we were unable to see the shore
as it was one cloud of smoke. The Wrestler struck a mine and went
up in a cloud of smoke and flames. We have been firing off and on
all day and the small craft have been running backwards and forwards
all day long, unloading the big transports which are behind us.
We have had 2 red warnings so far but no planes were seen, our fighters
have been over all day long.
I
went on watch at 8 o’clock, things were very quiet until about
9 then hundreds of out planes and gliders came over in clouds. They
cast off the gliders and dropped their parachutists. What a sight
it was, hundreds of different coloured parachutes came down in one
mass. 4 or 5 of our planes were shot down in flames. I shall never
forget the sight. The town was in flames. At about 10.30 Jerry came
over and bombed the beaches. What a row there was, then he started
dive bombing us. Never will I forget that. There I was high on the
bridge with no shelter and planes gliding down in the dark from
all angles. We could not see them until they were on top of us.
One dropped 3 bombs a few yards from us, he got such a warm welcome
that he didn’t come back. At 12 I went below to sleep, too
tired to think of bombs, and slept like a log till 7.45
June
22 1944: One destroyer struck mine today, damaged but not sunk,
ran aground later. Jerry still sends his radio controlled bombs
over us but have not seen one drop yet. We picked a soldier’s
body from the sea today, i did not want to see him, it would only
upset me. Did not feel well today, had a headache and a temperature.
Went to sleep early but could not sleep on a hard form. Have not
had my clothes off for 3 weeks except for a bath. Will be glad to
get into my hammock again.