Daughter of a Signalman - HMS Valiant HMS Malaya and Ophar 1942 - to close of WWII

Hi there everyone

I'm the proud daughter of a jolly old Signalman (more a boy when he joined).

Looking for crew from HMS Valiant, HMS Malaya and the Ophar - my dear old Dad (still going strong) was signalman on each at some point from 1942 to close of WWII.

I'm putting his history together - he holds the Burma Star (with Pacific strip) and I'm researching generally and have just contacted The Burma Star Association as I feel my pop should be recognised all these years on.

We have recently been back in touch with an old American war-buddy who served on The Saratoga. I've even been to visit him in MN as both men are now in frail health and unable to travel.

Any news will be gratefully received to help me put my story together.

 

Welcome to this great forum, I'm glad you joined in and I hope people will be able to help you

 

Welcome to the forums, good luck on putting your history together, you'll find plenty of resources here.

 

Thank you so much. There is a wealth of information here - I'll be using the 'search' facility quite a bit !

I am sorry that I don't have a salute for you, other than from The Girl Guides - but Dad DID teach me semaphore (although I don't find a lot of use for it nowadays)

I'll post our history when it's all together..................

 

Hello Lenny's Girl, welcome to the forums.

 

I wonder if I can find any further information - Dad is most keen to know anything about this - it is on his mind to this day....................


Working as a boy signalman in the Indian Ocean, Dad was told by the yeoman to keep an eye on The Ilustrious as it was about to take on aircrafts.

Dad put the binoculars to his face on the starboard beam / bow – although the directions were changing as aircrafts have to take off into wind. Watching with binoculars, Dad saw something unusual and focused on an aeroplane on the horizon which was skipping across the water, seemingly crashing and hitting the waves and then went straight down.

Dad shouted to the Yeoman on the flag deck that an aircraft crash ahead and straight away Dad was told to signal ahead - the fleet was all around and the sea busy with ships.

A few minutes later the navigating officer, who was on bridge, came down and asked Dad to point or direct him to the area of the crash and he added how strange it was as no-one else had seen it – so Dad wondered if he had made the correct observation, as the ships were zig-zagging and he worried he'd not been accurate. It seemed like an hour later, but the leading destroyer, about 2 miles ahead, had pulled off and reported wreckage. Dad was right!!



To this day Dad wonders if any lives were saved - who the men on board the plane were and if anyone can help find a record of this event. Perhaps the men from the plane were saved?



Please help if you can - this would have been around 1944 and 2/3 pilots were on board the plane.



Thanks Laura

 

Welcome to the forums, Laura!

 

Laura, thanks for sharing your father's story with us. I wish you luck in finding the information you need. Great photo of him! Do you have any photos of him on the ship ?

 

In the next few weeks, I will try and scan some photos to my computer - do you have any specific interest i.e. Valiant or Malaya?

 

Welcome to the forum and stay awhile, I look forward to your pics

 

Welcome Laura to the forum! I can't wait to see your pictures!

 

Welcome aboard, and indeed, I look forward to the pictures.

 

Let me say welcome also although you got here before me...wait a minute now I'm cofused