H.M.S. SLINGER Gllery

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HMS SLINGER gallery

Images marked ♠ are from the private collection of Mr John Lawson, former Coder. Images marked ♦ are from the private collection of Reg Hunt, Stores Assistant. Images marked ♣ are kindly supplied by Mr David Yates, part of a collection of materials that belonged to his grandfather, Able Seaman Herbert Wilkinson, who served on SLINGER from September 1944 to December 1945. Images marked ★ are kindly supplied by Rita Truman, part of a collection of materials that belonged to her father, Able Seaman Alfred Jones, who served on SLINGER. Images marked ♥ are kindly supplied by Mr Mike Roshier; Mike kindly loaned two rolls of film negatives shot by his father, Alan John Roshier, while serving on SLINGER in the ship's photographic department in 1945. Images marked ⚑ are from the private collection of Mr Cyril Davies, former Able Seaman, D/JX651199. Images marked ⛊ are from the private collection of Mr E.M. 'Mac' McCarthy, a former Writer who served with MONAB 8 and took passage to Hong Kong on SLINGER. Additional Images, marked © IWM, are reproduced under the terms of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence.

Most of these images are sized to fit the screen, however where possible those containing groups of personnel will open large enough to see individuals. Many, but not all, of these images are available in larger, high-res versions and copies can be supplied upon receipt of a photo request. If you have pictures or other memorabilia that you can contribute to this project please contact the Webmaster using the Offer of assistance form.

The Royal Navy Research Archive is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License See our terms of use for conditions regarding using these images in other works.

Major engine fault and reallocation to ferry carrier duties: May - August 1945

April 29th 1945: view from the bridge as SLINGER enters the Cairncross Dry Dock at Brisbane for repairs to her Low-Pressure Rotor, part of her propulsion system. This repair was to take four weeks to complete and resulted in her top speed being reduced to 12 knots - too slow for flying operations so she was redesigned as a ferry carrier. ⚑

Newspaper report in The Courier-Mail, Brisbane, Tuesday 15 May 1945 - no mention of repair is made, only repainting the ship. ♣

Late May 1945: HMS SLINGER shortly after post repair sea trials - redesigned a ferry carrier and renumbered A452 she was now too slow to make flying speed of 14 knots. ♣

Late May 1945: Members of the ship's company waiting to be ferried back on board after shore leave in Brisbane. ⚑

October 28th 1944: An Avenger from 778 Service Trials Unit at RNAS Arbroath was testing the ship’s flight deck equipment, making arrested landings and catapult-assisted take-offs. On its final landing, it ended up in the barrier. ♠

C. November 1944 SLINGER, accompanied by her plane guard, turns into the wind in preparation for launching Seasies. ♠

The members of the flight deck handling party c. November 1944

c. November 1044: Seafire NF565 belonging to 768 Deck Landing Training Squadron from RNAS Abbotsinch is ready for take-off; the chocks have been removed, and the pilot is running his engine up to full power.★

c. November 1044: an unidentified Seafire belonging to 768 Deck Landing Training Squadron from RNAS Abbotsinch during take-off.★

c. November 1044: an unidentified Seafire belonging to 768 Deck Landing Training Squadron from RNAS Abbotsinch has had a barrier crash; the force of the impact has caused the aircraft to pitch onto its nose.

c. December 1944: Practice shoot of the 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns. © IWM (A 26910)S

Voyage to Hong Knog: September - October 1945

September 9th 1945, personnel of the advance party of HMS NABCATCHER (Mobile Naval Air Base No. 8) paraded on the flight deck for SLINGER, leaving Sydney Harbour for passage to Hong Kong. The ship is also ferrying a number of reserve airframes for MONAB 8, which was to reopen Kai Tak airfield; several Fairey Barracudas can be seen parked aft. Only the new Light Fleet Carriers operated this aircraft type, which joined the BPF just as the war ended and saw no action. ⛊

Members of MONAB 8 Motor Transport section? From left to right: Stoker ‘Bill ', Cpl ‘Fields', 'Smiler Ted ', 'Trooper G?'. Ted is Marine Edward Badham, and the photo was taken at sea en route to Hong Kong. A Fairey Barracuda is the backdrop of this picture. ❖

Members of MONAB 8 Motor Transport section at sea on route to Hong Kong. Marine ‘Smiler’ Ted Badham is far right in overalls. ❖

c. September 26th 1945 SLINGER arrives at Kowloon, Hong Kong to deliver her stores and MONAB 8 advance party. The Dutch Cruiser HNLMS TROMP is at anchor in the centre of the image, and the Light Fleet Carrier VENGEANCE is moored on the right.♣

Late September 1945: SLINGER alongside at Kowloon unloading humanitarian aid supplies and the stores and equipment of the MONAB 8 advance party. ♣ ⛊

Late September 1945: Work began unloading stores; former Japanese naval personnel undertook the task and proved very efficient. Japanese prisoners were employed extensively in the colony in the early months after the surrender. (1) ♣

cLate September 1945: Work began unloading stores; former Japanese naval personnel undertook the task and proved very efficient. Japanese prisoners were employed extensively in the colony in the early months after the surrender. (3) ♣

