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OCT 1943 — MAR 1945
The following are the excerpts from the wartime diary of P/JX 380709 A/LS A.B. John Dolphin
All dates are first arrival.

October 21st 1943 “BARI ITALY” Perfect Adriactic.
Very near the 8th Army’s Front Line we have been joined by yet another Destroyer “HMS ILEX”. Same thing here daytime help the Army, night time out, over and up the Coast Line of “YUGOSLAVIA” looking for German Shipping.
While we were out one night, “BARI HARBOUR” was bombed with the loss of 17 Ships. “HMS QUAIL” was mined while entering Harbour a week previous. We lost our Sister Ship “QUAIL”. We left the Harbour at 1800 Hrs.

DAWN “SANGRO ESTUARY” Hazy with smoke.
“A FAKED COMMANDO LANDING” For a while the 8th Army came to a halt, it was at a large river, on the other side German Tanks.

November 20th “SANGRO RIVER”
Staged a Dummy Landing 2 Ships “HMS QUEENBOROUGH” and “HMS RAIDER” sailed in with black smoke coming out of our funnels to within ½ mile range of the river mouth at Dawn.We fired every Gun we had at the German side of the river. Jerries withdrew, got out Tanks across. From the ARMY HQ a letter of ‘Jolly Good Show’.

November 17th 1943 “MANFREDONIA ITALY” Sunny Adriatic
BRING YOUR OWN GUNS WITH YOU.
A harbour just behind our front line, to call in for Orders for future bombardments to help the 8th Army, also to keep our fresh water tanks full for we are about to take with us on night patrols. Some 8th Army lads, who have asked to come in with us while they are on their rest leave (It was a good nosh-up they were after, plus sippers of rum). I thought that “JIMMY LEE” would have been one.

While in “MALTA” after escorting the bombed “WARSPITE” there. For some reason we alone were ordered to paint the whole Ship PURPLE before going up into the “ADRIATIC” from then on we were known as “THE PURPLE TERROR”.
To get to “PALASTINE” we had a train ride from “ALEX to “TEL-AVIV” over the SINAI” desert. Was hot during the day and cold at night. No glass in these trains.

December 2nd 1943 “BARI HARBOUR”
German Luftwaffe Raiders from “YUGOSLAVIA” explodes ‘GENERAL DOLITTLE’S’ Ammunition (M Gas Bombs for 15th US 8th Strategic Air Force) Ships, killing many MN Sailors, sinking 17 Ships “BARI” time of raid 1935 until 1950 hrs.

December 15th 1943 “ALEXANDRIA EGYPT” very warm during the day cold at night.
After those hectic 6 months in the “MED” the Ship needs a boiler clean and the crew a rest. Half the Ships Company go on leave for 7 days. The other half start cleaning and painting Ship until they return. Some men spent their leave in “CAIRO”, the rest in “JERUSALEM”. I had 7 wonderful days spent looking around the “HOLY LAND” from our 179 Army leave camp at “NATHANYA” with orange groves.

BIG GUNS OR DIVE BOMBERS?
After our refit in “ALEX” we, and “HUNT CLASS” Destroyers had Patrol work off “TURKEY” to do around the Islands of “KASOS”.
“KARPATHOS” and “RHODES” all known as the “DODECANESE” but we were stopped from going up there after 7 Destroyers failed to return off Patrol. The Destroyers (Hunt Class) were Greek manned. One a night for 7 nights failed to return.
February 10th 1944 “SUEZ CANAL EGYPT” Sunny and hot.
I was a helmsman for 9 months (QM) passed through the canal (Dawn) on our way to the FAR EAST. I was QM at the time of passing through and did 4 hours at the wheel, the passage through took all day. 2 Days later we had gone right down the “RED SEA” with lights on, Port Holes Open and no fear of Subs. This was the only Sea this could be done in war time at night. Sea air at night coming into our Mess Decks was a welcome change.

February 12 — 17th 1944 “ADEN South Yemen” Very hot and windy.
The Governor General cam onboard “HMS QUEENBOROUGH” to be taken on his round of inspection of “PRIM”, DJIBOUTI” and “BERBERA” all in British and French “SOMALILANDS” which we were greeted with each visit with a Band. So many hours stay in each Port with no leave given. On the way back to “AśŮˇĄąˇâ€ we called at a weather station called “CAMEL” in the “RED SEA” when we dropped anchor here, “CAMEL” in the “YEMEN” well over the 100s this was no doubt the ‘HOTTEST’ place so far.

