Royal Navy Research Archive

Graham Hoile

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 15:02:16 +0000

My grandson is doing a school project involving family members during WW2 and have been going through old photos and found these. My father Henry (Harry) James Hoile was a PO (plumber), on left of the two in whites, aboard Montclare during 1945, also spent some time on HMS Belfast in Hong Kong, but have no details. He later built a bungalow in Kent in the 50's which he named Montclare

Mick

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 07:03:12 +0100

The actor Peter O Toole served on HMS Montclare when he was 19. So that would have been about 1951. As she was decommisioned in 1954, he would have been one of her final crewmen.

Tim Thomas

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 20:35:49 +0100

My Father, Alan Thomas, served on the Montclare from Feb '45 to Dec '45. He too was an "Ordinary Telegraphist". If you have any photographs in which he may be included it would be lovely to see them. Thanks

Jenny Allinson

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 22:03:16 +0100

The Picture you have posted of all the men looking over the side of the ship...I have a copy of that exact picture!!. Any information you gathered about it would be very much appreciated.

Liz Crawford

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 23:09:32 +0000

Hello Brian, I’ve only just seen your comment although I realise it’s 4 years ago! My father Geoffrey Loukes was also a wireless telegrapher on HMS Montclare at the same time as your father. I wonder if you have any photos?

stephen moss

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 02:17:13 +0100

Hi Brian, my grandad was on the Montclare between June 1945 and December 1945, his name was Peter Johnson if you have any pictures. thanks

Iain

Sat, 08 Jan 2022 21:42:56 +0000

My Mother was a stenographer on the Montclair for some years in the 1920s

Jackie Johnson

Thu, 08 Jul 2021 12:24:10 +0100

Looking for a photo of (Stanley) Eric George in a crew photo on and around a gun, probably between April and December 1947 on HMS Montclare. Based

Rosyth Marine Docks. Taken by a local photographer as requisitioned by the Captain. Can anyone help with a copy of this photo please.

Other previous ships he served on were HMS Pytchley July 1945 - May 1946 and HMS Fly July 1946 - April 1947.Thank you for your help.

Alistair Stenton

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 23:04:11 +0000

My late uncle, Alan Stenton was I think a Chief Petty Officer on the HMS Montclare in the latter years of the war, and ended up in the British Pacific Fleet on the Montclare, possibly having also served earlier in the Atlantic theatre. At the end of the war I believe he was involved in engineering work on the Hong Kong tram system before the ship returned to the UK. Any information or photos would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

Brian Franklin

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 23:03:05 +0100

My father Raymond Franklin served in the Montclare from late 1944 to early 1946 as a wireless telegraphist. I have several pictures of him and other crew particularly in Hong Kong December 1945. If you would like to see them or have a name I may be able to find your relatives picture or signature.

Marion Horton

Sun, 31 May 2020 16:47:08 +0100

In Southhampton we were at the berth that the Queen Mary docked fitting out the HMS Montclare. Shipyard men were working and we were scrubbing and polishing the Galley and the Bakery. We where Canteen Messing so each Mess drew his stores and I cooked for them separately. We worked hard and ate all we could get our hands on. As the crew was only five of us we all got an allowance. Then when everyone joined the ship we got a big cash bonus because we had not drawn all our rations. The Montclare, the old liner served us well until we got into the Red Sea. One of our crew had a heart attack and we 'bust our boilers' to get him to Aiden fo for treatment. In the Suez Canal we climbed the bankside and blocked it. Hilter could not do this but we did! On to the Indian Ocean and Hong Kong via Australia. (These are my dads words and I think he was talking about 1945).

Marion Horton

Tue, 26 May 2020 15:52:31 +0100

How lovely of you to reply. THANK YOU.

I think they were probably on the Montclare at the same time. I have lovely photographs of my Dad who was very handsome in his Royal Navy Uniform. He didn't talk that much about his time in Hong Kong and Middle East, Suez etc but he did enjoy being in the Navy.

Marion

Christine Barber

Mon, 11 May 2020 12:28:07 +0100

My dad Eric Barber was on the Montclare and his job was in signals (he wrote out the morse code for us in later years) and visited Manus, Australia and Hong Kong. I recall him telling us he was the tallest man on board ship at 6ft 5ins!

karen harris

Sat, 09 May 2020 17:59:59 +0100

My father in law, David Harris, was a stoker mechanic on the HMS Monteclare around 1947-1949 not in wartime? He was on other ships too. He said it was the best years of his life and proud of serving in the Navy. Rothesay, Scotland is a place he talks of fondly. He is 90 this year. Love to hear from others and their stories.

Paul-Reid

Sat, 09 May 2020 10:29:16 +0100

One of my grandsons asked yesterday where my dad was on VE day. He was an ERA on HMS Montclare. I couldn't remember but your post jogged my memory. Thanks.

