40 I DECEMBER 6, 2020 THE SUNDAY TIMES OF MALTA THE SUNDAY TIM.ES OF MALTA DECEMBER 6, 2020 I 41 LIFE A.ND WELLBEING The Maltese rating who lost his life on HMS Kipling SAVIOUR AZZOPARDI HMS ;Kipling was 'laumdhed -on Chairman, January 19, 1939, by Elsie Glarac Bambridge, daughter of the Association author Rudyard Kipling, whose Malta own son had been killed in WWI. PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA.ORG

The naval connection between 'tbe'Mahere·am\1\relftuys\~ can be seen and felt around the Maltese islands. The effect that the British forces had on our his­ tory and family life is also evi­ dent when in conversation, as it seems that every household had at some time in the past had a family member in the British forces, whether it be Army, Navy or Air Force. In my role as chairman of the In 1941, Kipling took General Wladyslaw Sikorski, Commander of the Free Polish Army to Glarac Association, I come across Tobruk to inspect the Polish troops fighting alongs ide the British and Australian forces. Here John DolJd manning the forward guns on board HMS Kipling. This the many stories concerning he is seen talking to t he captain on board the Kipling on their way to Tobruk. . was also one of the most exposed gun positions on these ships. navy and families that are still searching for answers to their many questions. Unfortunately, Like myself, Robert finds it Ki.pling, Lt Peter Fyers Turner, a and subsequently the defence The damage to the Kiplingpre­ direct competition with none when the British forces left Malta hard to see blank spaces next to highly decorated naval officer, of Crete. vented it from travelling at more other than one of the greatest in 1979, information regarding a person's name. With no photo­ who had lost his lire on the Kipling Apart from the visits t o Malta, than half speed with the upper goalkeepers of Maltese football, Maltese members was taken graphs, and sometimes no family and had held a Maltese passport. generally as an escort vessel but decks crowded with survivors, Wenzu Cabaretta. Dodd and back to the UK. This makes it information, it is as if the person HMS Kipling was a 'K Class' also on offensive missions, HMS many of whom were wounded Cabaretta went head to head hard for researchers to look up never existed or belonged to any­ vessel launched on January 19, .Kipling was one of a number of and in poor shape. Lord Mount­ competing in highjump and shot any information regarding fam­ one. He asked me if I could help 1939, by Elsie Bambridge, fast destroyers engaged in the batten went around with a note­ put. Cabaretta won the high ily members and specific events to trace one particular Maltese daughter of the author Rudyard supply of the Tobruk garrison_. book to record which of the men jump with Dodd coming second, involving Maltese ratings. I NAAFI rating who had. lost his Kipling, whose own son had undertaking r isky night-time wanted messages sent to their and the latter winning the shot found this out when I started to life on HMS Kipling. been killed in World Wai· I. HMS runs to help land forces and families. With more air attacks put and Cabaretta coming third. look for information regarding a The Maltese sailor in question Kipling saw service in a number evacuate casualties. In Novem­ developing, some of the fitter On January 5, 1942, HMS Maltese rating who. died while is recorded as: Carmelo Sciber­ of theatres, including in the ber 1941, Kipling took General survivors assisted the Kiplin§s Kipling was deployed with HM serving on HMS Kipling. ras, son of Carmelo and Southwest Approaches, assisting Wladyslaw Sikorski, Com­ gun crews to fight off the cruisers Dido, Euryalus, Naiad, I came across HMS Kipling Josephine Sciberras, born on in mine-laying off Brest in order mander of the Free Polish Army bombers, who eventually gave up and HM destroyers Foxl10u11d, through a chance e-mail sent to July 6, 1918, died on May 11, to restrict the key German ships to Tobruk, to inspect the Polish as the gallant Kipling sailed into Gurkba, Kingston and Sisk as Carmelo Sciberras me by Robert Dodd from Hamp­ 1942. He was a NAAFI canteen Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, in troops fighting alongside the· the night. Fifty miles short of Force B for escort of HMS commemorated on Chatham shire in the UK. In his e-mail, assistant and his name is Norway, and subsequently to the British and Australian forces. Alexandria, Kipling ran out of Glengy/e supply ship travelling Memorial panel 67. Dodd told me that he was the recorded on the Royal Navy me­ Mediterranean, where its first In one of the most famous and fuel and had to be refuelled by to Malta. Subsequently, on April archivist of the HMS Kipling So­ morial at Chatham but regret­ arrival in Malta is recorded as commemorated naval incidents HMS Protector, which had been 22-23, 19H, Kipling also took ciety,. which holds annual remem­ tably, NAAFI central records in being on April 28, 1941, to be part of World War II, HMS Kipling sent out to meet them. In Alexan­ part in guarding a convoy bound and is now made up of descen­ brance se..Vices for all the men the UK do not appear to hold any of a flotilla attacking Axis supply sailed from Malta with HMS dria, those crewmen who were for Malta that included HMS dants of the crew, of which only who lost their lives while serving further details about him. routes to North Africa. On May 9, Kelly and HMS Kasllmiron May not wounded were quickly Breconshire and two other mer­ one survivor still alive, Len on the Kipling. His father, John R. I had previously found a photo 1941, it was deployed as cover for 22, 1941, to intercept German in­ drafted to other ships. chant vessels. Chivers. It has been trying to HMS Kipling crew members helping men from HMS Kelly and HMS Dodd, served on HMS Kipling and and information regarding Operation Tiger; it was then in­ vasion craft, and after extensive On May 11, 1942, Kipling, ensure that all those lost at the Kashmir on board after their ships were sunk by enemy fire. was a survivor from its sinking. another crew member of HMS volved in bombarding Benghazi dive bombing of all three vessels, along with Jervis, Jackal and time of the sinking on May 11, HMS Kelly and HMS Kasl11nir "Regrettably NAAFI Lively, were deployed to the 1942, are properly remembered were sunk, leaving HMS Kipling central records in eastern Mediterranean to try and has been researching their A newspaper cutting reporting to rescue 279 survivors, includ­ and intercept an Italian convoy background and seeking to ob­ the athletics event in which ing Lord Louis Mountbatten. theUKdonot en route to Benghazi but came tain some background details John Dodd and Wenzu Three-and-a-half hours after under severe attack from Ger­ and, where possible, a photo. Cabaretta took part. the sinking of HMS Kaslunir and appear to hold any man Ju-88s. During the bomb­ It is with this in mind that the HMS Kelly,_ HMS Ki.pli.11g a11- further details ing, Lively was the first to be society asks the Qublic for helQ peared from below the horizon at sunk, with Jackal and Kipling in tracing Carmelo Sciberras so full speed coming to the rescue. about him'' sinking soon afterwards. During that he too ean be fittingl-y re· As Ki.pling approached, it unfor­ .tl1e intensive attaCk by the JU- membered along with the res.t tunately grazed the sharQ bow of Robert said his father John 88s_, HMS Jervis had become of his shipmates. Any family ·- ~