HMS Speedy 1944 Halcyon Class Minesweeper

Date of Arrival	Place	Date of Departure	Orders, Remarks etc
			4/2 SPEEDY is reallocated to 1^st MSF. On completion of refit about the end of February she should be sailed to Granton for M/S workup. 21/2 Amended completion date now 7/4 ex trials 31/3 Completes
10.4.44	Granton	?	Owing to defects it will be necessary to basin SPEEDY for repairs. Taken in hand for boiler cleaning, completes 30/4
?	Rosyth	8.5.44
9.5.44	Scapa	25.5.44	SPEEDY is defective, completion 23rd
29.5.44	Plymouth	?

HMS Speedy. Streaming the sweep.

HMS Speedy streaming the sweep and releasing carrier pigeon (radio silence) in the preparations for D Day
(Photo Source: David West, son of Roy West, ERA)

HMS Speedy and another Halcyon Class minesweeper HMS Speedy releasing carrier pigeon (radio silence) prior to D Day

Unfortunately, recurrent defects kept SPEEDY in dockyard hands from early June until late September 1944, during which time she was operational for just three days. During the summer of 1944 she operated from Portsmouth with the First Minesweeping Flotilla sweeping the Army supply channels to France.

Source: ADM 101/669

HMS SPEEDY Medical Officer’s Journal 6^th June – 30^th June 1944 (Extracts)

Surgeon Lt G R Findlay

Average numerical strength of the Ship’s Company 141

Number	Name	Age	Rank	Admission	Discharge	No. Days Sick
P/KX 90248	LOWSON F W	26	Sto 1	24.6.44	28.6.44	4
* = sent to hospital
MINOR INJURIES (Cuts, bruises, scalds etc)
P/KX 79398	HARVEY Arthur	34	SPO	23.6.44	27.6.44	4
P/JX 219033	PILKINGTON Thomas	22	AB	18.6.44	23.6.44	5
P/LX 571967	SOUTHERN Frank	18	O/Stwd	27.6.44	30.6.44	3
P/KX 598878	WYTCHERLEY Fred W	19	Sto 1	28.6.44	30.6.44	2

General Remarks

For its former complement of 85 the ship has very excellent accommodation but owing to the inevitable war increase there is a certain amount of overcrowding especially on the seamen’s mess decks. In spite of this a healthy degree of ventilation has been maintained and the general hygienic conditions of the ship and ship’s company remain good.

The sick bay accommodation is very good. There are two cots and ample space to permit of efficient treatment of all attending list cases.

Since taking over medical charge (there being no medical officer on board previously) there has been very little serious illness, only one case being admitted to the sick list.

Medical lectures, so far, have been restricted to talks on first aid to members of First Aid Parties viz: One Sick Berth Attendant one Canteen Manager (both Qualified St John’s Amb Assoc) and three Officer’s Stewards. It is hoped however that operational duties will allow the whole ship’s company to be instructed in elementary first aid and hygiene within the next few weeks. Immunisations and vaccinations will also be brought up to state within that period.

The presence of rats on board has been suspected but no damage has been reported so far.

At Action Stations use is made of the Wardroom and Captain’s Cabin as dressing stations in addition to the Sick Bay. Medical stores and dressings have been distributed in sufficient quantities between these three. One dozen satchels have been obtained from the gunnery store and filled with First Field and Shell Dressings and placed in strategic positions throughout the ship.

Plymouth

18.6.44

20.6.44

Plymouth

20.6.44

Source: ADM 101/669

HMS SPEEDY Medical Officer’s Journal 1^st July– 30^th Sept 1944 (Extracts)

Surgeon Lt G R Findlay

Average numerical strength of the Ship’s Company 140 (on Speedwell 130)