Ian Merriman

Fri, 08 May 2020 19:17:46 +0100

Marion
What a coincidence that we should have brought out WW2 memorabilia today to mark VE Day.
Your email arrived just after we were looking at the Christmas Card sent from Montclare at Hong Kong in December 1945 Its a pity that this forum does not appear to enable images to be posted!
My Dad passed away in 1981 aged 57, too many Players Navy Cut Cigarettes didnt help! He was classed as a stoker but had a clerical job onboard.
Stories from Australia include being in a fight with American Sailors on Sydney Harbour Bridge and returning the night after with a group of matelots off Montclare to extract retribution on another random group of Yanks!
Also a story of the ship being surrounded by a group of British Submarines that has mistaken them for the Submaririne Depot Ship. Quite startling at the time!
My Dad was also involved with the sea in his later employment working in shipping and export, We were taken on visits to ships in port on a number of occasions.
Thanks for your comments

Marion Horton

Wed, 06 May 2020 15:52:14 +0100

I have my Dad's certificate as a "SON OF THE SEA" signed by the Commanding Office G.W. Hoare-Smith on 2nd April 1945.
My Dad was John Ridley Liddle and whilst in Hong Kong he got engaged in November 1946 to Marion Martin. She was in Glasgow where they met when the ship was in dock. He sent the money to her and she bought the ring in Glasgow. I have a photograph of him in uniform taking in Hong Kong and a photograph of her displaying the ring on the same date in Glasgow.
John Liddle was a ships cook. He was born in 1925 and joined The Royal Navy as soon as he was old enough. He died in Aril 2002. I have some photographs of him with his sailor friends and I believe one was called Goodhew. He was a fine man who never lost his love of the sea and the Royal Navy.

Kimberley Whitehead

Fri, 27 Dec 2019 00:19:28 +0000

A dear friend of mine who is 96 Mr Pickering was on Montclare and travelled to Manus Islands / Hong Kong. I have a couple of photos of him and also a photograph of his certificate (which he still has) given to those onboard ‘Son of the Sea’ 1945 signed by the commanding officer.

Roel verboven

Sat, 13 Jul 2019 12:49:37 +0100

The Brother of my grandfather sailed with the SS Montclare in 1929 from Antwerp to Canada. Are there any passengerslists or more info from those commercial trips the Montclare did?

Sarah Davies

Sat, 30 Mar 2019 20:32:12 +0000

My father was a radar operator on the HMS Montclare. We have a photo of him in uniform with a note on the back ’Me Hong Kong 1945’

Gaynor Richards

Tue, 19 Feb 2019 11:10:59 +0000

My Dad, Reg Fox from Wilmslow Cheshire was also Stoker on Montclare. We have a souvenir booklet he brought back from Australia with a note in it signed ‘Bluey’ McInally who, my mum says was a great pal. Another friend on board was Stan Luton. They were all on Bondi Beach for VE Day. Dad talked of his time with the ship quite often, but he wouldn’t discuss Papua New Guinea.
Mum and Dad married when he returned in 1946 and Dad only died in 2016.Mum is now 96.

David Chapman

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 15:09:03 +0000

My Uncle served on HMS Montclare during the war and was knocked down and killed whilst on leave in Preston 1948 by a drunk driver, he was only 23 years old
Lawrence Wareing

Carole Newman

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 16:32:04 +0100

My father, Leonard Fuke, was also a petty officer and served on this ship. He was a ship's painter. I have a political cartoon "crossing- of- the- line" certificate dated April 2 1945 and signed by Captn. G.W. Hoare -Smith.

Jean Ross

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 08:13:21 +0000

My father was Lt. CD-R on HMS Montclare. Was Atlantic Pacific. Hong Kong Manus Islands Australia.

Jean Ross

Mon, 01 Jan 2018 13:05:48 +0000

My. Father Robert McKinlay from Argyllshire was Lieutenant Commander on HMS Montclare. Served in
Atlantic and Pacific WW2 . Manus islands ,Hong Kong. , Australia .

Anne Courtney

Thu, 13 Jul 2017 16:17:43 +0100

My father-in-law was on HMS Montclare but not until 1947-1949. I was interested in your comment about your father being a stoker, as my father-in-law also was. He was in Australia 1944-1946 and returned home via Singapore, Colombo and Aden.

Rita

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 13:03:26 +0100

My Dad was chief petty officer on this ship during WW2

Ian Merriman

Sun, 01 Jan 2017 22:17:14 +0000

My Father Les Merriman of Birmingham was in HK on the Montclare at the end of the war.
He was a Stoker but I understand he got himself a cushy job doing Clerical work onboard.
I believe he was in Australia at some point and returned to the UK via Ceylon

Colleen wood

Sat, 03 Dec 2016 19:03:31 +0000

My granda served on the montclare in ww2. Was this ship at Dunkirk?

Moore

Mon, 05 Sep 2016 21:44:58 +0100

My Father , Anthony Moore served as the Captains Clerk 1945-6 and was present in Hk before picking up Dutch former POW's, sailing back to the Uk via Singapore Columbo and the Suez. I have several interesting photographs including the ships crescent.