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HMS Duke of York |
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12. I would be grateful if you could help me with some information or advice. My Grandfather Eric Frederick Martyn Whibley (NZ), served on the Duke of York during WW II and I would like to trace him to a crew list. Apparently he served as a 'trainee officer' and spent time down in the magazines loading shells. He was not on the battleship when she was in action against the Scharnhorst. Eric was a volunteer from New Zealand, he also said he spent time as a Dispatch Rider in the Army before joining the Navy after an accident that nearly killed him. That's about all the information I have and if you could point me in the right direction I would be very grateful also to anyone else that may read this. |
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11. June 5, 2009 My grandfather, Chief Petty Officer James Fletcher served on the Duke of York during the Scharnhorst action, he worked in the sick bay. Is there any surviving crew members who would remember him? He sadly passed away in 1982. Regards, David Surman |
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Thank you for all the information, enjoyed every read. I did notice that a Rosemary Cawley had stated that her father had served on the Duke of York and I thought that may be she would be interested in the following photos. My father was Ronald Burrows and he was a stoker. King George is with officers and 2 other photos I'm guessing are stokers. |
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My name is James D. Parnell, I was aboard the Duke during the Scharnhorst sinking, I was a Leading Telegraphist. I was also aboard her for the ill-fated PQ-17 convoy disaster. In total I was on board her for two and a half years. I lost the sight of my right eye in the Pacific, went hospitalized in Australia, then home to Devonport and finally to Ireland to install transmitters at Nutts Corner for RN. Discharged medically in 1945, worked at the Foreign Office and then to the Diplomatic Service. Finally came to Canada in 1952. |
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My father served on the Duke from 1941 to 1945, including when Scharnhorst was sunk. He was on the Pom-Pom guns but would not talk about the war. I still have all his photos of the Duke, as well as a very sad one showing the signatures of the Schanhorst survivors-only 36. |
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I was aboard the Duke during the Scharnhorst sinking, I was a Leading Telegraphist. I was also aboard her for the ill-fated PQ-17 convoy disaster. In total I was on board her for two and a half years. I lost the sight of my right eye in the Pacific, went hospitalized in Australia, then home to Devonport and finally to Ireland to install transmitters at Nutts Corner for RN. Discharged medically in 1945, worked at the Foreign Office and then to the Diplomatic Service. Finally came to Canada in 1952. |
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My father David Rough was a Wireless Operator on HMS Duke of York during the sinking of the Scharnhorst. I recall him saying how sad it was listening to the final desperate messages being sent from the Scharnhorst's Radio room. |
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I WRITE TO ASK IF ANYONE SERVING ON THE DUKE OF YORK DURING THE BATTLE WITH THE SCHARNHORST IS STILL AVAILABLE ON YOUR WEBSITE AS MY FATHER ALBERT GEORGE RUDD WAS IN ACTION DURING THIS BATTLE, HE NEVER SPOKE MUCH ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS INVOLVOLED, BY RUNNING UP AND DOWN TO THE BRIDGE WITH COMMANDS DUE TO THE MAST BEING HIT FROM A SHELL, HE HAS NOW PAST ON TO THE SHIPS IN THE SKY BUT ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE HELFULL. |
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John Knowles |
The box from HMS Duke of York during World War 2 It came into my hands after a being discarded as of no further use during a refit. Originally it housed the alders lamp on the signal deck. The refit took place after the sea battle in which the German Battleship Scharnhorst was sunk and many lives lost. Immediately after the action we put into the Russian port of Murmansk for temporary repaired until we got back to England for the big refit. It was then I acquired the box and set about cutting it down to the size it now is. I kept it in my locker for ages, taking it out now and then during my spare time, to first of all draw the pattern and then to chip away. I had no proper chisel in those days but an old file which I had ground down. Whenever I had time to spare, and felt in the mood, out would come the box and a little more carving done until the next time. It was my prize possession for many long hours at sea from Scapa Flow on the Russian convoys in Force H round Iceland back home then to Gibraltar on to Malta Suey, Aden, Ceylon, Australia, Tokyo. Mind you I had it finished long before we went to some of these places. But until I could bring it home it traveled forthwith, tucked away in my locker. I left HMS Duke of York in Sydney, Australia after the ending of hostilities, I spent about a month or so on the "Golden Hind" waiting for a ship home and demobilization. Eventually I was demobed and arrived back home along with my "sea bag" and my box. How I carried all my gear that night I don't know I had to walk from Stretford to Timperley but I felt on top of the world. No more war, and no more having to leave home, and no more "sea time" but a box as a souvenir to remind me of my life at as an Able Seaman. John Knowles DJX 284663 (Able Seaman John Knowles RN Photo Collection) |
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Front view.
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Top view. |
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My father also served upon HMS Duke of York. His name was Thomas O'Toole and was aboard ship when the Scharnhorst was sunk. Maureen Gardiner |
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I have inherited a scale model of the HMS Duke Of York battleship and would like to know where one can obtain blueprints or plans for this vessel. There are some repairs to be made to the model. |
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Does anybody know what the ships motto was for the Duke Of York? |
Reply: Honi soit qui mal y pense: "Shame to him who thinks evil of it" |
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Page revised Aug. 24, 2007 |