Number	Name	Ship		Rank	Admission	Dis-charge	No. Days Sick
C/JX 639192	ALVIS C	Speedwell		O/Sea	1.9.44	1.9.44	-*
C/JX 55705	FRENCH E F	Speedwell		O/Sea	22.9.44	22.9.44	-*
P/KX 663806	LANGFORD P	SPEEDY		Sto 2	26.8.44	26.8.44	17
C/JX 695566	NEAVE H E	Speedwell		A/AB	11.9.44	11.9.44	-*
C/JX 125207	TYRELL J T	Speedwell		AB	23.9.44	23.9.44	-*
C/JX 176521	WOLSTENHOLME F	Speedwell		AB	15.9.44	15.9.44	-*
* = sent to hospital
MINOR INJURIES (Cuts, bruises, scalds etc)
Speedwell	EVANS Roy George	19	O/Sea		31.7.44	Still in treatment	-*

General Remarks

The ships came under my care in the last week of September. Lectures on simple first aid have been given to the trawlers Colesay and Sir Lancelot which have been in company. On SPEEDY lectures on first aid and hygiene continue to be well attended. Groups of approximately 15 men are taken together. Considerable interest has been shown in the subjects dealt with.

Further to the remarks in my last journal, rats have continued to show their presence and it is proposed to have the ship fumigated at the earliest opportunity.

During the months of August and September frequent opportunities were provided for a variety of sports and the following have been engaged with enthusiasm – cricket, soccer, rugby, water polo and whaler pulling contests.

HMS Speedy Postcard June 1944
(Photo Source: David West, son of Roy West, ERA)

Portsmouth

21.8.44

5/7 Taken in hand for repairs, completes 27/7

10.9.44

Seine

17.9.44

Portsmouth

23.9.44

24.9.44

Harwich

8.10.44

SPEEDY and the 1^st MSF were moved to Harwich to open new swept channels to the Scheldt.

11.10.44

Harwich

17.10.44

Source: ADM 101/669

HMS SPEEDY Medical Officer’s Journal 1^st Oct– 31st Dec 1944 (Extracts)

Surgeon Lt G R Findlay

Average numerical strength of the Ship’s Company 140

Number	Name	Age	Rank	Admission	Discharge	No. Days Sick
P/MX 535462	ASTIN John	35	O/C	-	-	-*
C/JX 35310	BARNFIELD F A	21	AB	13.10.44	13.10.44	-*
P/MX 106361	BRACEGIRDLE Wm Edward	21	L/O	4.11.44	8.11.44	4*
P/JX 702371	CLARKE Jeffery	18	O/Sea	2.11.44	2.11.44	-*
	COOK W G	34	Sub Lt	28.11.44	29.11.44	1*
	DOBSON W J G	18	Midship	4.12.44	8.12.44	4*
P/KX 704020	EDNEY A	27	AB	18.11.44	21.11.44	3*
C/JX 34822	FRYER R P	-	AB	30.10.44	30.10.44	-*
P/LX 730382	HAY James	18	A/O Stwd	10.11.44	17.11.44	7
C/SX 31467	HINE H G	-	L/Sig	5.11.44	8.11.44	3*
P/LX 611156	HYDE Geo. Wm	44	O/Stwd	12.10.44	12.10.44	-*
P/JX 537866	LOCKER Dennis	18	O/Sea	15.12.44	18.12.44	3*
C/KX 95030	McFARLAND H	-	A/SPO	28.12.44	1.11.44	4
LT/JX 353972	NASBY Laurence	21	O/Sea	22.11.44	22.11.44	-*
C/LX 703255	NYE Leslie N	35	O/Stwd	7.11.44	7.11.44	-*
LT/KX 106093	RICHES Frank H	25	Engine Man	10.10.44	10.11.44	-*
P/JX 626944	ROONEY Wm D	20	O/Sea	13.11.44	13.11.44	-*
C/JX 193399	ROSE Douglas	26	AB	24.12.44	26.12.44	-*
C/MX 60382	STEVENS D	-	ERA 3	14.10.44	14.10.44	-*
C/JX 125207	TYRELL J	-	AB	23.10.44	26.10.44	3*
P/JX 273494	WARD Arthur	37	AB	16.12.44	20.10.44	4
P/JX 523470	WEBB Eric James	19	Sig	19.11.44	21.11.44	2*
C/JX 186538	WHITEHEAD G K	-	AB	7.11.44	10.11.44	3
C/JX 570673	WILSON Norman	19	O/Sea	20.10.44	24.10.44	4
C/S 96654	WINCKLES L W	41	AB	13.12.44	13.10.44	0*

