Memoirs: The Roy Burt Collection, RCNVR and Combined Operations (3)

Navy Memoirs by Roy Burt, Originally from Hamilton, Ontario

"I Became Interested in the Navy Between the Ages of 9 and 12" 

From the Collection of Roy Burt, RCNVR and

Combined Operations, 1940 - 1945

Introduction:

Roy Burt travelled from Hamilton to the West Coast for Navy training in 1941, then from the West Coast to Halifax on the East Coast of Canada in order to catch a ride to Hayling Island and HMS Northney III (on the southern coast of England) for his introduction to Combined Operations (Comb. Ops or C.O.) and landing crafts in mid-1942. And later he journeyed from service in the Mediterranean Sea to Normandy, France, during 1943 - 44. 

It's fair to say that some joined the Navy to see the world, and though Roy did not see the entire world he did experience a very busy, demanding and very memorable part of it during his World War II actions, along with about 1,000 other members of RCNVR who also volunteered for a British organization called Combined Ops. 

Those 1,000 sailors are about 1% of the approximately 100,000 who joined the Canadian Navy - for a permanent role or for 'hostilities only' - during World War II. And of the 1% only a handful wrote very much if anything (!) related to their experiences, i.e., about where they trained in Canada or how they got to the theatre of war in the UK or Europe, specifically where they served, who with, what they did... and so on. Roy Burt is in that small handful (1% of the 1%?!) who not only wrote more than a few pages (e.g., memoirs, news articles, stories, poems) but collected several rare and informative photographs for posterity's sake.

How I stumbled upon 'The Roy Burt Collection' is a very interesting story, in my opinion (Navy research related), perhaps better served at another time, though it's fair to say I must now sincerely tip my hat to Roy's daughter Laurel P. for sending me a landing craft load of rare materials that cost her a boat load of time and energy. 

I share in this entry two nicely typed pages of Roy's memoirs along with supporting material, some of which is also from Roy's files. Readers familiar with some of the travels of other Canadian sailors in Combined Ops will perhaps see a few familiar items, like names of training grounds or specific areas of service, but from a different, fresh perspective or angle. 

As often stated, questions and comments can be addressed to GH at gordh7700@gmail.com

And now, something very rare from Roy Burt:

I have a few photos that relate to Roy's statements, so I have typed up his notes with different spacing so that photos, badges, links, related stories, etc. can be inserted.

Memoirs, by Roy Burt

The Autobiography of my Life since I have been in the Service

The first time I became interested in the Navy was between the ages of nine and twelve when my brother used to leave home in the winter and come back from a cruise to the West Indies. The souvenirs he brought back with him always fascinated and inspired my young and adventurous heart.

When I was fifteen the opportunity arose for me to make a start and learn something of this life. At this time I joined the Navy as a Sea Cadet. Here I learned all the fundamentals of the life I was to make my career, little dreaming what life had in store for me.

At the age of sixteen I sent in my application to Ottawa to join the permanent Navy and was informed that I would have to be seventeen before I could be accepted. This was a great disappointment to me for I had my heart so set on being a sailor, but was happy with the thought  that the training I was taking was preparing me for my future career.

On July the first my hopes were finally fulfilled, for from Ottawa came my call just forty four days after my seventeenth birthday. However, my pleasure was short-lived, for a few days later came the tragic news that my brother had died. Torn between conflicting emotions of good and tragic news at the same time took all the joy out of life, and two days after the funeral I left a broken-hearted Mother to start my career.

Arriving in Toronto on the morning of the ninth I reported to the medical station where I met a group of fellows who like myself were on their way to Canada’s west coast to become sailors. The four days of travel to the coast were the happiest days of my life, the trip being my first time from home.

We arrived in Vancouver and merrily trooped aboard the Princess Marguerite*, a coastal pleasure liner. Believe me, I was quite proud, for this was to take me on my first sea voyage, the eighty-mile trip between Vancouver and Victoria.

[* likely the “Canadian Pacific Railway ship that began passenger service on Puget Sound in 1925.” 

An ad from May 1926 promotes the original Princess Marguerite and sister

ship the Princess Kathleen; the original Marguerite was later torpedoed and sunk

by a Nazi sub in the Mediterranean while serving as a troop carrier during WWII

More details can be found at My Northwest; 1926 ad - Courtesy Feliks Banel

Roy Burt's Memoirs continue:

We were met on the other side by an R.C.N. truck into which we piled our baggage and began our journey to the barracks that is situated on Canada’s beautiful West Coast, H.M.C.S Naden.

