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[NewForest]

Hi all, this is my first post to the forum, I hope I can get some help and guidance from you all please.

I live near Exbury in Hampshire and am researching at the moment for a local history project, and obviously the years 1942 to 1955 are very interesting due to Exbury House being requisitioned, and the impact this had on the local community. Exbury House was home to HMS Mastodon in wartime from 1942, then post-war it was HMS King Alfred briefly, then HMS Hawke to 1955.

I wondered if anybody had, or knew of any place I could find photos of the house during this period, other than those available on the public Internet please? I did see the link below on the Internet Archive which might have had some once, but they no longer display:

https://web.archive.org/web/20100830143920/http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/KA/King_Alfred_3.htm

I am also interested where I might be able to find records of the requisition. I wondered if they would be in the National Archives, but filed differently to how I am searching - I am searching online using the stone frigate names but with no luck so far.

And of course, just any stories that might be out there, or memories passed down please.

Would appreciate any advice, pointing me in the right direction.

Thank you, Marc

[ErikvanGarderen]

Sadly I can't help you with pictures of the buildings, but my father in law was one of the first 'Upper Yard Men' being educated in HMS Hawke. He started his Upper Yardmen's Course in HMS Raleigh February 1946, but from 19 August 1946 till 1-1-1947 when he was promoted sub-lieutenant he was based in HMS Hawke. His Service record address was Hawke 42.

The photo included as an attachment shows one of the two HDML's (Harbour Defence Motor Launch) used by HMS Hawke (the name can be seen on the life-buoy) to train the students.
If people have information abut the pennant numbers of these HDMLs, I am very interested.

[NewForest]

Hi Erik, thank you so much. Since I wrote this post, I have written a book about HMS Mastodon, hopefully to be published next year.
I love the photo, I wonder if it was shot at Exbury on the Beaulieu River?
Could I get your permission to use in the book if I credit you please?

[ErikvanGarderen]

Hello, Thanks you for the compliment, and of course, I would not mind having this picture included in your book.
I assume that the picture indeed must have been taken near Beaulieu river, given the name 'HMS Hawke' on the life buoy. I have read that there were actually two HDMLs assigned to HMS Hawke, but I can't find the source anymore.
The picture is actually a very low-res version of a scan which is 9MB in size, so I can't upload the original version. If you send me a PM with your mail-address I can send you the original size for this picture.

I found another picture, taken when my father in law was promoted to sub-lieutenant. That must have been taken late 1946 and probably at the front door of HMS Hawke. The picture is included as an attachment to this post. My father in law is standing second left. I have no clue who any of the other officers are in this picture and I assume that the Commander was their mentor. HMS Hawke had a captain as commanding officer. (If you want to know which staff was working in HMS Hawke, the National Archives have copies of the 'Navy List' and these books give information about all the commissioned officers for each ship, whereby ship can also be a stone frigate).

[NewForest]

Thank you! I will do that now.

[ErikvanGarderen]

I have found another picture, which might have been taken in HMS Hawke (or one of the added buildings, as it looks not as luxurous as the main building). If this has not been taken in HMS Hawke, it must have been taken in HMS Raleigh. The people in the picture are Upper Yardmen's student in the class of February 1946. They graduated at the end of 1946.

I am wondering aboust the shield on the fireplace. I can't find which 'ship' it belongs to and hope other people can shine a light on the shield, as it may reveil the location.