“AśŮˇĄąˇâ€
The Troopship Cooks had orders to make for “QUENBOROUGH’S” crew a huge cake. That went down well on arrival at “AśŮˇĄąˇâ€ For safe escort, and the Wrens, ATS, WRAF’s and Crew gave us a grand wave, and fingers up (Not like That! Like that ‘V’).

February to March 1944 “INDIAN OCEAN” Perfect and tropic.
On completion of the Governor’s inspection we proceeded to “INDIA” “BOMBAY” to escort out a Troopship (name has left me) to take to the following places “COCHIN” then onto “MOMBASA” KENYA and it was here we had 7 days leave. Then onto “DIEGO SUAREZ” MADAGASGAR, pass the “SEYCHELLES” on our way to “AśŮˇĄąˇâ€ with her. After leaving the Troopship there we refuelled and set off for “CEYLON”.

March 19th 1944 “COLUMBO JETTTY” CEYLON Tropic very hot.
A chest of Ceylon tea could be sent to you home for just ÂŁ2 from here. My pay was just ÂŁ4 every two weeks. We now join up with the 4th Destroyer Flotilla in Harbour, after 2 days rest up we all 8 Fleet Destroyers go out to sea to drop over every depth charge we had.

Then after the last was exploded we all turned to head back to harbour. We returned through our own wakes all the way back slowing down to pick up fresh fish that the hundreds of charges had killed. There was every kind of fish you could think of on the surface, a line and a bucket to bring them inboard. We had fish for days after.

Them charges were TNT then replaced by RDX powder ones in Port. RDX had more power than TNT. RDX — Research Department Formula ‘X’.

March 25th 1944 “TRINCOMALEE” CEYLON Perfect and tropic.
MANY SWIMS
This is one of the Worlds most finest natural harbours in the eastern waters. We have now joined the “Far Eastern Fleet” flag ship “HMS RENOWN” (see below).

During the 9 months that we used this harbour for our base the following has happened. ‘D’ Day Landings, a new floating dock sinks in “TRINCO” harbour with “HMS VALLIANT” in it at the time. I was sent on “HMS RENOWN” in ‘Y’ Turret for 3 weeks 15” Gun Training. On Car-nicobari Islands raid, north of “SUMATRA”.

May 19th 1944 “EXMOUTH GULF AUSTRALIA”
NO ONE SET FOOT ASHORE
First time we set eyes on “AUSTRAILIA” “SECRET RENDEZVOUS”
No one left their ships here, There was nothing but a red dusted shoreline in the Gulf that sheltered this big Fleet while drinking the Tankers dry like sows with a liter of piglets. It was over “SUMATRA” and “JAVA” that we saw the most wonderful sunsets ever we have seen so far, not to be forgotten.

This was jus a wild uninhabited coast line of “WESTERN AUSTRAILIA”, a Gulf that sheltered our Fleet Oil Tankers and their fast Escorts for a mass Fleet refuel rendezvous.

After we had made attacks on the Jap held Ports of “SABANG” “SUMATRA” and “SURABAIA” JAVA with us was the US Carrier “SARATOGA” and the Dutch Cruiser “TROMP” The Fleet repeated these air raid and strike bombardments on the way back to “TRINCOMALEE”.

“AULD LAND SYNE”
“SARATOEA” affectionately know as “SARA” by every Matelot who served with her. She was unique in many ways, The ‘Oldest’ carrier afloat and the ‘Biggest’ carrier in the World.
For seven weeks she was with the “EASTERN FLEET”. The day she and her three destroyers left the Fleet, big and small close beam she passed down the Port side of the ‘Fleet’ for three cheers. She lies now on the “BIKINI LAGOON” bottom (July 1946 ‘A’ bomb test.

September 4th 1944 “ADDU — ATOLL” “South Islands of Ceylon” Tropic.
‘A SCAPA WITH PALM TREES’
After months of near strikes and bombardments on Jap held Islands we were in this Atoll refuelling when we alone were ordered out to a point in the “INDIAN OCEAN” to look for survivors from a torpedoed Oil Tanker.

We were known to be the fastest destroyer in the Fleet, 38 knots +. We got there and looked all day and all night even with search lights on. We found nothing at all, on sending out on the RT this fact our new orders were to proceed to “FREEMANTLE”.

‘CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS’ Bloody hot.
U.S.N and R.N. submariners were getting along fine in the hot west coast base, until we arrived!? A Destroyer and only one amongst subs so it had to be when we got our shore leave for a few hours in their club, we were not welcomed so we left our calling card, a wrecked club and a few bloody noses (both sides).

November 22nd 1944 “FREEMANTLE WESTERN AUSTRALIA” Dry and sticky.
This is a “British” and U.S.N. submarine base for the “INDIAN OCEAN” hunting grounds. Calling in this Harbour for water, veg and fuel we all thought we had to return to “TRINCO”, but what a grand surprise to us all when the orders were to proceed to “SYDNEY” (civilization at last) YARHOO.

