91�ȱ�

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Mairi Campbell of the 91�ȱ� on behalf of Mr Stuart Pert and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

H.M.S. “Kelantan” which was to be my home for the next two years and 2 months , was originally a Cargo Vessel of 9000 tons and hired as a Patrol Vessel in 1941, and became a Minesweeper Depot Ship in 1944. She was fitted with one 4.5 H A Gun on foredeck, also two Orlekan A/A Guns, Midships and two light Machine Guns on Bridge. She had two cargo/maintenance holds with a crane to be used for lifting /offloading paravanes for use on Minesweepers.

She was stationed at Portsmouth/and Spithead, for easy turnaround of minesweepers as a store ship for M/S Ferrying Sweeping Gear to the beachhead at Normandy. Kelantan was taken as a part of the British Pacific Fleet (B.P.F.) train and sailed out to the Pacific to continue her duties for Minesweeping supply ships in a new area of conflict. She was a comfortable, but quite old ship, and has Mess decks for Crew, and Cabins for Officers.

Some of my lighter moments in out Voyage to the Pacific include ones time off duty (whether during the Day or Early Evening) was spent up on the Bow Area looking ahead and seeing many “Flying Fish” and Dolphins skipping ahead of our bow waves, we had a cruising speed of about 12 knots. The Climate was so hot that when we got our heads down (turned in at night in our hammocks) we would “sling” our hammocks on the bulkheads up on deck and lie gazing over the ocean at the going down of the sun and looking at the clear moonlight nights, our only problem doing this “chore”! was that we had to get up at 6.30am in the morning and “clear the decks” so that our Seamen Mates could swab the decks in readiness for the new day.

A Stokers Dutywas to be in the Boiler Room, The Engine Room and the Generator Room at all times during their watch were varied, as herewith: 12am — 4pm/or 4am — 8am/ or 8am-12noon/or 12noon -4pm/ or 4pm — 8pm/ or 8pm — midnight. Time duties on = 4 hours time duties off = 8 hours. I remember the one and only time I was caught oof duty by my Petty Officer, was when I thought I would do a bit of “Dobbying” (washing some smalls) on a midnight watch, and the Duty PO caught me red handed and put me on Charge to see the No1 (First Officer) the next day! I pleaded guilty of the charge and I was given 7 days confined to barracks. Now how was I to stay in barracks while the ship was on the ocean? I don’t know, but I served my sentence willingly, and did not lose sleep over it. Also while we were off duty, we would do some “make and mend” chores, or write letters home.

Occasionally as I mentioned already, we could use some soare time in the work shops down below, and make vaious trinkets for fun, and to pass the time away. After we had been in Australian waters for a little while, I fashioned a silver bracelet from Australian penny bits dated 1939-40,41-42,43-44, all KG VI head and linked it with a small silver chain, also used a file and rasp to fashion a copper kangaroo from an Australian one penny piece, (both of these trinkets are still in my possession).

While calling at some of the islands, we were allowed time on shore to do some swimming, but sometimes we would jump overboard and splash at random, fortunately we never saw any sharks!

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