Issue 23 1

Brave Report

Winston Churchill inspecting the survivors of the HMS Hardy on 19 at the Horse Guard Parade at Whitehall. Robert McAtamney from Carrickfergus is third from right

Carrickfergus survivor of Battle of

RN - In Remembrance Issue 23 2

HMS Hardy

Robert McAtamney from Carrickfergus served in HMS Hardy at the first Battle of Narvik in April 1940. He survived ship wreck. With his fellow survivors, he met Winston Churchill and was recognised by a presentation in his home town.

Robert, known as Bobby, was one of six boys from the same family who fought in the war. They became known as the fighting McAtamney’s as they represented the Army, Navy and Airforce. Although three of them were wounded, all came home safe after the war.

Bobby, an Able Seaman at the time of the Battle of Narvik, was only twenty years old at the time. Bobby had a lucky escape when he was hit by RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 3

Tubby Cox taking the parade of survivors.Even after all that they had been through their humour was still high shrapnel. It took his top lip off but, it could just as easily been his head. He plunged in to the icy waters and as he swam ashore he noticed another ship mate Tubby’ Cox floating unconscious in the water and dragged him to safety. They had a laugh about it afterwards, as Bobby said that Tubby only floated because of his size. After the ship had blown up and he and the rest of the survivors were led to safety, he

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 4 was given a ski suit, and that’s what he wore to come home.

Presentation in Carrickfergus Town Hall

The McAtamney’s were a well liked family in Carickfergus, and when news of the Battle of Narvik became known, everybody was worried for Bobby and kept asking his parents for any news. When he finally came home, the town was decorated with flags and bunting and all the town’s people lined the streets to welcome him home. At a ceremony at the Town Hall he was presented with a watch and a ring. When asked

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 5 how he felt, he said” that he would look back on this day with pride”.

Bobby Mc Atamney stayed in the Navy until 1960, and rose to the rank of Petty Officer. Although he loved the life, he had got married in 1958 and he found the long separations a bit too much to bear so he left the Navy and went to work at Courtaulds. It was at the factory in 1974 that he suffered a heart attack and died. He was only fifty four years of age. He left a son and daughter, and was sadly missed by many in the town as he was so well liked.

Narvik in a nutshell

Narvik is an iron ore port in the north of and it was one of the key reasons why Germany invaded the country. This did not escape Britain and the waters off Narvik became bitterly contested between the and the in the early phases of WW II.

On April 9 Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. Denmark surrendered. German forces moved north to relieve Narvik which had been

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 6

Hardy washed ashore isolated by the allies after the first German landings. In response to reported German movements, units of the Home Fleet including Rodney, Valiant, Repulse, four cruisers and 14 sailed from and Rosyth. Accompanying them was a French cruiser and two destroyers. Two more British cruisers and nine destroyers left other duties and headed for Norwegian waters. Next day, on the 8th, they were joined by the four troop-carrying cruisers of Operation 'R4', but after the soldiers had been disembarked back in Britain. More than 20 , including three French and one Polish took up positions. RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 7

The first Battle of Narvik commenced on April 10. The 2nd Flotilla under command of Capt. Warburton-Lee, with HM Ships Hardy, Havock, Hostile, Hotspur and Hunter, entered Ofotfiord to attack the German ships assigned to the occupation of Narvik. These included 10 large destroyers. Several transports were sunk together with destroyers Anton Schmitt and Wilhelm Heidkamp in Narvik Bay. Wilhelm Heidkamp was the flagship of Kommodore Bonte, Senior Officer Narvik Destroyer Force. The stern was blown into the air, killing Bonte and eighty of his men. In the ensuing battle the Dieter Von Roeder launched eight torpedoes, none of which scored a hit, but she sustained many hits herself, and later caught fire, as did the Hans Luderman. Whilst all this was going on the Hotspur, which had been guarding the harbour entrance, came alone into the harbour and torpedoed two merchant ships.

Since no German warships had been seen outside the harbour, Warburton-Lee thought he had all the Germans in the bag. He didn't realise that there were another five Destroyers nearby. He turned his vessels at high speed and came back into the harbour to have another go at the RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 8 merchant ships, blazing away with his guns, sinking and damaging six vessels. Up to now he had been incredibly lucky with only Hotspur suffering any hits, but as Warburton-Lee gathered his forces to depart his luck started to change for the worse.

