Family & Friends

Crew Member	Contact	Relationship	Information
Reuben Bradley	Kathryn Venn	Daughter	Kathryn was the first person I contacted about the Halcyons (Sharpshooter). She set up a site containing many photo's of her father and the crew. This was the inspiration for this site. Bill Burn
Vic Webster	Mark Webster	Son	`My father Vic Webster and his twin brother Ron Webster both served on H.M.S. Sharpshooter together. Vic's service No was JX397458 I am unsure of Ron's at this time but will let you know if I find out. Vic and Ron joined together at Chatham 4th Jan 1943 and both joined the Sharpshooter on 29th April 1943 and remained with her until 2nd May 1946 as boatswains. Being twins they used to get up to all sorts of mischief.`
Alan Keech	`Thank you very much for making a rainy Sunday a most enjoyable day. I am Alan James Keech the Leading Writer on HMS Sharpshooter from 3rd Jan 1946 to 13th July 1947; my official number was C/MX.753425 and my date of birth is 23rd Nov 1927. I am extremely proud to have served on Sharpshooter and to have been connected, in a small way, with the brave history of the Halcyon class minesweepers. Is there anything you would like me to contribute to your fascinating website?` [Alan subsequently sent a lot of information that he confirmed with Rear Admiral Ritchie to check on a couple of facts]
J E Silby	Clive Howe	Grandson	My grandfather John E. (Bill) Silby LD-5036 served with the Halcyons flotilla as a Torpedo Man RNVR (Chatham) throughout the war. Early war service was as AA Gunner attached to merchant ships. He served onboard the Skipjack and manned the ships' boat at Dunkirk ferrying troops from the beach. He survived her sinking at Dunkirk (12 hours in water before being picked up) and returned to the beaches on commercial vessel as part of a makeshift crew. He was later a member of the crew of HMS Sharpshooter when she rammed and sunk a U-boat. Time away from the Halcyon flotilla was spent on X-Craft Submarines and Torpedo Boats. He died 1998. A wife, 2 daughters, 3 grandsons survived him. Best wishes with the site - I shall be applying for my grandfather's Artic Emblem. Regards Clive Howe Bingham, Notts. My grandfather had a copy of 'Out Sweeps' Lund & Ludlam which I now keep, he remarked on how he could clearly remember some of the individuals who recall their stories within the book. I'm sure your father and my grandfather would have known each other onboard the Sharpshooter. I believe they regarded the whole flotilla as their family, and mourned the loss of any. He once recalled how he had been the member of a funeral party in Russia (poss. Archangel) for one of the crew (poss. Sharpshooter). His said that the grave had been dug into deep compact snow by local people, and he felt great sorry at leaving a comrade behind in such an inhospitable place, they all wished to return to ship (and home) as soon as possible. Unfortunately he recalled the Russians as being in no way grateful to them for their efforts with the convoys, and that Russian ports could be dangerous places for them whilst ashore.
F Taylor	Geoff Taylor	Son	Seek and ye shall find. I have been searching for information on HMS Sharpshooter for quite some time, with very little success. My dad served on Sharpshooter during WW11 and was part of the company when U655 was rammed. All I can remember was being shown, many years ago, a picture of the crew from a local newspaper clipping celebrating the sinking. The clipping had disappeared from our archives, it went to someone else when my grandmother died, and the local newspaper (Ashton Under Lyne Reporter) does not have anything in the archives. I would welcome any information you may have about this episode, especially if your dad had some pictures. We are living in Canada, just 25 miles east of Toronto in the town of Ajax, named after HMS Ajax, all street names are ship or crew names from vessels which took part in the Battle of the River Plate (HMS Ajax, Achilles and Exeter).
F J Brockwell	Robin Brockwell	Son	By chance I entered my father’s name on the Internet and it matched with an entry on your site. On checking his Certificate of Service record, his Official No KX 129865 matches with that shown. From his service record it appears that my father was assigned to HMS Sharpshooter from 1^st November 1941 until his release on 2^nd May 1946. Unfortunately, I don’t have more any details of his service or stories of incidents, other than knowing that he went on convoys to Russia and served in the Mediterranean. Are there any details that you could provide of what work HMS Sharpshooter was involved and anything that you could add about my father. I have been researching my ancestors and putting together a history, it would be wonderful if I could include this information.... I have now had a chance to look at the site and I must say I’m very impressed. I mentioned to my mother that I had found Dad’s name on your site and also the information it held. She passed to me a number of documents and pictures of Dad’s war service and has agreed that they may be added to your site if you feel that they are relevant.The most important of which I feel is the HMS Sharpshooter poem.
