|
|
HMS BRAMBLE:
Photo Source: ADM 176/873
|
Date of Arrival
|
Place
|
Date of Departure
|
Orders, Remarks
etc |
|
11.1.41 |
Aberdeen
|
19.1.41
|
Taken in hand 11/1 for repairs, boiler cleaning, fitting gyro compass etc.
Completes 18/1 |
|
19.1.41
|
Scapa
|
? |
|
|
8.2.41
|
Scapa
|
13.2.41
|
|
|
1st
MSF (including BRAMBLE, Britomart, Hebe and Sharpshooter) ordered to
Harwich to sweep along the south coast to Portsmouth. |
|
17.2.41
|
Port Edgar
|
18.2.41
|
|
|
20.2.41 |
|
|
BRAMBLE attacked off Harwich by aircraft and hit by bomb. |
(Source: ADM 267/102)
Report of Captain M H Evelegh, HMS BRAMBLE, SO 1st MSF
CONFIDENTIAL
SENIOR
OFFICER, FIRST MINESWEEPING FLOTILLA
H.M.S. BRAMBLE
29th
February 1941
Sir,
I have the
honour to report the following facts which led up to the destruction
of one German aircraft about 1300 on Thursday 20th
February 1941.
2. The 1st
Minesweeping Flotilla, consisting of H.M. Ships BRAMBLE, SPEEDY,
SEAGULL, SHARPSHOOTER and BRITOMART were approaching Harwich along
Q.Z.S.202 about 1100 when aircraft were heard overhead above the low
lying clouds. The signal was hoisted to indicate “Hostile Aircraft
in sight” and action stations closed up. Fire was opened by the
flotilla shortly afterwards when a German machine appeared on the
port bow through the clouds and some bursts were observed; the
flotilla had previously ordered to use fuze 012 on the previous day
owing to the existing visibility. This was believed to be a Heinkel
111K. Shortly afterwards another, or the same, machine, appeared on
the starboard bow and fire was again opened but again without
result. Cruising stations were reverted to about 1200.
3. About
1255, just after the flotilla had altered course to 315° along Q.Z.F.
28, two machines were sighted close to the water bearing about Red
60° from BRAMBLE, at a range of about 4,000 yards steering directly
for the ship. The alarm bell was rung and action stations were
closed up. The machines came direct at BRAMBLE at a level of about
the upper deck, opening fire with machine guns and, it is believed,
0.5” guns, when about 600 yards away; the wings of the two machines
were practically touching as they approached at a high speed and the
ship was plastered on the port side. Fire with the 4.0” guns in
BRAMBLE was not opened and the 0.5” gun, already closed up, withheld
fire until they thought the machines were 400 yards away and then
opened up. It is believed that fire was actually opened at about 800
yards. Several portions of one machine were seen to drop off on her
approach and this machine finally dived into the sea and sank on the
starboard quarter of BRAMBLE.
4. Two
bombs were dropped clear of the ship on the approach course without
doing damage and a third dropped close to the port side of BRAMBLE,
entering the ship’s side through the ship’s Office and finally
coming to rest in the after end of the cabin flat without exploding.
This was a 250 kg bomb and the machines were Messerschmitts 110. The
mainmast was cut off about halfway up by one of the enemy machines
and in consequence the W/T aerials were lost.
5. All
hands behaved extremely well during their first tests if aircraft
attack and this behaviour was particularly noticeable in the way
they worked after the attack was over in the placing of the
collision mat over the hole and general temporary repair work,
cutting away main rigging, setting up jury W/T aerials, etc.
6. SPEEDY,
who was next astern of BRAMBLE also claimed to have damaged the
machine and, in order to settle any doubt, an enquiry was ordered to
be held by me, which found that one 4” shell from SPEEDY’s foremost
4” gun undoubtedly passed through the fuselage of the machine and
subsequently exploded on the far side. It is very much regretted
that this fact was not known, when the original signal was made by
SEAGULL.
7. I would
like to mention particularly the names of Able Seaman James T Beale,
D/JX.144283 and Able Seaman Kenneth H Bell, D/SSX.19019, who formed
the 0.5” gun’s crew in BRAMBLE. Their tenacity, coolness, courage
and judgement were extremely good and I consider that these two
ratings were chiefly responsible for the final destruction of one
enemy machine and the possible ‘winging’ of the other, in spite of
their gun shield being pierced by enemy machine gun bullets in three
places. Also I would like to bring to your notice the names of Petty
Officer Horace C Littlewood, P/JX.128125, and Leading Seaman Arthur
James, P/JX.140273, the trainer and gun layer of the foremost 4” gun
in SPEEDY, who were responsible for the shot from that gun passing
through the enemy machine.
