HMS Achates - Do Official Records (Log Books/Diaries, etc) Exist?

[DavidJP]

Hi all,

Over the last couple of days I have discovered that a distant relative died aboard HMS Achates in WW2 & I would like to be able to find out as much as I can about the incident in which he was killed.

The relative in question was Arthur James Hemmings (1917-1941/42), he was a Telegraphist in the Royal Navy, his personnel number being C/JX 182360 & he is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

The CWGC website & a couple of others give his date of death as 25th July 1941 when the ship hit a British mine off Iceland. Major structural damage was sustained including the loss of the entire bow portion & significant flooding also occurred. 63 of the ships company lost their lives with 25 injured. One website gives his date of death as 31st December 1942 when the ship was sunk, while a part of the Ocean Escort for the Russian Convoy JW51B during passage to Kola Inlet.

My questions/queries are:

1. What is Arthur James Hemmings correct date of death? I assume that the CWGC info is correct?

2. Would there be any official records of either incident (mining & sinking), and if so where would I find them & would they include ships logbooks/diaries etc?

Arthur James Hemmings was born in the Nechells/Aston area of Birmingham to parents Raymond Frank & Fanny Hemmings.

I should add that a lot of the info that I have already found I have obtained from the Naval-History.Net website to avoid reposting of any info that I already have.

Many thanks in advance.

Kind regards

David

[seaweed]

Log books of HM Ships are primarily navigational records and as such would not record much detail as to her loss. It would seem that her 1941-42 logbooks have been destroyed anyway.
These references are more likely to give the answers you seek.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_aq=achates&_ep=&_or1=&_or2=&_or3=&_nq1=&_nq2=&_nq3=&_cr1=adm&_cr2=&_cr3=&_dss=range&_sd=1941&_ed=1942&_p=1925&_hb=&_ro=any&_rd=&_rsd=&_red=&_st=adv&_rv=&name=Search
CWGC are not 100% regarding DoD. Information obtained via the internet needs to be double checked.
No doubt others may give you a more detailed account of her loss.

[KGarrad]

u-boat.net reports:

http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4341.html

25 Jul 1941
While taking position in the screen of the carriers preparing to launch an air strike against Kirkenes/Petsamo, HMS Achates (Lt.Cdr. Viscount Jocelyn, RN) was mined and severely damaged off the Seidisfjord, Iceland in position 64°11'N, 13°00'W. Achates was under repair until mid-March 1942.

8 Nov 1942
Deployed off Oran for operation "Torch". With HMS Westcott detected, attacked and sank the Vichy French submarine Argonaute, which had sortied to contest the Allied landings in the area.


31 December 1942
HMS Achates (Lt.Cdr. Arthur Henry Tyndall Johns, DSO, RN) was escorting convoy JW-51B in the Barents Sea with 2 light cruisers and 4 O-class destroyers, when the convoy came under attack of a German force comprising heavy cruisers Lützow, Admiral Hipper and 6 Z-class destroyers in position 74N, 28E.

In the prevailing twilight of those latitudes the fighting was rather confused, Achates was hit by unidentified opponents between 0930-1130 hrs, then, from 1130, Admiral Hipper landed several salvoes on her. The superstructure and bridge were wrecked, she lost steam and received several more hits, sinking in three minutes taking 113 men to the bottom, about 135 nautical miles east-south-east of Bear Island in position 73º18'N, 30º06'E. 80 survivors were picked up from the freezing water.

[DavidJP]

Hi Seaweed & KGarrad,

Many thanks indeed for your replies, very much appreciated indeed.

Seaweed, Many thanks for clarification re logbooks & the NA link to records, much appreciated. Will have to make a trip to the NA to view that little lot!

KGarrad, Many thanks for u-boat.net report detail & link, very much appreciated.

My thanks to you both again.

Kind regards

David

[MichaelDR]

Hello there,

Sorry to bring up an old thread- I have only just registered and I am unable to send you a message directly.

I have been going through some of my late grandads possessions, and came across a letter written from a David W (surname retracted), from the Newcastle region.

This man sent my grandad a letter back in 2002, asking for information on HMS Achates.

His brother in law (my Nan’s brother) was killed whilst working on the HMS Achates, and the person who wrote the letter suggested they were doing research on the boat and it’s occupants.

I’d love to get a copy of this research report, if indeed you are the person who contacted my grandad.

Thank you in advance - perhaps it will let you send me a message

Kind regards

Michael

[DavidJP]

Hi Michael.

Many thanks for your reply, very much appreciated indeed. My apologies for the non response until now, but I had taken a break/hiatus from family research, happily back now though!

Sorry to say that it was unfortunately not me that wrote the letter, I too would be interested to see the research report myself!

My thanks again.

Kind regards

David