Part of the
Acorn Archive
Hearts of Oak
Visitors to Mount’s Bay
1949
Visit of the
Combined Western Union Fleet
to Mount’s Bay
30th June to 4th
July
The
Times 11th June 1949
Western Union
Naval Exercises
The
Admiralty has issued some details of the naval exercises which are to be
acrried out at the end of the month by ships from the British, French,
Netherlands and Belgian Navies, under the supreme command of Admiral Sir
Rhoderick McGrigor, Commander in Chief of the Home Fleet. More than 100 men of
war in all will take part, ranging from a battleship and several carriers to
motor torpedo boats.
The
British, French and Dutch ships, other than minesweepers, will assemble in
Mount's Bay, off penzance, on Thursday, June 30, for the exchange of official
visits and harbour drills. On Monday, July 4, they will sail for exercises in
the Bay of Biscay, while minesweeping exercises, in which Belgian ships will
also be participate, will take place in the Channel. Both ships and
minesweepers, at the conclusion of their respective exercises, will assemble in
Weymouth Bay on Thursday, July 7.
The
French senior officer will be Vice Admiral R G Lambert, flying his flag in the
cruiser MONTCALM, and there will be two other French Admirals; the Dutch senior
officer will be Rear Admiral J J L Willinge, with his flag on the cruiser
TROMP. Besides the Commander in Chief, with his flag in the fleet carrier
IMPLACABLE, the British Rear Admirals Mansergh, commanding the 3rd Aircraft
Carrier Squadron, Slayter, commanding the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, and Anstice,
commanding Training battleships, will be afloat.
The
Times 1st July 1949
Western
Union Naval Exercises
A Western
Union fleet comprising about 50 ships of the British, French and Netherlands
Navies arrived in Mount's Bay, Cornwall, yesterday to take part in exercises in
the Bay of Biscay, known as operation Verity, which will begin on Monday and
will last four days. Aircraft of the three Powers, with some Belgian machines,
will also take part in the exercises.
Admiral
Sir Rhoderick McGrigor, Commander in Chief, Home Fleet, flying his flag in the
fleet aircraft carrier IMPLACABLE, will be in command of the exercises. The
IMPLACABLE arrived in the Bay yesterday morning ahead of the main fleet. Other
British ships taking part are the battleship ANSON and the fleet aircraft
carrier VICTORIOUS, with three cruisers and two destroyer flotillas. In the
evening the French contingent, headed by the cruiser MONTCALM, entered Mount's
bay and steamed to their anchorages.
The Bay and the Fleet
( with THV Satellite in harbour )
another view at the bottom of this page
From the Souvenir Programme [ Price Sixpence ]
(there
were two colours of covers, pink and blue).
The
Borough of Penzance is justly proud of her maritime connections. from time
immemorial her sons have earned their livelihood as fishermen in the beautiful
waters of Mount’s Bay, the Channel, the North Sea and the Irish Sea. In two
World Wars her men fought with the Allied Fleets in every major naval operation
– many did not return to these shores. Many have traded in the four corners of
the World in Britain’s Merchant Navy.
Penzance,
as a borough came into existence through the very real existence of pirates. So
frequently, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, did Penzance and the
rich farming district suffer from pirate raids, in which men, maids and
livestock were carried off and houses burned, that the inhabitants built a pier
and a fort from which an effective resistance could be made. In recognition of
their efforts, James I granted Penzance a Charter in 1614.
To the
men of the British, French and Netherlands navies, the people of Penzance
extend a most hearty welcome and express the hope that they will carry away
with them very happy memories. The warmth of Cornish hospitality is well known.
Jack, and the thousands of visitors from all parts of the west of England who
will come to see the fleet, can rest assured that the warmth of that
hospitality will be fully extended to them during their stay in Penzance and
district.
The
Events included the firing of salutes from the ships, tea dances (at the Winter
gardens, now gone), soccer matches at Mennaye Fields, cricket matches at St
Clare, open air dancing on the Promenade, dances at the Winter Gardens, regatta
events, swimming and water polo at the Bathing Pool, even a dance at Newlyn
fish market; Naval band concerts at Morrab Gardens (Combined bands of HMS ANSON
and HMS THESEUS) and orchestral and choral concert at St John’s Hall.
Some of
the ships were open to public view (flying the Flag Oboe). Licensed boatmen
operated from the harbour taking services to and from the ships. My father had
taken us to one of the boats for a visit to some of the ships.
LADY OF
THE ISLES operated four daily 2 hour cruises around the fleet from the
Lighthouse Pier. Aerial flights were operated from St Just Aerodrome.
The
fleet was arranged in a lozenge formation across the bay, drawing a line from
St Clement’s Isle to Cudden Point was the outermost ship of the formation
( which
was maintenance ship VULKAAN. The ship closest to the shore at Easten Green was
destroyer CROSSBOW. Closest to Newlyn
was destroyer SOLEBAY and escort vessel QUEEN WILHELMINA. Off St Clement’s Isle
were oiler BLACK RANGER and store carrier FORT BEAULARNOIS.