I have the
honour to be, Sir,
Your
obedient servant
(SGD.)
M.H.EVELEGH, CAPTAIN, Royal Navy
__________________________________
From Rear Admiral, Flag Officer in charge Harwich:
I fully
concur with recommendation of the ratings for “Immediate” awards.
The behaviour and training of the ship’s company reflect great
credit on the Commanding Officer, Captain M. H. Evelegh, who should
also, I submit, be recognised.
I inspected H.M.S. BRAMBLE on arrival. Her
plating was riddled with bullets and the Commanding Officer himself
received a slight wound on the face from a graze or splinter.
|
'My mate and I opened up our guns, the planes came at us again. They
put a line of bullet holes from bow to stern. They dropped three
bombs which went off one each side of Bramble, one skimmed off the
water and went into the side of Bramble, but never exploded'.
'We still kept firing our guns and
brought down one of the planes. My mate and I got a special mention
in despatches from our action, we carried the unexploded bomb wedged
in our side to Harwich where it was defused. Bramble and the crew
were very lucky that day'.
Source: Kenneth
'Daisy' Bell. Letter to Dave Griffiths in 'Passages from the Past'.
|
'Off the East coast of England they were attacked by a Me110 which
dropped one single bomb which ricocheted off the water and entered
Bramble just above the water line. Fortunately for all concerned it
did not explode! Having informed FOC Harwich what had happened he
signalled back saying do not enter harbour we will come to you!! He
sent out an army bomb disposal unit who defused the bomb and removed
it.'
Source: Rodbourn
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/U597628
|
HMS BRAMBLE 1941
Source: IWM A6338
|
Date of Arrival
|
Place
|
Date of Departure
|
Orders, Remarks
etc |
|
20.2.41
|
Harwich
|
1.3.41
|
From
Flag Officer in charge Harwich:-
BRAMBLE now berthed alongside Parkeston Key, bomb has been removed,
disposed of. Ship holed port side aft on waterline, size about 3 ft by
2 ft, mainmast broken about half way up. Ship can steam but will
require docking after passage repairs. No casualties. Two German twin
engined aircraft attacked ship simultaneously at deck levels with
machine guns dropping two bombs, one in sea, the other on board
unexploded. One aircraft shot down into sea exploding under water. For
N Woolwich
.
From
FO i/c Harwich 25/2:
Permanent repairs to
BRAMBLE will be completed 27/2 but some inconvenience and discomfort
must be accepted until repairs and renewals of office and cabin
furniture and fittings have been made. Provided examination by diver
of port shaft discloses no defect, ship will not require docking.
25/2
From C in C Nore:-
Request arrangements may
be made for BRAMBLE to be fitted with S.A. Gear on next occasion of
boiler cleaning at Harwich about 6 – 11/3.
28/2
From FO i/c Harwich –
Intend sailing BRAMBLE
1/3 to Woolwich for docking that day at Harland & Wolff.
|
|
1.3.41
|
London
|
6.3.41
|
3/3
From MS1: Completes boiler cleaning. Sails to rejoin FM37 6/3.
|
|
6.3.41
|
Harwich
|
? |
|
|
13.3.41 |
Newhaven |
14.3.41 |
Arrived 0952, Sailed 0935 (14th)
In company with
Britomart, Hebe, Niger, Sharpshooter and Speedy
(Source Peter Mason) |
|
16.3.41 |
Newhaven |
18.3.41 |
Arrived 1648, sailed 1443 (18th)
In company with Hebe,
Niger, Seagull and Speedy
(Source Peter Mason) |
|
17.3.41 |
Sidney May, Stoker 1st Class died
age 24 |
|
20.3.41 |
Newhaven |
21.3.41 |
Arrived 1603
in company with Hebe,
Niger, Seagull and Speedy. Sailed 1324 (21st) in company with Niger,
Seagull and Sharpshooter
(Source Peter Mason) |
|
? |
Portsmouth
|
22.3.41
|
|
|
25.3.41 |
Newhaven |
26.3.41 |
Arrived 1522 in
company with Hebe, Niger, Seagull, and Sharpshooter. Sailed 1443
(26th) in company with Hebe, Niger, Seagull, Sharpshooter and Speedy
(Source Peter Mason) |
'After temporary repairs in Harwich Bramble proceeded to the English
channel where they spent some considerable time sweeping up the
German minefield. Whilst doing this they picked up a pilot who had
bailed out of his stricken aircraft. We all thought it was a German
but much to our horror when we picked him out of the water, by which
time he was dead, he was an English fighter pilot. We wrapped his
body in a white ensign and laid it out on deck and proceeded at full
speed to Newhaven and handed the body to the local authorities and
Bramble proceeded out to sea again to continue sweeping mines.'