Fremantle on passage to the UK: November 18th 1945

All images in this section are produced from negatives taken by Alan Roshier and scanned by the RNRA

SLINGER coming alongside at E Shed Victoria Quay, Fremantle , Sunday, November 18th 1945. (1)

SLINGER coming alongside at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. (2)

SLINGER coming alongside at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. (3)

SLINGER alongside at E Shed Fremantle, November 18th 1945. The view aft from the bridge looking out to sesa. (1)

SLINGER alongside at E Shed Fremantle, November 18th 1945. The view aft from the bridge. (2)

SLINGER alongside at E Shed Fremantle, November 18th 1945. The view from the bridge. ()3

SLINGER alongside at E Shed Fremantle, November 18th 1945. The view from the bridge. (4)

SLINGER alongside at E Shed Fremantle, November 18th 1945. The view from the bridge. (5)

SLINGER alongside at E Shed Fremantle, November 18th 1945. The view from the bridge. (6)

SLINGER alongside at E Shed Fremantle, November 18th 1945. The view from the bridge. (7)

SLINGER alongside at E Shed Fremantle, November 18th 1945. loading begins (1)

SLINGER alongside at E Shed Fremantle, November 18th 1945. loading begins (2)

SLINGER coming alongside at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. The men of the former MONAB 4 (wearing khaki battle dress) and some of the ship’s company on parade for Sunday Divisions (1)

SLINGER coming alongside at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. Loading complete; the ship prepares for departure. Civilians have begun to assemble on the quayside to see her off.

SLINGER departing from her berth at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. A large number of locals have gathered on the quayside to see her off. (1)

SLINGER departing from her berth at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. A large number of locals have gathered on the quayside to see her off. (2)

SLINGER departing from her berth at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. A large number of locals have gathered on the quayside to see her off. (3)

SLINGER departing from her berth at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. A large number of locals have gathered on the quayside to see her off. (4)

SLINGER departing from her berth at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. A large number of locals have gathered on the quayside to see her off. (5)

SLINGER departing from her berth at E Shed Fremantle, Sunday, November 18th 1945. A large number of locals have gathered on the quayside to see her off. (6)

SLINGER departing from Fremantle harbour, Sunday, November 18th 1945. Note she is flying her paying-off pennant, which streams from her mast beyond the stern. (1)

SLINGER departing from Fremantle harbour, Sunday, November 18th 1945. Note she is flying her paying-off pennant, which streams from her mast beyond the stern. (2)

SLINGER departing from Fremantle harbour, Sunday, November 18th 1945. Note she is flying her paying-off pennant, which streams from her mast beyond the stern. (3)

cSLINGER departing from Fremantle harbour, Sunday, November 18th 1945. Note she is flying her paying-off pennant, which streams from her mast beyond the stern. (4)

cSLINGER departing from Fremantle harbour, Sunday, November 18th 1945. Note she is flying her paying-off pennant, which streams from her mast beyond the stern. (5)

SLINGER departing from Fremantle harbour, Sunday, November 18th 1945. Passing the North Mole Lighthouse on her way into the Indian Ocean bound for Colombo..

Ship’s company and recreation

Members of the smaller ferry crew which resulted from SLINGER being redesignated as a purely ferry carrier after June 1945. Picture 1: Hats off. Able Seaman Gerald Sutton, second row down, second from left. ▲ ♣

Members of the smaller ferry crew which resulted from SLINGER being redesignated as a purely ferry carrier after June 1945. Picture 2: Hats on. Able Seaman Gerald Sutton, second row down, second from left. ▲ ♣

Seaman Branch 1: Hats off. Able Seaman Herbert Wilkinson (Quartermaster), back row, centre, the only rating in the group. ♣

Seaman Branch 2: Hats on. Able Seaman Herbert Wilkinson(Quartermaster), back row, centre, the only rating in the group. ♣

Members of the communications department. ♠

Members of the Radar section, with the captain and commander; photo taken on June 1st 1945. Photo: Arthur Rickard, former AB Radar Plot III

NCOs of Unknown department

Personnel of an Unknown department

The torpedo department: Lt. John 'Jack' Norwell, Torpedo Officer, is seated 3rd from the left; Able Seaman Geoff Sutton is seated far left. ▲

The torpedo department junior rates: Able Seaman (T) George Parsons is nack row 2nd left

A group of ratings from Birmingham and the Midlands: AB Alfred Jones, Back row, Second Right (Shorty); AB Cyril Davies, back row, far right, in the white shorts. ★

February 12th 1945: Seaman Branch junior rates, back row J Fay (Boatswain's Mate ), H Wilkinson (Quartermaster), G Crossay (Quartermaster), H Wood (Kite Balloon Section ): Front row T Shaw (Boatswain's Mate ), C Deakin (Boatswain's Mate ), T Ginggel (Kite Balloon Section ), J Chipper (Quartermaster ).