Fleet List
British
Destroyers : SOLEBAY, ST JAMES, AISNE, JUTLAND, BATTLEAXE,
SCORPION, CROSSBOW, ST KITTS, CADIZ, SLUYS, GABBARD, CONTEST
Aircraft Carriers : VICTORIOUS, IMPLACABLE
Light Fleet Carrier : THESEUS
Battleship : ANSON
Cruisers : SUPERB, CLEOPATRA, DIADEM
Submarine Depot Ship : MAIDSTONE
Store Carrier : FORT BEAULARNOIS
Oiler : BLACK RANGER
French
Escort Vessels : CROIX DE LORRAINE, TUNISIEN, ALGERIEN, HOVA, MAROCAIN
Destroyer : LE LORRAIN
Frigate : ESCARMOUCHE
Light Fleet Carrier : ARROMANCHES
Cruisers : MONTCALM, GEORGES LEYGUES, GLOIRE
Light Cruisers : FANTASQUE, TRIOMPHANT
Submarine Depot Ship : GUSTAVE ZEDE
Submarines : CREOLE, LAUBIE, BOUAN, MILLE
Netherlands
Cruiser : TROMP
Sloop : JOHANN MAURITIS
Destroyer : PIET HEIN
Radar Training Ship : SOEMBA
Maintenance Ship : VULKAAN
Escort Vessel : QUEEN WILHELMINA
Submarines ZEEHAND, TIGER HAAY
Brief
details given ….
BRITISH
IMPLACABLE (Aircraft Carrier); Completed August 1944;
23,000 tons (32,000 tons full); Complement 2,000;
766.1 ft x 95.8 ft x 29.3 ft draft; 32 knots
VICTORIOUS (Aircraft Carrier); Completed May 1941; 23,000 tons;
Complement, 1,600; 753 ft x 95 ft x 24 ft draft; 31 knots
THESEUS (Light Fleet Carrier); Completed January 1946; 13,350 tons;
Complement 850 (peace) excluding Air Squadron personnel;
695 ft x 112.5 ft (across flight deck) x 21.3 ft draft; 25 knots
ANSON (battleship); 35,000 tons (average about 44,650 tons full);
Complement, 1,558 (peace); 1,900 (war); 745 ft x 103 ft x 27.9 ft draft;
Completed June 1942; Speed on trials exceeded 28 knots easily;
Inclusive cost of armament has been officially stated as £2,900,000
SUPERB (cruiser); Completed July 1945; 8,000 tons;
Complement 790 (peace), 1,000 (war); 555 ft x 64 ft x 21 ft draft; 31.5
knots
DIADEM (cruiser); Completed January 1944;
5,700-5,770 tons (7,400 tons full); Complement 535-551;
512 ft x 50.5 ft x 18.6 ft; 32 knots
CLEOPATRA (cruiser); Completed November 1941; 5,772 tons;
Complement 530-556; 512 ft x 50.5 ft x 17.8 ft; 32 knots
MAIDSTONE (submarine depot ship); Completed May 1938;
9,000 tons; 574 ft; 17 knots; Complement 502
BLACK RANGER (oiler); 3,417 tons gross; 355 ft; 12 knots
AGINCOURT, JUTLAND, BAHOSA, AlSNE (Battle class destroyers)
2,400 tons; 379 ft x 40 ft x 13 ft; 34 knots; Complement, 268 (peace)
337 (war)
SOLEBAY, CADIZ, SLUYS, GAUBARD, ST. K1TTS (Battle class destroyers)
2,315 tons; 379 ft x 40.5 ft x 12.8 ft; 34 knots;
Complement 235 (peace), 337 (war)
BATTLEAXE, SCORPION, CROSSBOW (Weapon class destroyers)
1,980 tons; 365 ft x 38 ft x 12.5 ft; 34 knots; complement 234
CONTEST (C class destroyer); 1,710 tons
FRENCH
ARROMANCHES (Light Fleet Carrier) - Formerly HMS COLOSSUS
Completed November 1944 ( on the Tyne ); 13,190 tons; 18,040 tons full;
complement 1,350; 694.5 ft x 80.2 ft x 23 ft draft; 25 knots
This ship has been lent to the French Navy for five years from August
1946, with the option to purchase this year or 1951, in order that training in
naval flying may be conducted on up-to-date lines.
GEORGES LEYGUES, GLOIRE, MONTCALM (cruisers);
Completed December 1938; 7,600 tons; 10,850 full;
Complement 674 (peace), 764 (war); 580 ft x 57 ft; 31 knots
GUSTAVE ZEDE (submarine depot ship); Ex-German SAAR;
2,710 tons; 308 ft x 44 ft x
14ft; acquired from U.S. Navy October 1947
LE
TR10MPHANT, LE FANTASQUE (light Cruisers)
2,569
tons; 3,230 tons full; 434 ft 39 ft x 14 ft; 37 knots; complement 220
LE LORRAIN (destroyer); 1,300 tons; 1,780 full;
319 ft x 30 ft x 8 ft; 32 knots;
complement 158
HOVA, TUNISIEN, MAROCAIN, ALGERIEN (Senegalais class frigates)
1,300 tons; 1,750 tons full; 300 ft x 36.9ft x 10 ft; 19 knots;
complement 185
L’ESCARMOUCHE, CROIX DE LORRAINE ("Adventure" class frigates)
1,400 tons full; 305 ft x 36 ft x 12 ft; 19 knots; complement, 140
NETHERLANDS
TROMP (cruiser); Completed August 1938; Complete refit 1946;
4,200 tons; 4,900 full; 433 ft x 40.8 ft x 15 ft draft; 30 knots
VULKAAN (maintenance ship); 9,173 tons, 10,270 full;
441 ft x 57 ft x 21 ft; 11 knots
SOEMBA (Radar training ship)
1,683 tons; 248 ft x 37 ft x 11 ft; 15 knots
PIET HEIN (destroyer); 1,796 tons, over 2,500 tons full;
362 ft x 35 ft x 10 ft; 34 knots; complement 232
QUEEN WILHELMINA (patrol
vessel); 280 tons; 173 ft x 23 x 6 ft
20 Knots; complement, 55
Raymond
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