Source:Rodbourn
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/U597628
|
|
27.3.41
|
Harwich
|
7.4.41
|
|
|
10.4.41
|
Clyde
|
? |
Taken in hand for cleaning and minor repairs. Completes 15/4
17/4
BRAMBLE completed and proceeded down river to Greenock.
22/4
BRAMBLE can be taken in hand for refit by Middle Docks, South Shields
in
first week of May. Docking cannot be arranged until 12/5. |
|
Following the loss or damage of so many escorts at Dunkirk it was
decided to bring the Halcyons into the Western Approaches Command to
act as local escorts at the UK end of the convoy routes. They were
ideally suited to this role of escorts, being fitted with both Asdic
and more recently with the new Radar (271 sets). BRAMBLE, Britomart,
Hazard and Hebe were based at Stornoway although their activities
took then to several other ports including Oban, Inverary, Aultbea,
Londonderry, the Clyde and Iceland. Normal minesweeping duties were
carried out when not required as escorts, although they were ready
at immediate notice to be sent off for patrol or escort duties.
|
'As the Battle of
the Atlantic was so critical and going badly for us, the Admiralty
decided that even an 800-ton mine sweeper would be of some help
guarding convoys across the Atlantic. The first and sixth mine
sweeping flotillas were combined under Captain Crombie and proceeded
to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides. At this time Bramble was a pure
fleet sweeper with a four inch gun and sweeping equipment, so not
much good for attacking submarines but at least their presences
meant something if only to collect survivors from merchant ships.
As quickly as possible the ships in the combined flotillas,
approximately 16, were all taken into dock yards to be fitted with
anti submarine equipment and depth charges. this took months. Going
out into the Atlantic in a sweeper of 900 tons and a very shallow
draft was not much fun. We were thrown about like a corkscrew on a
regular basis, we were lucky it stayed afloat, it was not designed
for this.'
Source:Rodbourn
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/U597628 |
|
Date of Arrival
|
Place
|
Date of Departure
|
Orders, Remarks
etc |
|
30.4.41
|
Stornoway
|
8.5.41
|
7/5
From 1st MSF: Intend sailing BRAMBLE, Seagull and
Sharpshooter for boiler cleaning at
Aberdeen
8/5,
leaving there 14/5.
8/5
BRAMBLE can be taken in hand for refit when available at Bailey’s
Cardiff. |
|
9.5.41
|
Aberdeen
|
14.5.41
|
9/5 M/S1 arrived (at Aberdeen) in
HMS Bramble, also HMS Sharpshooter and HMS Seagull
1300 14/5 HMS Bramble, HMS Seagull,
HMS Sharpshooter and HMS Hebe sailed in company .(War
Diary, Aberdeen) |
|
16.5.41
|
Greenock
|
17.5.41
|
|
|
? |
Aultbea
|
22.5.41
|
|
|
? |
Stornoway
|
30.5.41
|
31/5
BRAMBLE can be taken in hand for refit at Bailey’s Cardiff
|
|
7.6.41
|
Stornoway
|
11.6.41
|
10/6
Intend sailing BRAMBLE for refit 1600 11/6 |
|
13.6.41
|
Cardiff
|
27.9.41
|
13/6
From N O i/c Cardiff: BRAMBLE taken in hand by C H Bailey Ltd,
Junction Dry Dock, Cardiff
,
completes 21/7
28/6
Date of completion now anticipated 1/9
11/8
Completes 21/9 ex trials
15/9
Completion date under review |
|
28.9.41
|
Belfast
|
4.10.41
|
To
arrive Scapa 5/10 |
|
5.10.41
|
Scapa
|
? |
|
|
|
'Suddenly out of the blue Captain Crombie was called to the Admiralty
in London, September 1941, and when he came back to the ship after
about seven days, he divulged to me that we were going to Russia (As
his writer it was not unusual for him to speak about such matters to
me (Rodbourn) - it was part of my job to know) to make a survey of the
conditions at the approaches to Murmansk and Archangel and we reported
back to the Admiralty the ice conditions and the lack of navigational
aids (landmarks) in North Russia and he realised that it was going to
be no fun sweeping channels for the merchant ships to get to the
docking areas in the White Sea to get to Archangel. '
Source: Rodbourn
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/ww2/U597628 |
|
? |
Portland
|
9.10.41
|
|
|
9.10.41
|
Portsmouth
|
? |
|
|
The decision was made to send both Flotillas (1st and 6th) of
Halcyons to Russia, leaving when available as part of the escort for the convoys due to
start in August. Once there they were to act as the minesweeping force
to keep the entrances to Archangel and Murmansk free of mines, and in
addition to act as local escorts for convoys arriving or departing. |
|
Date of Arrival
|
Place
|
Date of Departure
|
Orders, Remarks
etc |
|
30.10.41 |
Archangel |
? |
BRAMBLE, Seagull
and Speedy formed part of the ocean escort for PQ2 (6 ships), with
Gossamer, Hussar and Leda joining from their base in Archangel to
provide local eastern escort on 29th and 30th
October. The convoy was not attacked. |
'Ginger' and 'Minnie', the ship's cats
'Hello Russia' I said
our first time out to Russia. There was no heating, port holes
were frozen up, we fired our guns and split one of the barrels, we
had to have heaters fitted to them. The rest of the trip was just
routine, trying to keep warm with the extra two shipmates on
board. Bramble's cats, quite funny really but nice to smooth.
