RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War Two => Topic started by: VillageDuckpond on Wednesday 01 October 08 20:43 BST (UK)
-
I am trying to find out if there any descendants of the crew of this aircraft carrier which was sunk off Ceylon/Sri Lanka on 9th April 1942.
-
Try the association
http://www.hmshermes.org.uk/
K
-
Kyt
I already have and just wondered if there any others 'out there' to be traced.
-
This is an old post but maybe you can get in touch with this daughter of a survivor ! you also might try the list of survivors on the Hospital Ship Vita ......
http://www.DiveSriLanka.com/
These guys have been diving the wreck ... some fascinating photos if you haven't seen them !
Accounts of DiveSrilanka.com Expeditions
Expedition IV - August 22-24 2008 - Celebration of life! Marine Life at the Hermes
Expedition III - June 19-21 2008 - The best ever wreck pictures taken so far
Expedition I & II - May & September 2005 - wreck pictures & marine life pictures
HMS HERMES (April 9, 1942)
The 10,850 ton aircraft carrier (Capt. R. Onslow) was the first Royal Navy ship to be specially designed as such. This was the ninth ship to bear this name. The Hermes left the naval base of Trincomalee, Ceylon, escorted by the Australian destroyer Vampire, and while sailing south off Batticaloa on the east shore, the ships were attacked by carrier-borne aircraft from a Japanese force of three battleships and five carriers including the Akaga, Hiryu and Soryu, which had entered the Bay of Bengal a week before and were now attacking the naval base. Around seventy bombers were sent to dispatch the Hermes which sank within ten minutes, followed by the Vampire shortly after. Of the complement on the Hermes, nineteen officers and 283 ratings died. On the Vampire, nine men lost their lives. The hospital ship Vita rescued approximately 600 survivors from the two ships and took them to Colombo and later to Kandy for recuperation. The air attack on the base killed 85 civilians in addition to military losses. Thirty-six Japanese planes were shot down. The wreck of the Hermes was found sixty-three years later, in 2006, about five nautical miles from shore and fifty-seven meters down. Divers attached the White Ensign to the rusting hull.
Annie :)
Edit ... found this ... maybe you can send a message here !
http://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=160
-
Liverpool Annie
Believe it or not I met her yesterday and that is what got me thinking about other survivor descendants!
Also, I knew about the dives which are quite amazing but thank you so much anyway.
Good idea about the Vita and thank you for suggesting that. I shall now try to follow that up.
-
I am a direct decendant of William"Billy" Wilson who went down with this ship. Im currently trying to find as much info as I can on Billy for my father who was his maternal nephew.
My dad often recalls Billy and has long wondered what part of the ship he served on and if he survived the initial attack only to die of wounds or due to the Japanese machine gun attacks of the sailors who were trying to swin away from the ship when she went down.
Any information you could supply or point me in any direction where I could find out what happened would be appreciated.
Thanks
-
Hi. My grandad was one of the survivors his name was Percy Russell he was 21 at the time and i believe swan to shore. I have been searching for a list of all crew members onboard the ship and came across this site.
-
Have just come across this thread that to be completely honest I had completely forgotten about!
What I don't understand is how these other replies never reached me or perhaps they did and I didn't follow them up!
So....calling liverpool annie, StephenBird1974 and Stephanie1979.....are you still there? Do hope so and please get in touch.
-
Hi yes im here I only messaged today and as your original post was a few years ago I didn't expect a reply.
-
Lovely to hear from you Stephanie.
As I said in my message earlier today I had completely forgotten about posting this thread!
How wonderful that your grandfather survived. Sadly my father didn't.
Have you heard about the amazing book produced by Rex Morgan, son of the official photographer, who was on board and taking photos while Hermes 9 was sinking? It is called 'The Hermes Adventure' and there is also a link about the dives that have taken place over the years off Sri Lanka.
I hope you will find this useful information.
Hi yes im here I only messaged today and as your original post was a few years ago I didn't expect a reply.
-
Hi VillageDuckpond,
Your email notifications are set up only to notify you of the first new reply, if you do not click are read the first reply you will not be notified of any further replies. You can edit your settings to receive a notification on every reply if you wish - If you need help in doing this just let me know.
Regards
Sarah
-
Hi Sarah
Obviously my mistake and apologise.
Please can you guide me re receiving a notification on every reply?
In my keenness doing family history it is possible some other replies have slipped through without my knowledge. Can those also be traced?
VDP
Hi VillageDuckpond,
Your email notifications are set up only to notify you of the first new reply, if you do not click are read the first reply you will not be notified of any further replies. You can edit your settings to receive a notification on every reply if you wish - If you need help in doing this just let me know.
Regards
Sarah
-
Hi VillageDuckpond. I'm still checking in on this account every now and then (well my daughter spotted your reply for me today).
I would love to find out any information on what exactly happened to the crew and specifically any stories, pictures or even rumours about crewmen.
Regards
Steve
-
Hi Steve
I shall do my best to help you if I can with pleasure.
Where are you in the world? I live in the UK (England to be precise).
I am trying to get a reply from the gentleman who is the Secretary of the Hermes Association but so far nothing.
I shall try to keep you posted and in the meantime shall send you an email.
VillageDuckpond
(Long story why I chose that name btw!)
Hi VillageDuckpond. I'm still checking in on this account every now and then (well my daughter spotted your reply for me today).
I would love to find out any information on what exactly happened to the crew and specifically any stories, pictures or even rumours about crewmen.
Regards
Steve
-
Please may I remind you not publish your email on RootsChat as this is how hackers pick up on your email addresses, The safe way is to exchange by PM system.
Sarah
-
Test post for VDP. :)
-
Hi,
I've only just read your post front 2008.!
My father was a Hermes survivor. Sadly he died in August 2003 but I do have a lot of the items he accumulated over the years. He was Ronald Wightman.
I have just been reading some letters he wrote around the time of the 50th celebrations, he was not happy as he didn't Want to celebrate. In his case I can understand.
For 60 years he had a shadow on his lung which was as a result of him swallowing diesel oil at the time she went down.
I'm happy to provide any info I might have.
Regards
Lesley Wightman