* = sent to hospital
MINOR INJURIES (Cuts, bruises, scalds etc)
LT/JX 281901	HOLLINGSBEE Jack Horace	20	AB	8.12.44	12.12.44	4

General Remarks

The general health of the ship’s company remains good in spite of the overcrowded conditions on the mess decks referred to in previous journals. Advantage of circumstances is being taken at present to improve and rearrange the slinging billets and to increase the amount of ventilation on the lower decks.

Additional cupboards are also being fitted to the bulkheads in the sick bay so that the amount of free deck space may be increased to the maximum in order that more room may be available when the portable operating table is in use.

HMS Harrier and HMS Speedwell have also been under my care as tenders during the last quarter and again a satisfactory standard of health maintained.

Small groups (on average of six ratings) of volunteers have been given non-technical talks on such subjects as Resuscitation, Blood Transfusion and Blood Grouping, Administration of Anaesthetics, with as many practical illustrations as possible. A fair knowledge of simple First Aid is had by most of the ship’s company but these smaller discussion groups of men who have a real interest in the subject seem to help more than anything else to maintain efficiency. During the daily sick parades I have been struck by the difference in attitude of the men if some simple explanation of the mode of action of the particular treatment is given.

Approximately two dozen rats of small size have been caught in traps. In an effort to get rid of them completely the ship is to be fumigated during the next few weeks.

21.10.44

Dover

Intend SPEEDY to be taken in hand 27/10 at Harwich, completion 1/11

24.10.44

Harwich

3.11.44

7.11.44

Harwich

11.11.44

20.11.44

Harwich

28.11.44

7.12.44

Harwich

15.12.44

Intend to take SPEEDY in hand for boiler cleaning 9/12, completion 14/12

21.12.44

Source: ADM 199/153 (Extracts)

Date: 26^th December 1944
From: The Commanding Officer, HMS Gleaner
To: Commander in Chief, The Nore

Subject: Minesweeping Reports No. 2 and 4

REPORT No. 2

Thursday 21^st December 1944

Searching sweep of channel from NF3 to 53F buoys.

Speedwell, Halcyon, SPEEDY, Seagull with dan layer Foday.

Wind variable. Sea and swell 10. Weather misty.

Moored mine swept up, not sunk. Lost in poor visibility.

Speedwell parted port sweep on what is believed to be the wreck marked PA in position 51°21’N, 2° 13’E. This puts the wreck approximately one mile to westward of charted position.

REPORT No. 4

Speedwell swept up one moored mine believed German, believed GR. Apparently new, black paint. 51° 21’ 42” North. 2° 12’ 42” East. Charted depth 14 fathoms. 21^st December 1944 1342A, no evidence to suggest that mine was dragged before being cut.

H A King, Lt Commander RNVR

Senior Officer (borne in Speedwell during this operation)

_______

HMS Shearwater on patrol during night of 18^th/19^th December reported that E-boats had been encountered and had possibly laid mines in the vicinity of 51° 21’ 30” N, 02° 10’ 40” E.

A search of QZS 596 was therefore ordered and this was carried out by 1^st Minesweeping Flotilla on 21^st December, one moored mine being cut as in Minesweeping Reports 2 and 4.

A danger area was then declared and this area was subsequently cleared by the 18^th MSF, five moored mines being swept, all to the eastward of the original one.

Admiral of the Fleet
The Nore

6^th January 1945

Harwich

22.12.44

Rosyth

10.4.45

29/12 SPEEDY can be taken in hand for refit forthwith

HMS Speedy 3.4.44 IWM FL 3100 - Halcyon Class Minesweeper
HMS Speedy 3.4.44 (IWM FL 3100)