Photo of HMCS Naden badge as found at Ready Aye Ready

Roy Burt's Memoirs continue:

We were greeted at the gate by cheers of encouragement such as, “Hi suckers,” and “It will be a long time before you see the outside of these gates again!” We did not realize at the time how true these remarks really were. 

They piled us off the truck in front of a veranda of a long low brick structure which they called the quarter deck. Some rating who seemed like a little tin God to me at the time gave us the old line that we were in the greatest service in the world. After this short pep talk we were herded like a flock of sheep to our new quarters which was to be our home for the next two months.

During this period we underwent very strenuous training which made me often wonder why I had ever left home. After a time the life began to appeal to me and I was quite proud to wear the navy blue. After completion of our training we moved to another section of the barracks. 

Due to the fact I was still a boy seaman I could not go aboard ship so my time was spent in taking advanced courses preparing me for the time when I could go to sea.

At this time a band was formed and I joined it as a drummer which helped to break the monotony of my barracks life. After spending a total of eight months here I got my first sea draft. To me, life seemed very interesting at this time for I was full of expectations of what lay ahead for me. 

I began my life as a proper sailor on a minesweeper. It was built in 1914 for the Royal Navy (R.N.) but was now a Canadian craft. On her I made my trip  to Prince Rupert, B.C. This was a wonderful little town and we spent many a happy time there. From the Armentieres*, for that was the name of the craft I was now on, I went back to Naden where I joined Combined Operations (C.O.), and on May 15th I started for the East Coast to go overseas. I was a very happy man for now all my dreams of the past two years were to be fulfilled.

[* HMCS Armentieres, a minesweeper. See photo below]

The photo and more details can be found on Wikipedia

Roy Burt's Memoirs continue:

So, on the 3rd of June, 1942, I left Halifax on the S.S. Batory, a Polish trooper. This carried us to Scotland where we disembarked and piled into trucks to be taken to H.M.C.S. Niobe. We stayed there a couple of weeks and then were drafted to H.M.S. Northney III. 

Here began our preliminary training, such as signals, buoyage (a system of buoys and beacons used to mark channels and indicate safe navigation areas), and other subjects that were to be very helpful to us at a future date. From here we went to Northney I where we were shown the type of craft we were to handle. These were LCMs (Landing Craft, Mechanised), and LCAs (Landing Craft, Assault). The only types that were being used at the time. We finished our training here, as qualified boatmen.

Three Canadians, raw Combined Ops recruits, at HMS Northney on
Hayling Island, early 1942. Roy Burt, centre. Clayton Marks, right

(Clayton later lived in London, Ont., wrote Combined Operations)

We now made our way to H.M.S. Roseneath. Here we went on the usual night manoeuvres and daylight exercises, until we were in the best possible state for any day or night raid.

We now moved up to Scotland to H.M.S. Quebec where once more we went through manoeuvres  of every description. It was here we were taught to handle every craft that floated, and we did; e.g., LCVs (Landing Craft, Vehicles), LCP(R)s (Landing Craft, Personnel, Ramped), LCPs (Landing Craft, Personnel), and LCP(L)s (Landing Craft, Personnel, Large).  

It was now that the Dieppe raid was due to come off, though of course no one knew about it. We were roused out of bed one night and told to pack - we were going. But this was not to be. For no sooner had we got our bags ready than a signal came that we were not going. That was the closest we came to being  in the Dieppe raid.

We left Quebec and taking our craft (I had an LCV) we headed south to Roseneath. Upon our arrival we went aboard the H.M.S. Queen Emma, an LCA and LCM carrier. We spent several weeks aboard this ship and then went to Roseneath Barracks again.

From here we went to the SS Clan MacTaggart. And from there we went to the M.V. Salasia on which we were to go to North Africa. We left for ‘the Med’ on October the 23rd and landed in North Africa on November 8th, 1942. We spent some time down there and eventually got on board the SS Ocean Merchant on which we steamed north to Liverpool, landing there on December 19th. Then we proceeded on 14 days leave.

We reported back from our leave to HMS Foliot III on January, 1943. From here we went to the HMS Glengyle, where we did a couple of weeks of manoeuvres in LCMs. From there we once more went to Roseneath.