The British Destroyers laid down a thick smoke screen to hide their departure, but as they headed out across the Fjord they ran into the five other German Destroyers as they charged into the . The Georg Thiele and Bernard Von Armin came from Ballanger, and the Erich Giese, Erick Koellner and the Wolfgan Zenker sailed in from the Herjangfjord, surrounding the British Force in a pincer movement. In a fierce battle the five German destroyers fought the five British destroyers with sustained and rapid gunfire. Most of the German gunfire targeted the British Flagship Hardy, which came under fire from two ships, most notably the George Thiele. The Hardy sustained several direct hits and soon burst into flames. When the bridge took a direct hit, Warburton-Lee was severely injured, but before he collapsed he ordered his Flotilla to 'keep on engaging the enemy'.

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 9 Other than Warburton-Lee, nearly everbody on the bridge had been killed except for Paymaster Lt. Geoffrey Standing, the Captain's Secertary. He awoke from the fearful blast to find his foot wounded, the ship out of control and heading for the shore at thirty knots. Since the wheel house was below him and nobody was answering his increasingly desperate orders to put the wheel over, he managed to hop down a ladder to the wheel house and alter course, enough to stop hitting the shore. When he regained the bridge helped by some seamen, he saw that they were now heading for two German destroyers. Since he could not slow down he decided to ram one of them. Luckily for all those left alive on board, whilst he was deciding which one to have a go at, one of the boilers was hit and the engines ground to a halt.

Capt Bernard Warburton-Lee RN was posthumously awarded the Cross.

The Second Battle of Narvik commenced on April 13. The battleship Warspite and nine destroyers were sent into the Narvik fiords to finish off the remaining German ships. U-64 was surprised and sunk by Warspite's Swordfish catapult aircraft as it scouted ahead. The eight RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 10 surviving German destroyers were all destroyed or scuttled. The British “Eskimo” and “Cossack” were damaged. By the 13th, the first British troop convoys had left the Scottish Clyde for Narvik, but some ships were diverted to Namsos. German forces were well-established in the south and centre of Norway and had control of the air.

The first Allied landings took place between the 14th and 16th. In the north, British troops occupied Harstad in preparation for an attack on Narvik. They were reinforced by French and Polish units. They managed to recapture the town in May 1940 – a success that is regarded as the first defeat of German forces on land in WWII. It was not to last, though. Royal Marines led British and French troops into Namsos ready for an attack south towards Trondheim. The British went ashore in the Andalsnes area to try to hold central Norway with the Norwegian Army. Neither of these operations proved possible and on the 27th April the decision was taken to pull out of central Norway.

By May the war had started raging the heaviest in France rather than in Scandinavia. It had got closer to Britain’s doorstep; and the evacuation from Dunkirk was imminent. So the British

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 11 withdrew from Narvik again shortly afterwards, on 8 June, just leaving a cache of rifles and ammunition for the Norwegians to fend for themselves with. On 10 June, Norway had to surrender Narvik to Germany again.

Remembrance

On the 1st of March 2008 HMS Hunter was located by HNOMS Tyr of the , after a 14-hour search of the fjord using some experimental equipment, whilst taking part in an exercise with ships of the Royal Navy. A memorial service was held on Saturday 8th March in the waters above the wreck.

The memorial service consisted of synchronised ceremonies on the deck of each ship present and wreath laying over the site of the wreck. After the ceremony, the ships, HMS Albion, HMS Bulwark, HMS Cornwall, RFA Mounts Bay and NOCGV Andenes, all turned in formation and steamed over the wreck, toasting the crew who perished with a tot of rum poured over the side. As they sailed away, they signalled back by Morse: "Farewell, we'll meet again."

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 12 ROLL OF HONOUR WW1 CARRICKFERGUS, WHITEHEAD AND WHITEHOUSE

BEW, John Vincent RN. RND. Chief Petty Officer. Dev/167694. Anson Battalion. Born Carrickfergus 19/05/1876. Died 06/05/1915. Aged 39. Son of late Charles and Elizabeth Ann Bew. Helles Memorial, Turkey

BOAL, James RN. Petty Officer Stoker. 287397. HMS Valerian. Died 17/05/1919. Age 33. Born . Husband to E. Boal, Warwick Row, Carrickfergus. Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery,

BODELS, Samuel Gunner HMS Westmoreland. Prospect St., Carrickfergus. First Carrickfergus PCI-RH

BOYD, Henry RMLI. Lance Corporal.14258. HMS Lady Cory Wright. Sunk by UC-17 shortly after sailing from Devonport. The Captain and 38 to 41 men were lost. Died 26/03/1918. Ebenezer Villa. Whitehead - PCI RH. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 28.

