Page 19 - ABA Salvoes 1999-2024

and also the dock area of Pag town. This landing on Pag was supported by Partisan Units, and opposition was provided by a troop of Ustashi (pro-German Yugoslav auxiliaries) who were sent from Pag town to attack our OP. As night was falling, and it was November, the Partisans and the OP retired with the aim of rejoining HMS ALDENHAM, however the ship had struck a mine earlier that evening and was lost with all hands. This loss rate was unsustainable, so in late November 1944 FO4 was withdrawn to Ancona on the mainland. After three years operations I was due to return to UK for leave, but in fact the war in Europe ended and although an advance party from 2 COBU set off for Rangoon it was never involved, as the Atomic Bomb was dropped. I returned to UK by sea from Naples to Gourock and was de-kitted at Dundonald
Camp in Sept 1945 and then went on to Edinburgh University to complete my Mechanical/Engineering/ Geology Degree. We found it very strange at university, as we were so much more mature than the other students who had come straight from school. I consider myself a lucky man from a lucky family. One of my brothers was a glider pilot; another, a railway engineer, became OC of 10 Railway Construction Company and walked the length of Italy dealing with track and bridges, which the withdrawing Germans had either destroyed, or booby trapped, while a third became a Halifax Pilot: we all survived.
Afternote. In February 1944, three of the FOOs with 2 COBU were awarded MCs, and five others, including Maxwell, were Mentioned in Despatches.
NAVAL GUNFIRE SUPPORT IN THE KOREAN WAR
By Lieutenant Colonel K R H Eve RA
Surprisingly little has been written about NGS in Korea, so I thought that I would start by condensing two vignettes from the earliest days. The first is from the Midshipman’s Log of Colin Harris, who was a great friend of the Amphibious Observation Batteries, and, as the Squadron Gunnery Officer of the 24th Escort Squadron, did much to raise the NGS standards in the Far East at the time of the Borneo and Malaysian campaigns in the early ‘60s. He retired as a lieutenant commander, to take up appointments in the arms industry. The second is a resume of the recollections of Keith McQueen, whose service with B Troop, 267 Combined Operations Bombardment Battery took him, inadvertently, to Korea in June 1950. He retired as a major general, and died in June 2000.
Midshipman C C Harris RN. It was customary for ships on the Far East Station, when visiting Hong Kong, to land a number of matelots for a spell ashore, which was spent with various Army units in Kowloon, the New Territories and Hong Kong Island, and as a quid pro quo, the ships embarked an equal number of soldiers for a ‘cruise’. The swap usually lasted for a couple of weeks, and was a most popular arrangement, and it was thus that HMS Jamaica sailed from Hong Kong in June 1950, for a cruise up to Japan. Abroad were a number of Army personnel, which included men from 58 Medium Regiment RA, the Middlesex Regiment and B Troop, 267 COB Battery. The last were in a quasi-official capacity to carry out bombardment practices at sea. On the way North, A, B and Y turrets fired at a home made raft, but spotting conditions were difficult. Then a few days later the ship learnt that North Korea had invaded the South. Jamaica, which had come alongside at Kure, was ordered to join up with Cossack and Belfast and some US ships and close the East coast of Korea. On the morning of 2 Jul 50, a group of small shells splashed about 500 yards on the starboard bow, and all ships turned to port. The USS Junea opened up with her 5 inch guns, closely followed by Jamaica
with both 6 and 4 inch, at what was estimated to be 75 mm field guns. Intelligence indicated that a small enemy supply ship was lurking in the harbour at Choo Mon Jin, and Black Swan fired a few salvoes into the village, and at the lighthouse, with no known results. On 6 Jul 50, Black Swan again carried out a bombardment of the coastline and a number of bridges, which were difficult targets, but some damage was believed done. She was, in turn, fired at by mortars, and replied with her 4 inch battery of six guns.
7 Jul 50. During the middle watch Black Swan fired at vehicle lights on the coast road. They were extinguished, but damage could not be assessed. She continued to harass the coast road while HMS Hart went inshore to destroy some oil tanks with her Bofors. Then at 1745 hrs, the whole force was ordered to bombard the town of Yang Yung, North of the 38th parallel, the targets being a power station and warehouses. Jamaica scored hits at 10,000 yards on the warehouses with her second and last salvoes, and on the power station with her third. The USS Swenson could not observe her salvoes due to smoke caused by Jamaica’s shells, but shortly afterwards a small boat pulled out from shore to inform the ships that the S Koreans had now recaptured the village.
8 Jul 50. Bombardments of the cost road continued, with a view to restricting reinforcements reaching the N Korean frontline. To do this the ships were coming close inshore. At 1530 hrs Jamaica was engaging a section of road when three 75mm shore guns opened up on her, which she silenced with her 6 inch. However, a fourth 75 which had been firing on Swenson scored a hit on the starboard leg of Jamaica’s mainmast, the shrapnel killing four men instantly, two others later dying of their wounds, and leaving seven more wounded. The following evening the dead were buried at sea, three soldiers of 58 Medium Regiment, two soldiers from Middlesex Regiment,
Amphibious Bombardment Association | 17