A week later we were sent to the HMS Keren. On her we sailed from Scotland on March 16, 1943, making our way around Africa, stopping at Freetown and Durban. We left her on the 8th of May, 1943, and went into HMS Saunders in the Egyptian desert. We were there about two months and then sent to the SS Ennerdale, an LCM carrier. On her we pulled into Alexandria on July 1st and left on July 3rd, steaming up the Med to Sicily where we disembarked and stayed for 30 days.

On August 7th we left here and made our way - in our LCMs - to Malta, where we stayed for a month. We left here on the 5th of September, and arrived in England on September 11th, 1943, and were sent to HMS Westcliff. From here we were drafted to Niobe and sent home on foreign service leave. We were recalled from this on January 16, 1944, and sent back to the U.K. where we picked up LCI(L)s (Landing Craft, Infantry, Large), and on the 6th of June landed in France.

. . . . .

 Combined Operations insignia

Some readers, myself included, might feel that Roy's memoirs ended rather abruptly. Where did he go, what did he do after his service was required aboard LCI(L)s (Landing Craft for Infantry (Large)) during the invasion of France? Maybe Roy's notes about the Navy ended suddenly because he was a little miffed that "they didn't need us anymore(!)," i.e., after Operation Neptune - and his work for Combined Operations - ended on the shores of France.

Hopefully more information (post-Normandy) will be located as I peruse the 1,000+ separate items in Roy's files.

Below readers will find a letter and photo related to Roy's experience as a drummer. Move over, Ringo!

One of the items that Roy clipped out of his (later) hometown newspaper reveals another look at parts of his Navy career, including a few words about what happened after D-Day Normandy in 1944.

Roy Burt enjoyed retirement after years of service as Post Master

More from The Roy Burt Collection, RCNVR and Combined Operations, to follow.

Please click here to view Photographs: The Roy Burt Collection, RCNVR and Combined Operations (2)

Unattributed Photos GH

Photographs: Malta, A Rock in a Hard Place (2)

Malta, a Very Busy Island in the Mediterranean Sea

Ship Yards and Navy Ratings Likely Never Took a Day Off

A10776 - Loading up scrap metal into the ORARI. (for ship repair)

Introduction:

Of the 11,000,000 photographs reportedly on file at the Imperial War Museum, UK, a significant handful concern the island of Malta during WWII. I know as well that a handful of members of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve - who were also members of Combined Operations and who handled various types of landing craft during the invasions of Sicily (Operation HUSKY beginning July 10, 1943) and Italy (Operation BAYTOWN beginning September 3, 1943) - visited Malta in August, 1943, between the aforementioned Operations, for the matters of rest, recuperation from illness and the repair of LCMs needed for the transport of troops and all materials of war to the toe of Italy's boot in early September.

In the previous post I shared a few lines from my father's memoirs related to his time in Malta prior to the arrival of his mates and their flotilla of LCMs. He wrote another short piece re Malta for his hometown newspaper (Norwich Gazette) in the early 1990s, about 50 years after he was there.

Doug Harrison writes: 

FOOD, SUSTENANCE AND MAIL WERE FOUND ON MALTA

At the end of the Sicilian campaign (early-mid August, 1943) several Canadian sailors and officers became ill. Fatigue brought on by long hours of work and poor nourishment for over a month had now taken its toll and showed up in various ways. Salt water sores, rashes, sunburn, dysentery, things we hadn’t time to bother with before now began to manifest themselves.

Fear was now gone and the inaction caused many to have letdowns. Many had not relaxed for weeks and now that it was over they had difficulty handling it. Mail from home would have helped at a time like this; most of us hadn’t had mail since April and it was now the middle of August. I would have given my right arm for a cool drink of Norwich water and Sweet Caporal cigarettes from the Women’s War league. Parcels and letters were awaiting us in Malta and we were heading that way by landing craft and ship.

If we had a doctor I don’t recall one, but someone, possibly an officer, doled out quinine for malaria, as mosquitoes were really bad. Under the worst possible conditions* we tried to keep clean; the only clothes we owned were on our backs and we weren’t to get more until our return to England sometime in October. Khaki shorts and shirts were our uniforms.