BROWN, William RNR. Stoker. S444956. HMS Hampshire. Died 05/06/1916. Foster son of Elizabeth O’Neill, Whiteabbey. Naval Memorial, Panel 28

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 13 CHAMBERLAIN, Henry Neville RN. Lieutenant. Died 16/7/1918. Age 31. Serving on HMS Anchusa, a mine-sweeping vessel, which was torpedoed by a German submarine, U54, off the North Coast of Ireland. He lived in Carrickfergus before joining the Royal Navy. Son of the Rev George and D M Chamberlain of The Rectory, Castledawson. Brother in law of Rev Manning, CF, MC., later Archdeacon of Down. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 29. RBAI WM. Carrickfergus WM.

CHAMBERS, Bernard RNR. Stoker. 3353S. HMS Invincible. Died 31/05/1916. Aged 24. Bernard was one of 1026 crew killed on board HMS Invincible when it was sunk during the . Only 6 crew survived. Obituary in Carrick Advertiser 16/6/1916. Son of William and Catherine Chambers, Irish Quarter South, Carrickfergus. Roman Catholic Church, Barns Mills RH. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 23. Carrickfergus WM

COEY, John Smiley RN. Midshipman. HMS Formidable. Died 01/01/1915. Age 16. Son of Edward and Mary R. D. Coey, Merville, Whitehouse. Chatham Naval Memorial. Whitehouse - PCI RH & Larne, Gardenmore - PCI RH

DONALD, Marriott Robert (Martie) RN. Stoker 1st. SS/107927. HMS Hawke. Died 15/10/1914. Born Carrickfergus 25/10/1886. Son of Isabella Donald of Red Brae Cottage and the late Robert Donald. Husband to Bella Donald. Chatham Naval Memorial, Panel 5. Carrickfergus WM

DONNAN, John Ballycarry. Redhall lodge 206. Masonic RH

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 14 DOWNIE, Thomas RN. Stoker 1st Class. SS114250. HMS Retriever. Died 02/04/1920. Age 24. Born Belfast. Husband of Ellen M. Downie, Fair Hill, Ballycarry. Belfast City Cemetery

FERGUSON, William Trimmer. HMS London Bell. Died in hospital. Rockview. Whitehouse - PCI RH

FERGUSON, William Joseph RNR. Trimmer. 7543/TS. HMS Pekin. Died 13/12/1918. Age 19. Son of Joseph and Margaret Ferguson, of Whitehouse, Belfast. Grimsby (Scartho Road) Cemetery.

GARDNER, James Thomas RN. AB. 123062. HMS Bulwark. Accidental explosion in harbour. Died 26/11/1914. Aged 46. Son of late Thomas and May Gardner, Soberton, Hants. Husband of Bertha Gardner, Albert Drive, Carrickfergus. Father of two children. Portsmouth Naval Memorial

GRAHAM, David RN. Stoker 1st. Class. 307260. HMS Hogue. Died 22/09/1914. Age 36. Born Whiteabbey. Son of David and Lizzie Graham, Whiteabbey, Belfast. Chatham Naval Memorial

HAGAN, Michael RNR. Trimmer. 1955ST. HM Trawler Neptunian. Died 27/10/1918. Age 32. Son of James and Bridget Hagan; husband to D. Hagan, Eden, Carrickfergus. Born Greenore, Co. Louth. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 31

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 15 HUNTER, Andrew RNR. Leading Seaman. 3341/C. SS Karnak. Died 14/01/1918. Aged 35. Husband to Nelly Hunter, Nicholson St., Glasgow. Son of Andrew and Annie Hunter, Carrickfergus. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 31

MAXWELL, James RN. Stoker 2nd Class. K24593. HMS Princess Irene. Died 27/05/1915. Age 20. Born Belfast. Son of Joseph and Catherine Maxwell, Barbour St., Greencastle, Belfast. Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 12. Whitehouse - PCI RH

McALLISTER, Andrew Stoker 1st Class. SS103005. HMS Hawke. Died 15/10/1914. Age 24. Born Carrickfergus 1/3/1887. Husband to Susan McAllister, Patterson's Row, Woodburn, Carrickfergus. Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 5. Joymount - PCI RH

