The Second HMS Manchester Association

Our reply to Ken....

Dear Ken

Very many thanks your kind words regarding our website. It is comments such as yours that make all the effort involved very worthwhile. With regard to Captain Harold Drew, we have spoken to Maurice Broad, the secretary of the cruiser boys association, and he has given me the following information:-

Captain Drew was interned by the Vichy French Authorities, along with a large proportion of the ships company. Following the success of Operation "Torch" they were released and returned to the UK early in 1943. Captain Drew was subsequently appointed as Captain in charge of Maintenance at Scapa Flow. Following the Board of Enquiry / Court Martial, as a result of the loss of HMS Manchester, he was given a staff appointment in Bombay working with the Indian Navy (late 1943 - 1945).

He was subsequently appointed Director of Recruiting 1946-47 - he was Chairman of the Victory Celebration Committee, for which he was awarded the CBE. Harold Drew won the DSC aged 21 in 1917, he was a gunnery specialist and he became ADC to King George VI in 1948. He then became Deputy CinC of the Indian Navy in the acting rank of Commodore (48-51) and was involved in the re-structuring of the Indian Navy. He retired in 1952 and died in 1987 in his 92nd year.

We have also learned that there is to be another dive on the wreck of Manchester later this year and permission has been given to enter the wreck - it is a war grave - and we understand experts will then try to establish if the ship could have been saved.

We hope this information is of use to you, and pleasing - and a relief - for us that the information on our website appears to be more accurate than that featured in the Dockyard Dandy.

Sincere Best Wishes

Ian & Steve

Dear Ian/Steve

I am an ex Chief Yeoman RN, and have lived in Perth, Western Australia for 40 years. I have just discovered your excellent website, congratulations, it really is first class, but to business....

On reading Navy News for July 07 page 14 regarding HMS Manchester, I was deeply concerned to read that the Captain (Harold DREW DSC, RN) was court-martialled and dismissed the service for "prematurely scuttling his ship", which (it is believed) saved three quarters of his ships company. To be dismissed one's ship is an awful penalty, but to be dismissed the service in time of war, when Captains of his experience were vital, seemed to be an outrageous verdict of a court-martial held in camera. Do you know if he was 'dismissed the service', or, as your website states 'ever given another command at sea.' I tried the Royal Naval Museum to see if they ahead any access to Court Martial transcripts, and they referred me to the National Archivers at Kew. This was 'too hard basket' for me at this distance, but I'm fairly sure that if access was possible to the C.M. records you would have obtained them.

All best wishes

Yours aye

Ken READ (ex Sig Boy - CCY 1944 - 1980

Letters to the Editor...

Dear Editor

Could you please forward the following letter to Frank Smith, aka Frankie the Filter. Thanks.

Dear Frank,

Is my watch still under guarantee? I have for the past 23 years been shaking it like you advised, to get the second hand back on the pin in the middle of the watch face but to no avail. All my family and friends have had a go, especially at Crimbo when I bring it out for one of our party games in the hope we have someone who is dextrous enough to get it back on. It's a lovely time-piece with a backward movement, till the big hand gets wedged against the second hand, so if you could help that would be great as I have now got carpel tunnel syndrome from all that shaking!!

Regards

Tony (Tanky) Shingler.

P.S. The Madonna tape you sold me is in Mandarin!!

Ed - Over to you Frank!

November 2007

Dear Steve and Ian

I thought the following may be of interest to your Association members.

I am resident in Spain and a member of the local branch of the Royal Air Forces Association. Every year the branch hold their Remembrance Day Service in The English Cemetery in Malaga on the Costa del Sol. There are four war graves in the cemetery where we lay our wreaths, one of these being that of Commander W D Stranack of HMS Manchester, whose date of death is listed as 23/7/1941. As well as members of the local RAFA the ceremony is attended by Torremolinos RBL the Royal Naval Association based in Torre del Mar and representatives from the base in Gibraltar, one of whom is RN and lays the wreath at the grave of Commander Stranack.

I have attached a few photos from the ceremony this year.

Best wishes

Reg Haywood RAFA Benalmadena

Our reply to Reg -

Dear Reg

Many thanks for your email and attachments. As you are probably aware, the 2nd HMS Manchester Association is primarily to do with the current HMS Manchester, although we do have strong links with the HMS Manchester Association, which deals with the 2nd World War Cruiser of the same name. The Cruiser boys do not have internet access just yet, but we will be keeping them informed as to what has transpired between ourselves.

As for Paymaster Commander Wallace Douglas Stranack, our own investigations reveal that he was one of 26 fatalities when HMS Manchester was hit by an aerial torpedo whilst escorting an eastbound Malta convoy on 23rd July 1941. He was 45 years old, and was one of three paymaster officers killed that day. His wife Grace lived in Southsea, Hampshire. Of the 26 officers and ratings who died, 13 were listed as Missing Believed Killed and the remainder were buried at sea. The reason Cdr Stranack was not similarly buried is that we understand his body was washed ashore near Malaga some time later. Cdr Stranack also served in the 1914-18 war.

HMS Manchester was lost on another Malta Convoy a year later.

Many thanks for your interest in our Association, and long may your pilgrimages to St George's British Cemetery, Malaga, continue!!!

Sincere Best Wishes

Ian and Steve