After being free from dysentery, I now felt its ravages. Luckily though, I went the 100 miles or so to Malta aboard a real old veteran ship named the Ulster Monarch. Whenever there was a campaign this old stalwart was there. None of us were basket cases and certainly enjoyed being flaked out in bunks on the Monarch. I remember the ship’s sick bay assistant (Tiffy) handing me a fistful of pills. I counted them and there were 16. I asked him how many doses they were and he answered, “One. What are you going to wash them down with... the deck hose?” We all laughed but I wish I hadn’t.

In a few hours, with my orders from the ship’s doctor to report to Hill 10 Hospital, I climbed the cement steps in Valetta Harbor as best I could. Malta isn’t very large and by asking a few natives I found my way to the hospital, dragged right out. I wandered in and reported my condition to one of the English orderlies. I’ll never forget how cheerful his reply was in that Godforsaken place. “Oh, we’ll soon cure that, Canada.” “Yeah? How?” I said. “We’ll starve you for a week.” (So, what else was new?)

But I was in no condition to argue and for a few days I found out how severe dysentery can be, and hunger was no stranger to me, but after four or five days the staff relented and gave me a little boiled cabbage. Here was FOOD and SUSTENANCE and I suffered very few side affects. I was on my way, even my ribs looked better. After about 10 days I was given a clean bill of health and released to wander freely about Malta and wait for my comrades who were late coming from Sicily in landing craft.

I found a vacant array of Air Force tents to sleep in and was fortunate to scrounge some food from the natives. I thought I had it tough - but I couldn’t hold a candle to these folks. I investigated a bit of the catacombs where many slept and lived through the intense bombing raids - no wonder the island was awarded the George Cross...

*my father and mates in the 80th flotilla lived in cattle caves located on the southern edge of GEORGE Beach

Excerpt from The Norwich Gazette, circa 1992. In "Dad, Well Done", pages 111 - 112

A rare map reveals the location of two cattle caves near the southern edge of GEORGE Beach at Fontane Bianche, east coast of Sicily, south of Syracuse:

Map as found at "Museum of Allied Landings in Sicily" in Catania

During a trip to Sicily with my son Paul in Sept., 2023 (80th anniversary year of HUSKY and BAYTOWN) we located a WWII pillbox near the southern edge of GEORGE Beach. We then walked toward the beach along a footpath below a ridge - visible in centre of photo below - and discovered the location of two large cattle caves. The entrances were blocked by several types of plants, all sporting thorns of various lengths!

Photo found online by Paul Harrison

I hover below the edge of the ridge, above the impregnable entrance to

one of the caves. "If I jump, I bet the fall would be cushioned by the thorn-

covered brambles. (Or not.) But hey, and I've got hospital insurance!!"  

End result: Gord chickened out. Lived to fight another day.
 

Photos by Lt. J. E. Russell, official RN photographer, continue: 

BRITISH REINFORCEMENTS FOR MALTA. 27 JANUARY 1942, GRAND HARBOUR. THE SUPPLY SHIP SS BRECONSHIRE, ESCORTED BY WARSHIPS ARRIVED IN MALTA WITH SUPPLIES AND TROOPS FOR THE ISLAND.

A7323 - HMS PENELOPE proceeding to her berth in Grand Harbour. 

Link to the photo records of Russell, J E (Lt)

I was once told a story by the daughter of a Navy veteran and I can presently only recall two significant details; her father was badly injured and suffered burns while aboard the Penelope; the ship got badly peppered! Recently I turned to Google and found the following:

While in Malta, she was docked and repaired at the Malta Dry Docks. Day after day she was attacked by German planes, and the crew worked to fix shrapnel holes, so many that she was nicknamed HMS Pepperpot, and then when these had been plugged with long pieces of wood (she was nicknamed) HMS Porcupine. She sailed for Gibraltar on 8 April and on the next day was repeatedly attacked from the air. She arrived in Gibraltar on 10 April, with further damage from near-misses. Later that day she received a signal from Vice Admiral, Malta: "True to your usual form. Congratulations."

For more photos and a lengthy written account please click here - 

HMS Penelope (97) aka HMS Pepperpot! (And the ship earned

another nickname as well!)

I do not know exactly how long RN Photographer Russell (Lt.) was stationed in Malta (I sure hope he was there in August 1943 when my father arrived aboard the Ulster Monarch and went searching for Hill 10 Hospital 'all by his lonesome') but while he was there he set up his camera in may unique settings. Below I share only a handful of his 1,200+ shots:

A7324 - British Troops marching ashore on arrival at Malta.

A7325 - British Troops disembarking from tugs and lighters at Malta.

