Patrick Gerard McAleer

Information and photos provided by Philippa McAleer (daughter)

Patrick Gerard McAleer, JX 202464 , Able Seaman on board HMS Bermuda.

Dad started his training as an ordinary seaman with the Royal Navy at HMS Royal Arthur (see photos) on the 24th of June 1940. On the 18th of October 1940 he started his gunnery training at HMS Caroline in Belfast. That is where he met my mum. On the 24th of June 1941 dad finished his gunnery training and became an Able Seaman. Mum and dad eloped and got married in Gretna Green 3 days later on the 27th of June 1941.

Dad was posted to HMS Ulster Queen on the 26th July 1941. Dad later transferred to HMS Bermuda a Fiji class light cruiser on the 5th of August 1942 which was based with the British Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. My brother John would be born on the 31st of October 1942. whilst dad was serving on HMS Bermuda. Bermuda provided escort for 9 Arctic Convoys from Dec 1942 – Mar 1944. Dad served on them all.

On the 4th of Nov 1942 HMS Bermuda joined ‘Force H’ which had departed Scapa Flow to participate in the landings in North Africa ( Operation Torch ) On the 6th of November ‘Force H’ was assembled east of Gibraltar to cover the landings in North Africa.

Extract from dad’s diary (pictured) dated Nov 8th 1942, states they were attacked by Torpedo Bombers at dusk. They had 23 different sorties inside 2 hours. – Shot down two aircraft.

On Christmas Day 1942 HMS Bermuda was back in Scapa Flow . Attached is a photo which has been restored and coloured of dad and his pals on Christmas Day. He is the one on the extreme right as you look at the photo. The next photo is taken on board HMS Bermuda sometime in 1943.

Dad had a little Autograph book which he kept a little diary while onboard HMS Bermuda. On one of the pages I found a wee poem mum had written (pictured) . I have no doubt mum’s little poem gave dad comfort on those dark perilous journeys to Murmansk and Archangel and back. I wonder how often he read it. I am sure my mum and my brother were always in his thoughts.You can see the poem in the image attached.

The other image shows Mum and dad and my brother John, dated 16th September 1943 when dad was serving on HMS Bermuda.

The next photo was taken by dad sometime in 1943 on one of the convoys onboard HMS Bermuda.

On the 7th of June 1943 HMS Bermuda was involved in OPERATION FH. This operations had three objectives:

a) Carrying relief personnel and stores to the Norwegian Garrison in Spitsbergen.
b) Bringing back two corvettes from North Russia.
c) Carrying mail and stores to HM ships and establishments in North Russia.

The ships taking part in the operation were covered by a large battleforce which took station about 200 miles south-west of Bear Island.

.‘ForceR ‘ was deployed for the relief of the garrison at Spitsbergen (Operation Gearbox 111) made up of HMS Cumberland. HMS Bermuda. and the destroyers HMCS Athabascan and HMS Eclipse. They departed Akureyri, Iceland on 7 June for Spitsbergen where they arrived on 10 June. Dad made an entry in his little diary (pictured), in which he stated “Arrived Spitzbergen with Norweigen soldiers and supplies left the 11th with relieved garrisons and survivors of merchant ships picked up”.

Click to expand photos

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Convoys Remembered

Patrick Gerard McAleer

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