A Prigmore	Steve Prigmore	Son	My father, who has recently passed away, served on HMS Sharpshooter from 12th September 1947 until 17th August 1948 and amongst his many albums of his times in the Royal Navy are quite a few photos of HMS Sharpshooter. Some photos are of Sharpshooter at Chatham undergoing a refit in dry dock, which may predate his time on the ship. I would be happy to send copies of these to you with all the information that I have, including his certificate of service.. Excellent website - I have thoroughly enjoyed the content. [Steve subsequently sent numerous photos of Sharpshooter post war]
Maurice S Aldridge	Joan Aldridge	Wife	My husband died in 1999. He served on P68 or Sharpshooter 1941 to 1942 in the Arctic Waters until they rammed a German submarine, for which they were met at the docks by the late King George and Queen for which they decorated the Captain. My husband was a Quartermaster. His mate was a Fred Hardy who lived in Bath, but has also died. He has received his Arctic Medal, or at least I have received it for him. I know the ship had a refit in Cardiff Docks, but returned to Scotland after ramming the sub. Maurice had a picture painted for him of the Sharpshooter going to ram the sub. It was painted by an artist who was also in the Navy. Regards Joan Aldridge, June 2007 Maurice Aldridge , my grandfather ! Please see 4th from the right , 3rd row back on the right side of the crew photograph Kieran Edwards Jan 2009
Charles J Willis	Marie Worton	Daughter	...just to let you know that 'Photo N' is Charles James Willis, Leading Stoker, CKX 103859. Thank you for putting all this info up it was so lovely to see Dad in his younger days. Unfortunately he passed away two years ago, aged 84. He always told us abut his Navy days and how Sharpshooter rammed the U boat. He was coming down some steps at the time and fell and cut his knee, and had to have 18 stitches. Hope this info helps. Thanks again, Marie Worton (July 2007)
John T Blackwell (Jack)	Michael Blackwell	Son	My father John T. Blackwell, known to his family and friends as Jack, served as a stoker on HMS Sharpshooter from 1941 until after the vessel returned to the U.K. from the Mediterranean in the autumn of 1944. He was born in 1908 and died in 1981 and apart from his war service worked as a butcher in his family business until he retired. I have often wondered how a butcher was selected to become a stoker. I was six years old when he entered the Navy and clearly remember the few occasions when he came home on leave in Navy uniform. I was therefore able to identify him in the photograph on your website, in the gallery from Katherine Venn, i.e., Photo E with the caption 'Probably Malta - unknown sailors'. John (Jack) Blackwell is on the left with the pipe. After the war, my father occasionally during the course of a family meal would mention incidents which occurred whilst he was serving on HMS Sharpshooter. He recounted the ramming and sinking of a U-boat in the Arctic and a collision with another ship off Iceland, both incidents causing serious damage to Sharpshooter. He also spoke about the dreadful weather conditions and going ashore in the Russian Ports. He also spoke about the German raid on Bari Harbour and seeing the sea on fire after the ammunition ship and other vessels blew up. I also remember him telling us about Malta and shore leave in Alexandria and on another occasion visiting Jerusalem. Jan 2008
Ron Edwards	My name is Ronald (Ron) Edwards, service number C/MX92917 and I served on the Sharpshooter as Shipwright 4th Class from 20th July 1947 until 31st December 1948. This was during the time the ship was surveying in Borneo and the North Sea. I believe the attached photo was taken off Sheerness on December 19th when we returned to Chatham from the Far East (you can see the forts in the background). The second was taken leaving Lowestoft where we spent most weekends. I am now 82 years of age and your write-up bought back many happy memories of my time on the ship. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you feel I could contribute to your Sharpshooter page. December 2008