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Since the launch of this website in April
2006 there has been a steady number of e-mails from relatives of crew
members and, indeed, former members of the crews of the Halcyons themselves. Details have
been included here of those contacts relating to HMS Franklin, although e-mail addresses are excluded for privacy
and to avoid spam messages.
Please
contact me if you would like to contact anyone listed here. |
|
Crew Member |
Contact |
Relationship |
Information |
|
Walter Colley |
Daniel Stocking |
Great Grandson |
I'm the
Great Grandson of Walter Colley, I would like to know if he sailed
on the H.M.S. Franklin because I have been told he did, if he did
sail on this ship he was a cook assistant so would you be able to
let me know.
[Note: Daniel continued his researches and sent me information about
Franklin and also he got his Great Grandfather's service record
which showed he did serve on Franklin] |
|
Kenneth Palmer |
Having surfed the net recently I came
upon my old ship H.M.S. Franklin which I served on during my
National Service between 23rd Jan 1948 to 21st August 1949 as an
A/B CJX 827634. I would like to contact Ronald McKinnon (not sure
of spelling) who was best man at my wedding.
CLICK HERE to go to Ken Palmer's
page |
|
Norman Jones |
Kerri Simpson |
Grandaughter |
My grandmother has just died and in
amongst her possessions was my late grandfather’s Ratings Sheet – he
was a cook on the Franklin from September 1944 until October 1945.
His certificate is signed by E G Irving. My grandfather’s name was
Norman Jones. Unfortunately, he passed away in January 2001.
It has been lovely to look at your website, as it makes me feel as
though I know a little more about my grandad’s life during wartime. |
|
Robert C Larkman |
I was trying to find out how to get
a picture of my old ship HMS Franklin, I came across the list of
the crew members.
I was called to do my national
service in June 49 to Royal Arthur shore base, then on to HMS
Raleigh in July 49,then onto HMS Pembroke, then finally joined
HMS Franklin 23-10-49 as a stoker mechanic until my discharge in
1951.We were tied up in Oban when my discharge papers came
through.
The Captain was Mr Roe....
Engineering officer Mr R Short.
We surveyed round the British
Isle's and at one time we anchored off Blackpool and went ashore
dressed as pirates and plundered the shops (not really) but we did
have a great welcome from the locals.
I'm only sorry I can not remember
all the lads names but one Scot comes to mind Hughie Money, and a
Liverpool lad whom we called scouse. I haven't any photos of my
time in the navy, but would love to have one of the Franklin. I'm
77 this year .There is one incident I wont forget.....that was
being late back off weekend leave and missing the liberty boat
back to the Franklin, They sent the Captains launch back for me
and I lost three days pay and a weeks liberty.
R.C.Larkman STO/MECH CKX878188 |
|
William Shand |
Martin Shand |
Son |
My father William Shand was a RT on
Franklin, he has one of these eagles, they were taken from U boat
pens at one of the German ports that they visited and typed out on
typewriters liberated from the same source, they were then dished
out as souvenirs.
He is very active in the Navy assoc. and the Normandy Veterans, and
has a huge repertoire of stories re the Franklin and things that
they got up to. At the age of 82 he is very active and has a pin
sharp recall of details of his life on board the ship.
Martin Shand Dec 2007 |
|
Anthony Parker |
Sallie Parker |
Daughter |
I
am hoping to find crew that served with my father on HMS FRANKLIN.
His name is Anthony Parker service number CSKX 772349.
He
was Leading Stoker. Trained at HMS ST GEORGE GOSPORT.
I
would be very grateful if you were able to find any photographs or
any information.
Sallie Parker April 2008
|
|
Ted Fayers |
Tony Fayers |
Son |
My Father served on 2 Halcyon
Class. Details as follows:
HMS SPHINX
Last Name: FAYERS
First Names: EDWARD ANDREW (Ted)
Rank: Stoker I Class, Acting
Leading Stoker
Service No: C/KX 86110
Service Date: 27.7.39 - 22.1.40
(Stoker I Class)
23.1.40 -
4.2.40 (Acting Leading Stoker)
HMS FRANKLIN
Rank: Stoker Petty Officer
Service Date: 22.3.46 - 4.12.46
Age:30
Dad had joined Pembroke 13th May
1935. Apart from Shore Establishments (Pembroke I, II and Seaborn
,Nova Scotia) he served on Scarborough, Pegasus, Sphinx, Sussex,
ML170, ML 174, Lookout, Leamington, St Albans, Courier, Marmion,
Franklin, Cleopatra, Whirlwind, Obdurate.