We had a very rough passge through the “GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT”, when we got between “NEW ZEALAND and “AUSTRALIA”, we were OK.

A WATER MELON RELAXING
PUB TIMES 4 till 6pm
“SYDNEY” had been a “UNITED STATES” NAVEL BASE” up to us coming in and no rain for 7 years here in N.S.W. (quote Sydney Mirror) what 9 months “TRINCOMALEE” and “INDIAN OCEAN” duty can do to some men, but the girls here went ‘NUTS’ for us BRITISH.

November 28th 1944 “SYDNEY N.S.W. Perfect.
“GARDEN ISLAND” Nr Bridge. We found ourselves the only BRITISH “MAN-O-WAR” SHIP in this ‘MAGNIFICENT HARBOUR”, we were made welcome no matter where we went in the City. We did not know it at the time our Fleet was weeks out, and were to join us later. “LOONA PARK” helped as there were 700 marriages while the Fleet was in Sydney.

February 5th 1945 “AUCKLAND NORTH ISLAND NEW ZEALAND” Perfect.
“HMS QUEENBOROUGH, QUIBERON AND QUADRANT” all fast fleet destroyers were singled out of the ‘Fleet’ to escort our ‘FLAGSHIP’ “HMS HOWE” (Battleship) with the ‘C-in-C on board, Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser of the “PACIFIC FLEET”

“AUCKLAND’S” Town Hall had things laid on for the crews of these four ships (I have a photo of these 4 Ships coming into “AUCKLAND SOUND”), through and thanks to the N.Z. Army Transport Coy we stayed in “AUCKLAND”for 5 marvellous days. Nice people and place including a Garden Party at a road side Inn. Girls were there waiting for the Sailors.

April 7th 1945
“YAMATO” Sunk by US NAVY DIVE BOMBERS
The Japanese pride of their navy came out from “JAPAN” to put up her last fight off “OKINAWA” but even though the B.P.F. and U.S.N. altered course to intercept her before she and her five escorting Destroyers could reach the Beach Head they were all sunk by the US Carrier Force, half way between “JAPAN” and “OKINAWA”. Thus deprived the allied Battleships the last big Ship to Ship action of the war.

February 10th 1945
THE FLEET’S IN and 7 days leave given out for everyone> Mine was spent on a ‘SHEEP STATION’ some 300 miles in the Bush the Holcombes, Mr and Mrs J Holcombe, The Gardens, WEE WAA N.S.W. Our pennant No G70 is changed to the American system to D19 while in the Pacific Zone. After the war the ‘RN’ adopted it ‘D’ for Destroyer ‘F’ for Frigate.

March 7th 1945 “PITYILU MANUS ADMARALTY ISLANDS” “EQUATOR” Hot.
“INTO THE PACIFIC” The whole of the B.P.F. sailed out of “SYDNEY” to head into the “PACIFIC” to meet up with the “American Pacific Fleet” F58 for something big.

We refuelled here in “MANUS” Some Japs were still on the Islands in the hills, all Guns must be at the ready while our stay lasted in this near Japan Islands. We watched the ‘Sea Bees’ making an Air Strip over the Atoll here.

First time I saw a machine called a ‘Cat Skinner’.

“MANUS” “THE FORGOTTTTEN FLEET” (British Pacific Fleet)
Its Monsoon weather, the rain is very warm and it sure does come down fast and heavy. The lads with “Prickly Heat” are running starkers around the “Flat Tops” our lads on the destroyers are just letting it run off them on the upper decks. Rain is good for anyone with Prickly Heat.

March 20th 1945 “ULITHI LAGOOON CAROLINE ISLAND Perfect evening.
We have now met up with the A.P.F. here, along with hundreds of assault ships with thousands of GIs aboard them. When we entered this Atoll like harbour line astern there was a loud cheer as we sailed closer to their Fleet.

In Naval History we were the LARGEST ALLIED FLEET EVER ASSEMBLED in one place, for the last landings of the war. TASK FORCE F58(US) and us F57(RN) plus ASSAULT SHIPS from the Islands. No one knew it was the last at the time.

As far as the eye could see Ships of every type the scale of Battle in which we are about to take part in was with us. More to meet up with at Sea converging on “OKINAWA” from “SAN FRANCISCO, GUADALCANAL LEYTE and SAIPAN”, in all a joint expeditionary force of 1,400 ships, 828 assault ships and 182,000 Troops.

March 27th 1945
At Sea non stop 31 days decoy force South of “OKINAWA”

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