Royal Navy Research Archive

Steven Schofield

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 19:03:06 +0100

My wife's father was the AB Jack Hill mentioned under Seattle: Working up the ship.

Paul Reeves

Sat, 20 Jul 2019 12:32:09 +0100

My grandfather's (George A. Boosey) Record of Naval Service from the National Archives shows he was a Greaser on (or at) HMS Mersey for 2 weeks in May 1943 and then posted to "Asbury" (SLINGER) between 16/05/1943 - 07/08/1943 and then HMS SLINGER 08/08/1943 - 12/06/1944. In the middle of that period there is a red ink entry dated DEC 31 1943 but I have no idea what that relates to.
"Asbury" refers to HMS Asbury (later known as HMS Saker 11) which was a shore based transit accommodation for the Royal Navy located just outside New York City and used by crews picking up ships allocated to the Royal Navy under the provisions of Lend-Lease from the USA. He would have been on board for the handover ceremony at Portland, Oregon on 11/08/1943 and when the ship hit a mine in 1944. He was transferred to HMS STRIKER in June 1944, at the same time Capt Bingley left.
Any idea what a Greaser did on board?
On STRIKER he became a Donkeyman - what did they do?

Andrew Eade

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 09:47:37 +0100

My father, Trevor Eade, joined the Slinger at Greenock in January 1945 when she sailed for Australia. He was aboard on Fleet Train duties during April 1945 when the Slinger experienced engine problems. As a result, Trevor was then transferred to HMS Golden Hind on Sydney Racecourse.

Craig McDonald

Mon, 28 Aug 2017 20:38:56 +0100

Charles, my grandfather was ship's cook between Dec 1944 and Dec 1945. Any memories of Hector McDonald you'd like to share?

John Atkinson

Sun, 19 Jun 2016 16:37:03 +0100

My father, Sidney Joined Slinger in 1943 serving as a steward leaving her at Chatham. Probably before she hit the mine.

Charles Morris

Wed, 24 Sep 2014 09:45:40 +0100

I served on HMS Slinger as an AM(L) from January 1945 until January 1946. My service career ended as a Commander (WE ) with the RAN in 1980. My age is 88 and feeling all of it.This paper was extremely helpful in providing detail of facts that I knew but could not give name to. No documentation that I could find concerning our convoy to Australia mentioned Slinger sailing into the Grand Harbour at Malta where the OHIO still rested on the bottom alongside the wharf. I began to wonder if my memory was fading. The extracts on Young AB Lias and the funeral photograph of the burial of PO Mitchell were particularly poignant. Lias fell from the ships cutter which was outboard at the ready. Despite the search he was not found. I was present at the burial of PO Mitchell. Currently my second book, written solely for the family, can now be modified. Some of my earlier writings in my first book required re-writing. this is a wonderful page and Thank You.