McDOWELL, William Leading Seaman. 211344. HM Submarine E5. Died 11/03/1916. Age 33. Born Templecorran, County Antrim. Son of Eliza McDowell, of Milebush, Ballyhill, Carrickfergus, and the late William McDowell. Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Carrickfergus WM

McMAW, Richard RNR. Stoker. HMS Queen Mary. Jutland. Died 31/05/1916. Son of Walter McMaw, Eden, Carrickfergus; husband to Elizabeth McMaw, Eden. Carrickfergus WM. Bully Grennay Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France

McMILLAN, William RNR. Leading seaman. 2855C. SS Henry R James. Died 16/07/1917. Age 39. Son of Annie M McMillan, Schomberg RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 16 St., Carrickfergus. Husband to late Sarah McMillan, Carrickfergus. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 27

McMULLAN, W RN. Leading Seaman. Carrickfergus.

McMURRAN, Henry RN. Stoker 1st Class. SS103004. HMS Cressy. Died 22/09/1914. Age 27. Born Whitehead. Son of James and Margaret McMurran, Sullatober, Carrickfergus. Chatham Naval Memorial, Panel 5. Carrickfergus WM

SMYTH, David RNVR. Sub-Lieutenant. Whitehead. Sinclair Seamen’s - PCI RH

WALLACE, John RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus WM

WOODSIDE, David RN. Stoker 1st Class. K/19058. HMS Hannibal. Died 30/12/1918. Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery. First Islandmagee - PCI RH

WOODSIDE, Thomas RNR. Seaman. 3681C. HMS Fisgard II. Died 17/09/1914. Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 6. First Islandmagee - PCI RH

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 17 WW1 THEY SERVED CARRICKFERGUS, WHITEHEAD AND WHITEHOUSE

ANDERSON, W H RN. Stoker. HMS Serbol. Cranmore Terrace. Whitehouse - PCI RH

BARRY, John RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus. Joymount - PCI RH

BELL, S RMLI. Private. Wounded Zeebrugge. Abbeyville Cottages, Whiteabbey

BELL, William RM. Private. Whiteabbey. Whiteabbey - PCI RH

BOYD, James Petty Officer. HMS Rugby. Wounded. Whitehouse. Whitehouse - PCI RH

BOYD, Robert RN. Sub.Lieutenant. Redhill Masonic Lodge 260, Ballycarry

BOYD, Samuel Stoker. HMS Ophir. Barbour Street. Whitehouse - PCI RH

BURNIE, Samuel Gunner. HMS Centurion. Greencastle. Whitehouse - PCI RH

CAITHNESS, Will RN. Surgeon Probationer. Whitabbey. Whiteabbey - PCI RH RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 18 CARROL, George A. RN. Lieutenant. HMS Alecto. Submarine service. Masonic Lodge 41, Larne. Whitehead - PCI RH

CHARLTON, John Fireman. HMT St. Aubyn. Erskine's Terrace. Whitehouse - PCI RH

CLOSE, Joseph HMS Impereuse. Green Street. First Carrickfergus - PCI RH

CONNELL, Samuel RN. Officer. HMS Vendetta. Whitehead - PCI RH

COULTER, Samuel RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus. Joymount - PCI RH

CRAIG, Robert RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus. Joymount - PCI RH

CRAWFORD, James Stoker. Duchess of Devonshire. Ivy Row, Whitehouse. Whitehouse - PCI RH

CREIGHTON, William David RNAS. Russian Armoured Car Division. Petty Officer. Rosebank, Whitehead

DACE, Herbert Stoker. HMS Mantua. Erskine Terrace. Whitehouse - PCI RH

DAVIDSON, Samuel RNR. Captain. DSC. Masonic Lodge 43, Carrickfergus

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 19 HAMILTON, Harry S Carpenter. Carrickfergus Masonic Lodge

HAMILTON, John Chief Writer. HMS Zetland. West Street. First Carrickfergus - PCI RH

HAMILTON, John Baker. HMS Macedonia. Nelson Street. First Carrickfergus - PCI RH

HAYTER, Henry H Islandmagee Masonic Lodge 162

HILL, Hugh RNR. Second Islandmagee - PCI RH

JACKSON, John C RN. Artificer. Masonic Lodge 162. Islandmagee

KEMP, William F. RNAS. Lieutenant. Holywood. High Street - PCI RH

KERR, Davis RNR. Lieut. in Command. Second Islandmagee - PCI RH

KERR, Hugh RN. Lieutenant Commander. Masonic Lodge162, Islandmagee. Second Islandmagee - PCI RH

