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Re: crewlist HMS Waterfly
Posted by:
rick shepperson
()
Date: July 25, 2008 12:43PM
Wim
My father, P L Shepperson, was 20 years old when he served as a Wireless Telegraphist (Sparks). on Waterfly from May 1941 to April 1942. His written account of his Naval days recalls that Waterfly was a coal-buring trawler, converted for minesweeping duties. She was Flotilla Leader and Lt Cdr Hawes was Flotilla Officer. Based at Dover, their section was roughly from off Dungerness to off North Foreland. Most operations took place at night and, apart from mines, their chief mennace was German E-boats. Whilst on patrol one night in February 1942, wireless messages were received from Dover Castle stating: 'enemy surface vessels detected - no lights'. On return to harbour the following morning, Waterfly discovered that 'Scharnhorst' and 'Gneisenau' plus escorts had steamed up the Channel escaping from Brest back to Germany.
My father moved on in April 1942 having made made two lifelong friends on Waterfly, both of whom were aboard when she was sunk: Jackie Peake and Tommy Inglis. They were both blown into the water and, in fact, Jackie saved Tommy's life, as Tommy had been knocked unconscious by the blast and Jackie plucked him from the water. This seems to contradict the official account of only one survivor, but Dad, Jackie and Tommy met regularly every ten years after the war until Tommy died in a Scottish mining accident in 1972. My father is now 87 and the last he heard, Jackie was still living on his native Isle of Mann.
I am in possession of an official photograph of HMS Waterfly, taken by the Press Corps. It shows her on patrol in the English Channel, with aircraft dashing about the skies above.
My father, P L Shepperson, was 20 years old when he served as a Wireless Telegraphist (Sparks). on Waterfly from May 1941 to April 1942. His written account of his Naval days recalls that Waterfly was a coal-buring trawler, converted for minesweeping duties. She was Flotilla Leader and Lt Cdr Hawes was Flotilla Officer. Based at Dover, their section was roughly from off Dungerness to off North Foreland. Most operations took place at night and, apart from mines, their chief mennace was German E-boats. Whilst on patrol one night in February 1942, wireless messages were received from Dover Castle stating: 'enemy surface vessels detected - no lights'. On return to harbour the following morning, Waterfly discovered that 'Scharnhorst' and 'Gneisenau' plus escorts had steamed up the Channel escaping from Brest back to Germany.
My father moved on in April 1942 having made made two lifelong friends on Waterfly, both of whom were aboard when she was sunk: Jackie Peake and Tommy Inglis. They were both blown into the water and, in fact, Jackie saved Tommy's life, as Tommy had been knocked unconscious by the blast and Jackie plucked him from the water. This seems to contradict the official account of only one survivor, but Dad, Jackie and Tommy met regularly every ten years after the war until Tommy died in a Scottish mining accident in 1972. My father is now 87 and the last he heard, Jackie was still living on his native Isle of Mann.
I am in possession of an official photograph of HMS Waterfly, taken by the Press Corps. It shows her on patrol in the English Channel, with aircraft dashing about the skies above.
