HMS Anking WW2

[Val Grant]

Hello Hannah1,  If that diary has any information regarding Leslie Davey (my great uncle), I would dearly love to read it.  He was a wonderful man.  My mum and her 3 sisters received beautiful dressed dolls, plus clothes and hats from him before he left for the war.  Thank you in advance. Valgrant

[Val Grant]

BHJ  Hello, Does your father remember much about what happened.  We have been told different things from different people.  My Great uncle Leslie Davey was on the ANKING on the fateful day.  My only surviving aunt, would love to hear anything about what happened.  He was a wonderful man.

[BHJ]

Hi Val, In January 1942 my father was transferred from HMS Danae to HMS Anking as the senior rating for the telephone system. HMS Anking left Tanjong Priok with a convoy under escort from HMAS Yarra. He was asleep on the open deck on 04/03/42 when it all commenced. HMS Anking was the first in the convoy to sink from the shelling (3 Japanese heavy cruisers plus destroyers).  He was one of the fortunate few to clear the ship and get to a lifeboat. 56 survivors from the lifeboat were picked up by a Dutch merchant ship later in the day. They arrived in Colombo 10 days later.  Other records show 2 more survivors from HMAS Anking who were interned by the Japanese until after the war. Info on Anking can be found at www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=19176. Info relating to HMAS Yarra, and therefore the action on 04/03/42, can be found at www.navy.gov.au/hmas-yarra-ii  You'll need to scroll down to find the relevant information.  My father remembers little else apart from the heroic, yet futile, response of HMAS Yarra. bhj

[Val Grant]

Thank you so much for that information BHJ.  I will give a copy of this to my aunt.  Although it is a very sad article, I cannot help but feel a sense of pride knowing how my relative played a part in trying to keep our coutry safe (as with your father - I too hold a sincere sense of pride for him).

Kind regards
Val Grant

[LisaWallace]

Hi All,

I believe my Great Uncle was on the HMS Anking, I believe this is him KEEGAN, John R, Ordinary Seaman, PM 3254 (RANR), MPK. Not sure if anyone on here has any information on him, my Nanna always tells me he was he favourite brother and she would love to know more information on him :-) It has been wonderful reading all the other posts so far!

Lisa

[Jmlf]

Hi Janet,
My uncle was on HMS Anking and got onto a life raft which drifted for many days, it overturned as they were nearing an Island and all but a couple drowned, including my uncle. I can't seem to understand the site well enough to contact Hannah but have worked out I can message you! Did Hannah come back with any information? My uncle was Geoffrey Suffling Cross and was a Royal Navy Surgeon. One of the survivors from the life raft was Arthur Topping (I think that's the name) and he was captured by the Japanese and spent the rest of the war in a POW camp. He survived that and very kindly after the war contacted my grandmother to let her know what had happened to Geoffrey, since he had been reported missing. If Hannah has an account of all this I would love to see it,

Very best wishes,
Jane

[Jmlf]

Hi Val,
I am messaging you as well as Janet to see if Hannah shared the diary. My uncle Geoffrey Suffling Cross got onto an HMS Nanking life raft with  some others, it drifted for days and eventually overturned as they neared an island, there were about two survivors (not my uncle) one of these Arthur Topping ( I think) contacted my grandmother very kindly, after he survived Japanese POW camp to let her know what happened to her son. I think Geoffrey may well have been on the raft with Hannah's relative, so I would love to hear more about the diary.

best,
Jane

[Jmlf]

Hannah I would be very interested to heAr more.Geoffrey Suffling Cross , my uncle got onto an HMS Anking life raft but drowned when it overturned near an island. One of the survivors ( Arthur Topping- I think that's the name) got ashore and was then in a Japanese POW camp. After the war he kindly contacted my grandmother to let her know what had happened to her son Geoffrey. I think Geoffrey may have been on the same raft as your relative, so I would love to hear more about the diary.
Very best wishes,
Jane

[look4uncle]

My uncle Able Seaman Albert Louvain Everett served on HMS Prince of Wales and was picked up by HMS Anking after PoW was sunk. The family heard nothing more about him except the usual telegram. I wondered if anybody has any info on him. I expect there was no survivors from Anking.