LAIRD, David RE. Naval Div. Sapper. Second Islandmagee - PCI RH

MANN, James RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 20 RNR. Sub - Lieutenant. Second Islandmagee - PCI RH

McATAMNEY Alexander RNR. Captain. Masonic Lodge 43. Carrickfergus

McCLINTOCK, John William Leopold RN. Second son of Vice Admiral Sir Leopold McClintock, whose efforts resulted in the discovery of the fate of the Franklin Expedition in the 19th century. A channel in the Arctic is named in honour of Vice Admiral McClintock. JWL McClintock, who died in 1929, served continuously at sea during the First World War and was President of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich at the time of his death. Redhall House. Memorial in St John’s Parish Church, Templecorran, Ballycarry

MILLAR, William RNR. Lieutenant. Fairymount. First Carrickfergus - PCI RH

MILNER, Fred RNR. Lieutenant Commander. Masonic Lodge162, Carrickfergus

MOIR, George R RNAS. Captain. Masonic Lodge 313, Whitehead

REID, Thomas RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus. Joymount - PCI RH

REILLY, Robert RN. HMS Dublin. Whitehouse, Belfast

REILLY, W J RN. HMS Pelorous, HMS Argyll. Whitehouse, Belfast RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 21 ROBINSON, George RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus. Joymount - PCI RH

ROBINSON, John RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus. Joymount - PCI RH

SAUNDERSON, Thomas RN. Jordanstown. Whiteabbey - PCI RH

SEMPLE, Adam, Jun. RN. Commons, Carrickfergus. Raloo - PCI RH

SLOAN, Kyle RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus. Joymount - PCI RH

STEWART, Edward RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus. Joymount - PCI RH

WALLACE, John RN. Seaman. Carrickfergus. Joymount - PCI RH

WATSON, Charles Seaman. HMS Impereuse. Green Street. First Carrickfergus - PCI RH

WILLIAMSON, W A RN. Lieutenant Commander. HMS Canopus. Invalided. Ballycraigy House. Whitehouse - PCI RH

YOUNG, Paul Stoker. HMS Buttercup. Agnes Street. First Carrickfergus - PCI RH

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 22 YOUNG, Thomas RNAS. Born Carrickfergus 1895. Governor’s Place Carrickfergus. First Carrickfergus - PCI RH

ROLL OF HONOUR WW II CARRICKFERGUS, WHITEHEAD AND WHITEHOUSE

CLENDINNING, David Alexander RN. Able Seaman. C/SSX 13199. HMS Whirlwind. Died 05/07/1940. Age 30. Son of Robert Alexander and Agnes Clendinning, Whitehead. Chatham Naval Memorial. Panel 35

CRAWFORD, Samuel Sloan OS. P/UDT1273. HMS Victory. Died 02/02/1940. Aged 27. Died Portsmouth RN Hospital. Husband to Margaret, Concrete Rd, Whiteabbey. Carnmoney cemetery

DUMIGAN, John Beattie RN. Signalman. C/JX 234041. S.S Fort Bellingham. Died 25/01/1944. At 00.16 hours on U-360 (Becker) fired a spread of three FAT torpedoes at the convoy JW-56A in the Barents Sea north of North Cape in 73°45N/24°48E and heard three hits. In fact, the only ship hit was that of the convoy commodore Cmdr I.W. Whitehorn RN, the Fort Bellingham (Master James Ninian Maley).It fell behind the convoy, where she was sunk by U-957 with a T-3 at 06.53 hours the same day. The master, the commodore, four naval staff members, 22 crew members and seven gunners were picked up by HMS Offa (G 29) (LtCdr R.F. Leonard, RN) and landed at Murmansk. Two crew members were taken prisoner by U-957. 18 crew members, 16 gunners and two naval staff members were lost including JB Dumigan. Son of John and Martha RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 23 Dumigan; husband of Rhoda M. Dumigan, Carrickfergus. Chatham Naval Memorial, Panel 76

FITZPATRICK, William James Joseph RN. AB. C/JX192062. HMS Walney.Died 08/11/1942. Age 22. HMS Walney, a former US Coastguard cutter, took part in Operation Torch, the landings in French north-west Africa. Walney was taking part in the bombardment of Oran and had crashed through the harbour boom when it came under heavy fire from the defence batteries. The ship was damaged badly and had to be abandoned, exploding six hours later. The captain of Walney, Captain Frederick Peters, received a posthumous Victoria Cross. Son of William and Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, Whiteabbey. Chatham Naval Memorial.