Ken Bell & Frank Walsh
Source: Kenneth 'Daisy' Bell. Letter to Dave Griffiths in 'Passages
from the Past'.
|
|
3.11.41 |
At sea |
|
BRAMBLE, Leda and
Seagull local eastern escorts for QP2 (12 ships) from Archangel until
5/11. No enemy activity. |
|
20.11.41 |
At sea |
22.11.41 |
BRAMBLE, Seagull
and Speedy met PQ3 (8 ships) on 20th and escorted it into
Archangel on the 22nd. |
|
22.11.41
|
Archangel
|
26.11.41
|
BRAMBLE, Speedy and Seagull sailed from Kola Inlet |
|
28.11.41 |
Archangel |
? |
|
HMS Eclipse and an icebreaker photographed
from HMS Bramble.
All three were trapped in ice while entering the River Dvina from the White
Sea in November 1941
|
Source: ADM 199/624 Extract from Report of Captain Harvey Crombie
Senior Officer 1st MSF, HMS BRAMBLE
BRAMBLE and
SEAGULL waited six days for oil at Ekonomia, I being promised daily.
Two days before ships were due to sail SEAGULL filled up from LEDA and
oil for BRAMBLE was personally assured by Chief of Staff for the
following day. Oil eventually arrived with the ice breaker that was to
take BRAMBLE and SEAGULL out of harbour and I was given the choice of
oil or proceeding to sea. If the latter choice was taken, oil was
available at Molotovsk where there was stated to be no ice. I decided
since the icebreaker was available to proceed down harbour.
LENIN broke
BRAMBLE and SEAGULL out of the ice and they followed astern of her
down river without trouble till arrival in the sea reaches, where they
both stuck. LENIN then towed BRAMBLE to roadstead and returned for
SEAGULL. Ships left Ekonomia at 0900, and SEAGULL was not clear of ice
until 1545.
BRAMBLE
proceeded to Molotovsk and stuck in thick ice six miles from shore.
She was towed clear by Russian collier who stated that ice was very
thick ahead. An American Naval Attaché, two Russian pilots and an
interpreter were transferred to the Russian collier, and it has since
transpired that they had to remain for five days.
Following
damage has been sustained by ships due to ice and limitations of ice
breaker service:
BRAMBLE:
Plates strained aft causing leak into tiller flat
GOSSAMER: A/S 60% out of action
SPEEDY: A/S 100% out of action and chipped propellers
SEAGULL: Extension of damage to fore peak; original damage was
sustained in very bad weather on passage from United Kingdom.
All ships
sides show signs of slight corrugation and all ships have suffered
from choked condenser inlets continually.
The long sea
time put in by all ships in bad weather, long hours of darkness, and
difficult navigation, throws a considerable strain on Commanding
Officers, especially with the limited experience of the majority of
their officers. It is necessary if the ships are to continue to
operate efficiently that Commanding Officers should have adequate rest
on return to harbour.
This they will
not get if they are to be concerned with possible damage to their
ships, failure to fuel, and doubts as to being ready for sea when
required. Every one of my commanding officers has said that they would
rather be at sea continually than return to the uncertainties,
troubles and worries of Archangel.
|
|
Date of Arrival
|
Place
|
Date of Departure
|
Orders, Remarks
etc |
|
7.12.41 |
At sea |
13.12.41 |
On 7/12 BRAMBLE
and Seagull joined PQ5 as local eastern escort, allowing Hazard and
Hebe to detach to Murmansk with the cruiser Sheffield arriving 8/12.
The convoy arrived at Archangel 13/12. There was no enemy activity. |
|
13.12.41
|
Murmansk
|
1.1.43
|
29/12 - 5/1 Local escort to QP4 leaving Archangel,
with Hebe she
escorted two of Convoy QP4's ships, SAN AMBROSIO and EULIMA, from
Archangel to Murmansk. |
|
29.12.41 |
At sea |
? |
BRAMBLE and Hebe acted as local eastern escort to QP4. No enemy
activity. |
|