At his retirement in 1957 he was
CPO Chief Stoker.
I was born when he was on Franklin.
As a family we spent a year 1952-3 in Malta when he was on Cleo
(1949-53). My first school was Verdala Naval School, Malta. In
1954 we lived in Pembroke (St. Mary's Gardens)
Tony Fayers May 2008
|
|
Ken Sheale |
I joined Franklin on
7 October 1947 rated as Stoker 1st Class. We completed the survey
season wreck sweeping off the Nore and returned to Chatham for the
winter refit. The following season we spent most of the time tied
up in Chatham Dockyard or moored in Short Reach as the work was
done by the ships boats. The survey area was from Rochester
Bridge to Sheerness Light and included work in the Dockyard
basins. The two motor cutters, Stork and Penguin, carried out the
river work and the 12ft motor dinghy, Spider, carried out the dock
work. We also had a skimming dish which was later replaced by a
second 12ft motor dinghy named the Fly.
During this
period I was loaned to the General Stores to help with a stores
muster as a new Supply Officer had been appointed to the ship.
This led to the 'Fisgig' incident. In the Permanent Rate Book
there was an item - Fisgigs, 1 in No.
I asked what
it was so that I could initial the book to indicate that it was
present. No-one seemed to know including several senior Petty
Officers and the Survey Officers had no idea either. Eventually
the Coxswain suggested that I ask a elderly Able Seaman, Georgie
Bates. I located George tucked away in his 'caboose' and asked
him what a Fisgig was. His reply was, 'Look for something like
Daddy Neptune's trident'. 'What's it for?', I asked. 'It's a
fish spear', was the reply. I found it propped up behind the
stores desk. It had five prongs, the outer pairs could be
unscrewed to give a single or a three pronged spear. Apparently
as a single pronged spear it could be thrown or used as a gaff.
With the extra prongs the technique was to feel along the bottom
in shallow water to disturb flat fish and they could be caught by
one or more of the prongs. Regrettably I never got the
opportunity to see the spear in action.
I was
promoted to Acting Leading Stoker on 7 October 1948 and was
drafted to Pembroke on the 15th to join the Leading Stokers
Course.
I had a
second brief draft to Franklin from 13 March to 22 June 1953 when
as a Mechanician I was part of the team putting her into reserve.
I have fond memories of her as, except for the training ships, she
was my first ship.
Looking
through the list of names I recognise that of Captain Connell but
none of the others. I can only remember three names from that
period, Leading Stokers 'Tubby' Forester and Don Manson and
Leading Survey Recorder Beattie. The remainder I can visualise
but they are now nameless.
------------
The initial year that I spent in
Franklin was fairly mundane. Initially boiler room watchkeeping
until the end of the 1947 season then, as the 1948 work was
mainly done using the ships boats, the general duties included
exciting things like firing the coke boiler for the bathroom hot
water. The temporary transfer to assist in the stores lasted
for some months up to the point when I was promoted to Acting
Leading Stoker and left the ship. The stores muster that took
place involved sifting through items like RAF valve pattern
numbers to equate them to RN pattern numbers to see if the
spares matched the consumable Rate Book quantities. Some items
were totally new to me, hence the Fisgig incident that I
mentioned. As the First Lieutenant (I regret that his name
escapes me) was due to move to the Falklands Islands
Dependencies Survey with a couple of the Franklin's Survey
Recorders, this also meant that I spent time collecting stores
from Chatham Dockyard to be put aside for him.
At the time I didn't own a camera
so I have no photos of other crew members and the one shot I had
of the ship was not very good as it was taken from the jetty and
only showed the forward area. I was lucky to be able to
download an excellent view from the Shipmatesahoy website to add
to my album.
I remember that Captain Connell
later commanded the survey vessel HMS Vidal and 'captured'
Rockall to incorporate it into the British Isles; something to
do with denying it to the Russians who were busy observing our
fleet manoeuvres with their 'trawlers' which followed Western
navies around.
Ken Sheale July 2008
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