LOUGHLIN, Hamilton RN. Able Seaman. D/JX 181582. Died 14/07/1941. Age 27. H.M.S. President III. Son of Hamilton and Robina Loughlin, Carrickfergus; husband of Johanna Mary Loughlin, Carrickfergus. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 47

QUINN, Vincent RN. Able Seaman. D/JX 156549. Died 09/04/1942. Age 20. HMS Hermes. Son of Sophia Quinn, Whitehouse. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 35

ROBB, James RN. Able Seaman. D/JX 191463. Died 11/01/1942. Age 38. HMS President III. Husband to Margaret Robb, Carrickfergus. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 88

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 24 SHANKS, James RN. Gunner. Died 27/04/1941. HMS Diamond. Son of Matthew and Elizabeth Shanks, Whiteabbey, Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 45

SMITH, William James Wilson RN. Able Seaman. D/SSX 21645. Died 10/01/1941. Age 21. HMS Valiant. Son of Francis and Mary J. Smyth, Whiteabbey. Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 48

STEWART, Andrew RN. Able Seaman. D/SSX 18344. Died 01/04/1942. Age 22. HMS Croome.. Son of Andrew and Margaret Stewart, Whiteabbey. Gibraltar (North Front) Cemetery

THEY SERVED - WW II CARRICKFERGUS, WHITEHEAD AND WHITEHOUSE

ERSKINE, Colin Jack

RN. Naval Airman, b. 29th May, 1925. Son of J. Erskine, Greenisland. Campbell College

HARDY, Alexander North RN. Lieutenant. Commanded HMS Valena, a minesweeper, used to sweep French beaches on 05/06/1944 in heavy weather prior to D Day. At the end of the war, he and the crew of HMS Valena found themselves in the Low Countries, where he took part in a VE-Day parade with Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. Earlier in the conflict, he had served on escort RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 25 duty during the . Worked for a shipping company in Birmingham before the war. Whitehead.

KING, James Osborne RNVR. Lt.-Commdr., DSC. b. 8th October, 1914. Son of J. King, Castle Chester, Whitehead. Campbell College

McATAMNEY, George H RN. AB.

McATAMNEY, Robert Samuel RN. Petty Officer. Survivor of First Battle of Narvik 1940. One of six sons of William & Jane McAtamney who served in WW 2. Born 18/03/1920 at 24 Davys Street Carrickfergus. Brother of George and Thomas. D 1954 Daniel McAtamney L. Cpl. R.A.F Francis McAtamney Flight Segt. R.A.F. Robert Samuel (Bobby) McAtamney Petty Officer R.N. George H. McAtamney A.B. R.N. Thomas McAtamney O.S. R.N. William McAtamney Sergt. Royal Inniskillings

McATAMNEY, Thomas RN. OS.

TWINNING, Kathleen Elizabeth WRNS. Born Carrickfergus. Served as a signaller in North of England communicating with vessels entering or leaving harbour. There she met Ted. Married 03/05/1953 in St Nicholas Parish Church, Carrickfergus. Lived in Newry. Emigrated to Canada 1957 to North . B 25/06/1922. Died 02/12/2013

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance Issue 23 26 HELP REQUESTED Please send names of Ex RN/RM/WRNS who served in either of the world wars. Details also appreciated.

CIRCULATION - Please share ‘Brave Report’ with your former service colleagues - and we will post direct to them if they simply send an e-mail to: [email protected], placing Brave Report in the message bar, and give their name and former arm of service, and if they are members of the RNA or RBL, having knowledge of their branch would be appreciated. There are specific areas where we need information from!

PUBLICATION NOTES Please note all the material in Brave Report is copyright. Brave Report is collated and published by The Very Rev. Dr Houston McKelvey, OBE QVRM TD.

Dr McKelvey served as chaplain for 29 years with 102/105 (Ulster & Scottish) Regiment, Royal Artillery TA; for 20 years as Chaplain to the RBL - Northern Ireland Area, and for a period as chaplain to the Belfast Branch of the Burma Star Association. He was involved in the life of HMS Caroline and HMS Hibernia.He was appointed an Honorary Chaplain to the RNR. He is a Past President of QUB Combined Services Club.

RN Northern Ireland - In Remembrance