A7326 - British Troops Disembarking from tugs and lighters at Malta.

A7328 - British Troops disembarking from SS BRECONSHIRE at Malta.

A7329 - SS BRECONSHIRE entering Grand Harbour, Malta.

THE ROYAL NAVY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

A7331 - The Paddle Tug ANCIENT bringing British troops ashore

from the BRECONSHIRE (which had arrived at Grand Harbour,

Valletta, Malta with supplies and troops for the Island)

Photo - Royal Navy photographer Lt. J. E. Russell

Back to the first heading, BRITISH REINFORCEMENTS FOR MALTA. 27 JANUARY 1942, GRAND HARBOUR...

A7332 - HMS ZULU leading the destroyer escort into Grand Harbour.

New heading - MALTA SUFFERS BIGGEST RAID OF THE WAR SO FAR. 7 APRIL 1942, MALTA. DAMAGE TO CIVILIAN PROPERTY AS A RESULT OF THE MASSIVE AXIS RAID.

A8372 - Residents of a house in Kingsway (Strada Reale) trying to

salvage some of their belongings after the house had received

a direct hit. Photo Credit - Russell, J E (Lt)

A8374 - Residents of a house in Kingsway (Strada Reale) trying to salvage

some of their belongings after the house had received a direct hit.

A8375 - Maltese Dghasais, or native boats, waiting to take people

across Grand Harbour at Valletta.

For informative details about the history of the Maltese Dghasais (aka Dgħajsa) please click here. (Wikipedia)

A8376 - An old railway tunnel makes a good air raid shelter.

Here the islanders are seen taking the opportunity of a lull in

the "blitz" to get some fresh air and exercise.

A8377 - The remains of the Royal Hotel, Valletta

after it had received a direct hit.

A8378 - All that is left of the famous opera house in Kingsway, Valletta.

A8380 - The remains of the Auberge de France, showing piles

of debris from other bombed buildings in the background.

A8382 - Children being served out with fresh water from a well

after a water main had been hit by a bomb.

New Heading - THE ARRIVAL OF HM CRUISER WELSHMAN IN MALTA. 15 JUNE 1942.

Photos continue by Russell, J E (Lt):

A10420 - HMS WELSHMAN in the Grand Harbour on her way

to her berth in French Creek.

A10421 - The unloading of naval and military stores from the WELSHMAN.

A10422 - Troops loading up a lorry with supplies from the WELSHMAN.

A10423 - Troops unloading from Lighter supplies from the WELSHMAN.

A few photos by Lt. J. E. Russell next appear under a new heading:

MALTESE RATINGS MAN COASTAL DEFENCE GUNS. 5 JUNE 1942.

A10424 - The naval ratings during loading practice,

at one of Malta's Coastal Defence Batteries.

A10425 - Loading practice at the dummy loader.

A10426 - The naval ratings ramming home the charge

into the breech of the dummy loader.

A10427 - The shell, is placed on a loading tray and swung

into position for ramming.

A10428 - A general view of the gun and the gun's crew during

a loading operation.

A few photos by Lt. J. E. Russell next appear under another new heading:

DAMAGE TO MERCHANT SHIP ORARI, WHICH WAS REPAIRED IN MALTA. 21 JUNE 1942.

A10430 - Diving boats and lighters, are seen round the hole in the

side of the merchant ship ORARI, which was caused when she

struck a mine on entry to the Grand Harbour at Malta.

A10431 - Repairs being carried out on the merchant ship ORARI.

A10432 - The patch on the side of ORARI is almost complete.

More photos of the repairs to ORORI can be found in a later set. One example follows:

A10774 - Dockyard workers completing the patch on the side of ORARI.

A10433 - Water is being pumped out of the hold of ORARI. All the

goods rescued from the flooded hold can be seen in the foreground.

A10434 - The beginning of a smoke screen on the edges of the dockyard.

Creating a smoke screen may indicate that Maltese sailors are getting some practice, or it may mean that the Axis air force is heading toward Malta again. 

More photos related to the importance of Malta will soon follow. And if I can find photos re August, 1943, when Canadians in Combined Ops got their first mail since April, 1943 (along with rest, recuperation and repair work) readers of this site will be the first to know.

Questions and comments can be addressed to Editor at gordh7700@gmail.com

Please click here to view Photographs: Malta, A Rock in a Hard Place (1)

Unattributed Photos GH